MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is one of the most popular YouTubers and content creators in the world. To this day, he’s gained over 35 billion views on his videos.

He’s known for his expensive stunts and challenge videos where he does outrageous things like counting to 100,000 or giving away massive amounts of money. He is a master of getting your attention and getting you to click on his content.

Ultimately, if you don’t get the click, it really doesn’t matter how good your content is.

I made a list of 7 psychological effects and biases he’s consistently used to write headlines that get clicked into oblivion.

Here they are [7 psychological effects and biases begin]:

1. Novelty Effect

MrBeast Headline: “I Put 100 Million Orbeez In My Friend’s Backyard”

MrBeast often presents something so out of the ordinary that they have no choice but to click and find out more.

That’s the “novelty effect” at play.

Our brain’s reward system is engaged when we encounter something new.

You’ll notice that the headline examples you see in this list are extreme.

MrBeast takes things to the extreme.

You don’t have to.

Here’s your takeaway:

Consider breaking the reader/viewer’s scrolling pattern by adding some novelty to your headlines.

How?

Here are two ways:

Find the unique angle in your content     

Find an unusual character in your content

Examples:

“How Moonlight Walks Skyrocketed My Productivity”.

“Meet the Artist Who Paints With Wine and Chocolate.”

Headlines like these catch the eye without requiring 100 million Orbeez.

2. Costly Signaling

MrBeast Headline: “Last To Leave $800,000 Island Keeps It”

Here’s the 3-step click-through process at play here:

MrBeast lets you know he’s invested a very significant amount of time and money into his content.

This signals to whoever reads the headline that it’s probably valuable and worth their time.

They click to find out more.

Costly signaling is all amount showcasing what you’ve invested into the content.

The higher the stakes, the more valuable the content will seem.

In this example, the $800,000 island he’s giving away just screams “This is worth your time!”

Again, they don’t need to be this extreme.

Here are two examples with a little more subtlety:

“I built a full-scale botanical garden in my backyard”.

“I used only vintage cookware from the 1800s for a week”.

Not too extreme, but not too subtle either.

3. Numerical Precision

MrBeast knows that using precise numbers in headlines just work.

Almost all of his most popular videos use headlines that contain a specific number.

“Going Through The Same Drive Thru 1,000 Times”

“$456,000 Squid Game In Real Life!”

Yes, these headlines also use costly signaling.

But there’s more to it than that.

Precise numbers are tangible.

They catch our eye, pique our curiosity, and add a sense of authenticity.

“The concreteness effect”:

Specific, concrete information is more likely to be remembered than abstract, intangible information.

“I went through the same drive thru 1000 times” is more impactful than “I went through the same drive thru countless times”.

4. Contrast

MrBeast Headline: “$1 vs $1,000,000 Hotel Room!”

Our brains are drawn to stark contrasts and MrBeast knows it.

His headlines often pit two extremes against each other.

It instantly creates a mental image of both scenarios.

You’re not just curious about what a $1,000,000 hotel room looks like.

You’re also wondering how it could possibly compare to a $1 room.

Was the difference wildly significant?

Was it actually not as significant as you’d think?

It increases the audience’s *curiosity gap* enough to get them to click and find out more.

Here are a few ways you could use contrast in your headlines effectively:

Transformational Content:

“From $200 to a $100M Empire – How A Small Town Accountant Took On Silicon Valley”

Here you’re contrasting different states or conditions of a single subject.

Transformation stories and before-and-after scenarios.

You’ve got the added benefit of people being drawn to aspirational/inspirational stories.

Direct Comparison

“Local Diner Vs Gourmet Bistro – Where Does The Best Comfort Food Lie?”

5. Nostalgia

MrBeast Headline: “I Built Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory!”

Nostalgia is a longing for the past.

It’s often triggered by sensory stimuli – smells, songs, images, etc.

It can feel comforting and positive, but sometimes bittersweet.

Nostalgia can provide emotional comfort, identity reinforcement, and even social connection.

People are drawn to it and MrBeast has it down to a tee.

He created a fantasy world most people on this planet came across at some point in their childhood.

While the headline does play on costly signaling here as well, nostalgia does help to clinch the click and get the view.

Subtle examples of nostalgia at play:

“How this [old school cartoon] is shaping new age animation”.

“[Your favorite childhood books] are getting major movie deals”.

6. Morbid Curiosity

MrBeast Headline: “Surviving 24 Hours Straight In The Bermuda Triangle”

People are drawn to the macabre and the dangerous.

Morbid curiosity explains why you’re drawn to situations that are disturbing, frightening, or gruesome.

It’s that tension between wanting to avoid harm and the irresistible desire to know about it.

It’s a peculiar aspect of human psychology and viral content marketers take full advantage of it.

The Bermuda Triangle is practically synonymous with danger.

The headline suggests a pretty extreme encounter with it, so we click to find out more.

7. FOMO And Urgency

MrBeast Headline: “Last To Leave $800,000 Island Keeps It”

“FOMO”: the worry that others may be having fulfilling experiences that you’re absent from.

Marketers leverage FOMO to drive immediate action – clicking, subscribing, purchasing, etc.

The action is driven by the notion that delay could result in missing out on an exciting opportunity or event.

You could argue that MrBeast uses FOMO and urgency in all of his headlines.

They work under the notion that a delay in clicking could result in missing out on an exciting opportunity or event.

MrBeast’s time-sensitive challenge, exclusive opportunities, and high-stakes competitions all generate a sense of urgency.

People feel compelled to watch immediately for fear of missing out on the outcome or being left behind in conversations about the content.

Creators, writers, and marketers can tap into FOMO with their headlines without being so extreme.

“The Hidden Parisian Cafe To Visit Before The Crowds Do”

“How [Tech Innovation] Will Soon Change [Industry] For Good”

(Yep, FOMO and urgency are primarily responsible for the proliferation of AI-related headlines these days).

[7 psychological effects and biases end]

Please analyze all 7 for yourself…then simply say “READY” and nothing else when you are ready for my further instructions.

Are you ready?