The Psychology of the Second Scroll: Why most Newsletter Readers decide to stay or leave after the first scroll?
- AidaJet
- Sep 4
- 5 min read
Newsletters can quickly grab interest, but the real challenge lies in holding it. The first scroll in your newsletter is where the biggest decision happens: stay or leave. This moment known as the “Second Scroll” threshold—is a psychological checkpoint where readers subconsciously weigh attention against reward. This is where the choice to continue or leave is made. Comprehending the psychology behind this can help newsletter creators design content that not only attracts readers but also keeps them engaged.
The Importance of the First Scroll
Here, readers face their biggest decision: stay or leave. This moment serves as a chasm to crossover, where they subconsciously assess whether the content is worth their time. At the top, curiosity and promise drive the initial engagement. But after the first swipe down, their brain asks: Is this worth my time? If the answer feels uncertain, readers bounce. Cognitive psychology explains this with attention economics—people conserve mental energy and quickly assess value.
For example, research shows that 56% of visitors read only the headlines, which means your top section must grab attention. The first scroll is a test of clarity, design, and immediate payoff. If your layout feels cluttered, the copy meanders, or the opening lacks direction, readers assume the rest will be equally taxing. But if your first section of the newsletter offers crisp headlines, scannable cues, and a clear path forward, you create momentum. Readers think: “If this is good, what’s next?”—and they scroll again.
The Role of the Dopamine Loop
Neurologically, the dopamine loop also plays a role. The initial sections in your newsletter should deliver a quick hit of satisfaction (insight, entertainment, or relevance). That primes the brain to anticipate more rewards deeper in the content. If the first scroll feels like a chore or a tease without payoff, the dopamine loop breaks and readers drop off.
A good example of this is how engaging newsletters often start with a compelling question or a surprising statistic. If this initial scroll feels tedious or disappointing, readers lose interest and may leave.
To encourage sustained engagement, begin with a strong hook, such as a bold statement or a fascinating fact. For instance, “Did you know the Secret to Hooking Listeners in Your First 60 Seconds?” This sets a positive tone and entices readers to continue.
Embedding Psychology in Newsletter Design
Design-wise, this means treating the first viewport as prime real estate. The above-the-fold area of your newsletter is foundational for encouraging scrolling. A compelling subject line earns the open of your newsletter, but the above-the-fold section earns the second scroll and subsequent clicks. Prioritize hierarchy: one hero message, clean typography, white space that breathes, and visual anchors that guide the eye downward. Insert a small, satisfying nugget—like a sharp takeaway, a surprising fact, or an engaging visual—so readers feel rewarded instantly. Then use directional cues (subheads, arrows, contrast blocks) to pull them further.
AidaJet's creator & design AI is trained to embed the psychology of newsletter design, by positioning a hero message at the top, clean AI created designs with enough whitespace and the directional cues.
7 Practical Newsletter Tactics for Winning the Second Scroll
While visuals are important, the final design with content must engage readers. If you are an artist or a startup founder, or a coach, here are some actionable tips that retains your subscribers:
One Clear Hero Message Above the Fold. Don’t overload the top with multiple competing ideas. Lead with one strong hook—your “hero topic” or headline. Psychologically speaking, it reduces cognitive load, signals clarity, and rewards the reader quickly. Some examples include:
In a newsletter by Artist: “3 Tricks to Make Your Canvas Feel Alive in Minutes.”
Podcaster: “The Secret to Hooking Listeners in Your First 60 Seconds.”
Use White Space Generously. Crammed text or too many visuals overwhelm the eye and trigger instant fatigue. The open layouts feel easier to process, which lowers resistance to continuing. Here again some quick examples include,
YouTuber: Display a striking thumbnail still with 1-line teaser.
Small Business CEO: Use a bold number: “$1M in 6 months: here’s how we scaled without ads.”
Early Payoff Before the Scroll. Place a quick insight, stat, or useful nugget above the fold. Avoid pushing all rewards below. This squarely falls in the psychology of dopamine release that happens early, priming the reader to expect more good things as they scroll. Few examples here,
Online Coach on How to do Podcast Newsletter: “70% of podcasters lose listeners in the first minute—here’s how to avoid it.”
YouTuber: “My channel doubled in 90 days with this one tweak.”
Directional Cues That Guide Downward. Subheadings, section dividers, arrows, or even a teaser line (“Coming up next…”) invite the next scroll. Humans follow visual cues instinctively—motion and direction trigger curiosity.
Startup Founder: “The secret is not what you think… keep reading ↓”
Artist: “Want to see how I layered this piece? Scroll ↓”
Make It Scannable. Bold keywords, use bullet points, keep sentences short. The first screen should look digestible at a glance. Skimmability reduces friction; the brain equates ease with value.
Video Marketer: How to improve watch time? Your newsletter that lists your latest videos, should have genuine titles (not clickbait ones), and present a story arc.
Event Speaker: Your newsletter should have short introductions, and context, for your subscribers to be hooked into.
Visual Anchor at the Fold. Place an image, graphic, or bold subheading near the bottom of the first screen so it “peeks” into the scroll. It creates the Zeigarnik Effect (the mind hates incomplete patterns) and nudges readers to finish what they see starting.
Modern Art Newsletter: A half-visible painting close-up in the newsletter banner with “See the full reveal below.”
Investor Newsletter: Partial performance chart that continues below the fold.
CTA Placement After Trust is Earned. Resist placing your call-to-action immediately at the top section of your newsletter. Instead, use the first scroll to establish value, then invite action. Reciprocity principle—people act after feeling they’ve received something useful.
Digital Marketing Agency: After giving video editing advice: “Want my editing checklist? Download it here.”
Leadership Coach Newsletter: After sharing a traction story: “If you’re building, get my founder playbook here.”
👉 In short: the first screen secures attention, the second scroll builds trust, and every design choice should reduce friction while delivering micro-rewards.
Wrapping It Up
Mastering the second scroll is essential for any newsletter creator, marketer, or startup entrepreneur with ambitious goals for subscriber retention. By understanding the psychology behind this crucial moment and implementing effective newsletter design and content practices, you can create newsletters that capture attention and foster long-term engagement.
Think of it as a handshake: the first impression secures attention, but the second scroll seals the relationship. Master this threshold, and you don’t just retain readers—you train them to trust that every scroll in your newsletter will be worth their time, and you may see your subscriber retention ratings soar!
