If users are not doing what the designer intended (when users are investing time, effort, etc in your product), the designer may be asking them to do too much.
Nir EyalWhen designers intentionally trick users into inviting friends or blasting a message to their social networks, they may see some initial growth, but it comes at the expense of users' goodwill and trust. When people discover they've been duped, they vent their frustration and stop using the product.
Nir EyalReducing the thinking required to take the next action increases the likelihood of the desired behavior occurring unconsciously.
Nir EyalThe aim is to influence customers to use your product on their own, again and again without relying on overt calls to action such as ads or promotions.
Nir Eyal