NOOM: $3.7 BILLION WEIGHT LOSS STORY

Noom: The $3.7 Billion Weight Loss App Changing Millions of Lives

In this post, I'm going to break down the quiz Noom has used to reach over $500 million in revenue.

This quiz takes 10 minutes to complete but guides you on a journey of education, self-discovery, reflection, and frankly, one I found motivating.

It’s abundantly clear that this funnel has been tested thousands of times to refine it into the version it is today, and there is a lot to learn from it.

What is Noom?

Noom is a health and wellness app that focuses on behavior change to help users achieve their weight loss and fitness goals through personalized coaching, psychology-driven insights, and habit tracking. The app primarily targets health-conscious individuals looking for sustainable lifestyle changes.

What’s happening in the health app market?

Noom is currently leading the health app market with over $500 million in revenue.

Source: Business of Apps

Noom has benefited from the growing health app market during the pandemic and beyond, riding the wave to the top.

Let’s talk growth by loss (weight)

Weight loss is a topic that hits people at their very core. It's something that millions have tried and failed at.

"In a meta-analysis of 29 long-term weight loss studies, more than half of the lost weight was regained within two years, and by five years more than 80% of lost weight was regained."

Source: National Library of Medicine

Why you should continue reading

• Last funding round was at $3.7 billion

• $500 million in revenue

• The only way to pay for Noom is to complete a 10-minute quiz (serious friction)

• This quiz is seriously impressive, and I'm going to break down why it’s so effective

Weight loss is a topic that is so personal. Many people reaching this landing page will likely have:

• A graveyard of failed attempts

• An important event they'd love to lose weight for

• A health condition that would benefit from weight loss

• Aspirations to be more active for their kids

There are so many reasons why someone would want to lose weight, but so many thoughts holding them back.

"Why even bother? I'll just put it back on."

"Why will this time be any different?"

"I can't go through this rollercoaster again."

"But I want to look better for my partner; I worry they're losing attraction to me."

"I wish I could run around with my boy, but I get so tired."

"My sleep is awful; I wonder if this can help?"

"I wake up feeling like I slept for an hour; how can I continue like this?"

"I'd love to fit into that outfit again."

"I need to get control over my weight to help my diabetes."

These can be some of the multitude of thoughts customers entering a weight loss journey might be feeling.

This landing page does a great job of removing that noise and giving you a simple, low-commitment, low-stress choice.

Here is why I think this page is effective:

• Simplicity: Clean layout with a single focus—choosing a weight loss goal—keeps the user's journey straightforward.

• Low Commitment: Simple selection without high-pressure tactics encourages continued engagement with minimal effort.

• Psychological Triggers:

  • Choice Architecture: Users feel in control by making a simple choice, reducing decision fatigue.

  • Commitment Consistency: Micro-commitments (selecting a goal) increase the likelihood of continued engagement.

  • Anchoring: Smaller weight loss options are positioned as achievable, subtly influencing user expectations.

• Goal-Oriented Language: Phrases like “for good” appeal to those seeking long-term, sustainable weight loss.

Next step…

Demographics Unboxed:

Building a Personal Profile: The Journey Begins

As you delve into Noom's 10-minute quiz, you'll quickly realise it's not just another mundane questionnaire. Instead, it's an engaging journey tailored to you, designed to ignite motivation and set the stage for your transformative experience. Noom begins by building a comprehensive demographic profile, but it does so in a way that feels interactive and personal.

You'll explore sections like:

• Weight & Height: More than just numbers, these are the starting points of your unique journey.

• Employment Status: Whether you're juggling a 9-to-5, working from home, or balancing multiple roles, Noom considers how your daily life impacts your wellness goals.

• Personal Goals: From shedding a few pounds to making significant lifestyle changes, you define what success looks like.

• Important Events: Got a wedding, reunion, or holiday coming up? Noom helps you align your goals with life's big moments.

• Target Weight Loss Date: Setting a timeline adds excitement and a tangible milestone to work towards.

What makes this process so exhilarating is how Noom transforms standard questions into a compelling narrative about you.

Noom doesn't just gather information—it builds a connection. By the end of the quiz, you're more aware of where you stand and excited about where you're headed.

Below, I've selected some screenshots of sections that particularly stood out, showcasing how Noom keeps you engaged and motivated right from the start.

Conversational tone: Noom clearly knows this is a sensitive subject for most people, talking about weight for some can be anxiety inducing.

“We don’t mean to pry” and Just for you” reduces discomfort with sharing this information and makes them feel like it’s going to be personalised for them.

”That’s an important and hard first step” is a lovely bit of copy that gives a little nudge of encouragement along the way.

Weight input:

A classic use of social proof, knowing you’re joining something that 3.6 million others have lost weight using Noom increases their belief in the programme.

Social proof:

Millions of people have experienced the pain and frustration of a yo yo diet. Starting off restricting yourself and then binging back to square one and a cycle of frustration that repeats and repeats itself.

Habit and behaviour change:

Noom uses this graph to emphasise that this is focused on long term change through habits and behaviours not through restricting yourself.

Personal goal setting:

Asking users to input an important event like a wedding or holiday makes the goal tangible and urgent. This taps into goal setting theory, which showed that specific goals tied to personal milestones are more motivating and effective for performance. Source

Email capture:

By asking for their email in return for seeing when Noom can help you reach your goal it taps into the law of reciprocity.

This also triggers anticipation and engagement for what’s to come.

Predicting goal achievement:

By Noom predicting the user’s weight on a specific date, this leverages the endowment effect which shows that people tend to place more value on something they they own.

Now users can see when they can lose the weight by, this feels like it’s their goal now and theirs to lose.

It allows them to future pace, where they can imagine into the future and experience those positive emotions now. A powerful technique deployed in NLP.

Part 3: Behavioural Profile Quiz

Source

This section does a fantastic job of framing the process as a journey, showing how Noom personalises the experience to find the plan that will “work best for you.”

By making users feel that their individual needs are being catered to, Noom sets itself apart from generic weight loss plans that rarely consider behavioural profiles. This approach reassures users that their unique lifestyle, habits, and challenges are being factored into a tailored solution—not just a one-size-fits-all program.

Next up…

Noom takes you on a journey using a series of "either/or" questions and a sliding scale, with about 10 questions in this section. These questions don’t just focus on weight loss—they emphasize behaviour change and long-term outcomes, shifting the narrative from quick results to sustainable progress.

This approach subtly (or not so subtly) signals to users that they’re part of a bigger health picture—not just focused on hitting a weight loss target.

Profile Badge:

By assigning users a specific behavioural profile label, Noom taps into self-identity theory.

When people are given a label that resonates with their traits or aspirations, they are more likely to align their actions accordingly. For example, calling someone a "structure seeker" affirms their preference for organised environments, making them feel understood and validated.

Next up: Building your “Weight loss profile”

Here are some of my favourite sections from this part of the quiz.

Getting paid to walk with Vibe Points:

Noom taps into the psychological principle of positive reinforcement, where a specific behaviour is rewarded with a positive outcome, making it more likely to be repeated in the future.

By rewarding users with Vibe Points for walking 10,000 steps, Noom provides not just one dopamine hit from the walk itself, but another when users collect their points.

This gamified approach creates a powerful feedback loop, associating the behaviour and the app with positive emotions, reinforcing healthy habits in a fun, rewarding way.

Speeding up the weight loss goal prediction:

This section leverages future pacing, allowing users to get excited by imagining the positive future outcome of reaching their goals.

By engaging the user in visualising success, Noom sustains their excitement and keeps them committed to completing the process, ensuring they stay motivated to the end.

Uncovering the Real You: Building Your Psychological Profile

Noom takes weight loss beyond just counting calories—showing users that success hinges on factors like stress, movement, and sleep. This section brings that to life by creating what’s known as cognitive dissonance.

“Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort that results from holding two conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes. People tend to seek consistency in their attitudes and perceptions, so this conflict causes unpleasant feelings of unease or discomfort.” Source

Users might not realise that their weight loss struggles are tied to factors beyond food, and this section highlights the gap between their previous assumptions and the new reality they’re now discovering.

I answered a series of questions related to my stress levels in various areas, rated on a scale. By identifying areas where support is needed and offering personalised recommendations, Noom makes the user feel like they’re getting expert, tailored guidance that truly addresses their unique challenges.

It also primes Noom for an upsell—seamlessly tied back to the holistic health approach.

For example, the phrasing, “Yes, add it to my plan,” versus the more dismissive, “No, I don’t need help with sleep,” nudges users toward enhancing their plan without feeling overt pressure.

The use of micro-commitments (like answering short questions or adding recommendations) builds momentum, helping users feel a sense of progress and accomplishment at every stage.

This subtle approach reinforces their engagement, making it easier to stick with the program while deepening their investment in their weight loss journey.

Power Up Your Progress: Build Your Accountability Squad

This taps into social proof and social influence theory, which suggests that our behaviours are often shaped by the people around us.

When we feel part of a group with shared goals, we’re more likely to stay motivated and committed. Having an accountability partner reinforces this sense of support, making it easier to push through challenges.

Noom claims that you can lose weight 32% faster with an accountability partner, bringing that weight loss goal closer than ever!

Noom’s Genius Conversion Hack: Pay What You Want

Noom employs a unique conversion strategy that you don’t see often outside of platforms like Gumroad: a “Pay What You Want” pricing model. This method creates a sense of fairness and autonomy, allowing users to feel in control of their purchase.

What’s particularly clever is how Noom frames the most expensive option as a way to “support those who need the lowest trial prices.”

This goodwill gesture taps into the law of reciprocity, leveraging the trust and value Noom has built throughout the quiz. It’s a subtle yet powerful way to make users feel good about spending more.

The strategy reduces friction in the purchase decision, especially for those hesitant to invest in a weight loss app. With the option to choose a very low entry price, the decision feels far less risky.

By anchoring the lowest price at $0.50 and the highest at $18.37, Noom uses smart price positioning to make the $3 and $10 options seem like great deals.

What’s smart about this page:

• Emphasises that users will have “FULL” access to Noom during the trial, reducing perceived risk.

• Highlights free course enhancements, adding more value to sweeten the deal.

• Clearly displays the ongoing trial price, building trust through transparency. Plus, the focus on a two-month plan avoids commitment anxiety that might come with a year-long subscription.

If you found this newsletter helpful or insightful, feel free to share it with your friends and colleagues. Let’s spread the knowledge and keep the conversation going!