Discovery is changing fast, as I said in a recent blog, and habit is our anchor. 

I began the second module of the recent Building Direct Traffic Audience master class with a simple premise: Habit matters. 

Why? Because audiences who form habits are less likely to churn, more likely to engage, and — perhaps most importantly — more likely to bring others with them.

But building habit is not just about repetition. It’s about relevance, timing, and context. We looked at real user journeys and explored when, where, and how people connect with content. Whether it’s checking headlines during the breakfast routine or doing a daily crossword on the train, a stable context — consistent time, device, and mindset — can be a powerful ally in creating stickiness.

And then there’s emotion. Samuel Salzer, an expert in AI and behavioural science, challenged us to move beyond traditional models like the Hooked model and instead focus on what really works: remove pain, add fun, create delight, and introduce variability. 

In other words, habit is emotional — not just functional. We must reduce friction while increasing the joy or value our products deliver.

Games might be the clearest example of this in action. 

Jonathan Knight, head of games at The New York Times, showed how their approach — arguably the most successful in the business — builds both habit and community. Wordle, in particular, is a shared experience: everyone solving the same puzzle at the same time with social elements layered in through forums, stats, and streaks. 

That community layer not only fuels engagement, it opens up new monetisation opportunities, especially around advertising. Games don’t just retain users; they create editorial moments, daily rituals, and social chatter.

But the story doesn’t stop at games. From newsletters to horoscopes, from alerts to podcasts, we explored a whole ecosystem of habit-driving features.

What stood out is not just the variety but the different modes they serve: quick check-ins, immersive exploration, shared experiences, background listening. The most successful news organisations are offering a mix — not relying on one magic feature but understanding the breadth and depth of content their audiences want.

We can also learn from other industries. 

Nicolas Larsson and Måns Palmqvist from Bonnier News highlighted how family sharing, borrowed from streaming platforms, can boost retention by 20%. It’s a simple but powerful idea: Shared use creates shared value. Meanwhile, personalisation, especially when actively controlled by the user, continues to be one of the strongest tools for driving return visits.

And finally, we saw how journalism itself can drive habit. Christoph Zimmer, CPO at Der Spiegel, discussed Spiegel Extra, a new layer of service journalism that has quickly shown high engagement, strong conversion, and excellent retention, particularly among younger audiences.

Importantly, it hasn’t cannibalised existing products or click-throughs within the homepage. Instead, it reinforces the brand’s core mission: offering value through journalism that fits into people’s daily lives.

Across all these examples, one thing became clear: There is no single habit loop. Instead, we should be thinking about a portfolio of touchpoints — designed for different moments, mindsets, and motivations. The best habits are built not through hacks but through deep understanding of our audiences and consistent delivery of value.

In a world of algorithm shifts, platform fragmentation, and AI disruption, habit might just be our most powerful — and most overlooked — strategy. Not flashy. Not always fast. But deeply effective.

Let’s keep asking: How do we fit into people’s lives, not just their feeds? 

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