What are you doing right now? Are you the only one having trouble having fun? FOMO is a common mental disorder. Even though the name may sound unfamiliar, most people have probably heard of FOMO. Think about it. Have you ever felt anxious when people throw a party for you or your favorite band plays in town while you study for a test?

We are all hyper-aware of the incredible events that we may be missing due to the rise in connectivity. Log in to Instagram to see tons of stories from people who aren’t attending the event. This common psychological trigger, FOMO, has been a great tool for marketers.

FOMO marketing is also a common mistake. This can result in a poor performance on social media, and even damage to the brand’s reputation. This blog post will discuss how FOMO can affect social engagement and what you can do to increase it. This is a must-read!

FOMO definition

Fear of missing out

What is FOMO? FOMO stands for Fear of Missing Out. This psychological phenomenon can be found in all ages, but is especially common among Millennials. This phrase was first coined in 2004 by Patrick J. MacGinnis, and has gained huge popularity during the boom years of social media.

People are becoming more fearful of missing out on amazing experiences due to increased exposure to shared content across social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Millennials are the generation most affected by this. A study has shown that 69% of Millennials suffer from FOMO when they are not going to the same event as their friends.

FOMO sufferers on social platforms are more dependent on their smartphones, and 45% can’t stay awake for more than 12 hours without checking Facebook. They are more likely to be influenced by fear and will make purchases less often. Many marketers have found this phenomenon extremely effective in attracting customers.

How can FOMO impact your brand’s social media engagement? Let’s see how FOMO can affect your brand’s social media engagement.

What does FOMO mean for social engagement?

FOMO is a powerful fear-of-missing phenomenon. This is due to the fact that it is embedded in our brains. Psychologists believe it is a remnant of our tribal days, when we had to be alert for threats to ourselves and other people. The difference between life or death in the wild was missing out on something.

Although it is not a critical situation these days, the absence of stories from a friend’s party can still trigger an ancestral reaction. We seek vital information aggressively and get upset when we don’t have it.

The way users respond to this uncomfortable feeling can affect their use of social media and ultimately your brand’s social engagement.

Positives

Did you know that over half of all social media users reported having experienced FOMO? Nearly two-thirds are Millennials who fear missing out on a daily or hourly basis. This psychology can be leveraged by brands to increase their potential customers and profits ( 40% people only spend money once a year just so they can upload it on social media).

If a brand is able to deliver relevant content, social engagement will increase and profit will likely grow. This is an enormous opportunity with over 3 billion people using social media.

Sharing your social life via social media has become a common practice. You can share all your important life events and even video of your daily activities. It is easy to do this with a simple click. This allows users to follow each other, their favorite influencers and brands, to stay updated.

Here’s a list of social media platforms which can cause FOMO (according to a study by Trust Pulse).

1. Facebook – provoking 72% FOMO
2. Instagram – provoking 14% FOMO
3. Twitter – 14% FOMO
4. Pinterest – provoking 8% FOMO

FOMO can also be caused by activities shared on these platforms. Traveling is one of these activities, which accounts for 59% of FOMO. FOMO is likely to be the reason you have been browsing travel booking websites looking for your next vacation.

Parties and events are the second leading cause of FOMO (56%). People are often drawn to the stories and pictures of those who attended, which can make them want to experience similar experiences. FOMO is also rampant in food with 29%. People want to discover new and exciting foods.

Congratulations if you work in these industries. These industries already fear that they will be left behind. This is why you need to grow your social media presence. FOMO has a powerful effect on other industries, causing brands to look into new marketing trends. It is easy to see why: To influence consumers, it is important to remain relevant.

Brands are now actively innovating content on social media channels to make it more relevant to their target audience. FOMO marketing can be used to increase brand reach by providing a better browsing experience for users. This is a positive situation where FOMO can affect social engagement to bring about better goods for both parties.

Negative points

Users may decide to leave social media if they feel the FOMO symptoms. They might need to stop obsessively checking Facebook and Instagram and feeling even more anxious. It is not worth losing all the information. Mental health is more important than ever. It is therefore not surprising that more than half of social media users have taken a break from using any one or more platforms.

FOMO is becoming a popular enemy. People will delete Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or attend an event without any digital devices. This hashtag is #Unplug.

FOMO is clearly a negative factor in social engagement. When users stop using social media platforms, it means that they no longer interact with brands. Marketers can panic when it appears that no one is interested in their content.

Brands that constantly try to outdo their followers with fear of missing out are even worse. The brand wanted to create the impression that users could miss important information if they engaged with it. However, users had negative feelings towards this behavior when the tables turned.

How can companies use FOMO to increase social engagement? They must have the right approach to the psychology trigger. We will talk about this in the next section.

FOMO can be used to increase social engagement

Different brands may use FOMO in marketing differently, but there are three main categories.

• Fostering FOMO: Creating a sense that people should be engaged with brands or risk missing out at interesting events.

• Fight FOMO: Helping users to calm their fears by being curators and providing content that helps users stay in the know.

• Overturning FOMO: The countercultural approach to motivating users not to plug in is the best.

Number Two is the best approach for social engagement. Instead of making FOMO a bad thing, offer content to ease fears and let users know that they are actually getting valuable experience through the content.

These are some ways you can increase social engagement through your channels using FOMO:

1. Make exclusive offers

First, create exclusive offers that only follow the brand’s guidelines. Recognize users who pay attention to your brand. You can, for example, announce to your followers that you will be making a major announcement. This reward is private and makes the user feel valued and special. Others would feel FOMO for not being a fan.

This announcement could be something extra for your customers. You could offer a price reduction on their wishlist items or a limited-edition kit that only 50 people can get. Other aspects of your brand can be promoted as well. For those in the right industry, it can be very exciting to offer a breakfast with your CEO or tickets to a conference.

2. Recognize your efforts

Your social media followers should know how much you appreciate them. You can publicly recognize those who are exemplary of ideal partner behavior and thank them for their efforts. You can send them newsletters, partner conferences, and special gifts. You must explain why you love them and share their stories. Your followers should let you know that they will be remembered if they interact in the future with your brand.

This is best done by showing customers how your product or service has helped them succeed. You are creating valuable content and provoking fear about missing out on a well-known company. Your users will stay with you because they feel that you are helpful towards them. This is a great way to build a relationship with customers.

3. Establish customer groups

Your customers should be missionaries for your brand. You might consider creating groups where consumers can join based on their effort. They will get more benefits if they endorse the company. To attract new audiences, share the membership on all your social media channels.

Members have early access to information and can receive special discounts. They also get featured in articles and blogs. Encourage participation to build relationships with loyal customers, and encourage others to join.

These are just three ways FOMO can be used to increase social engagement. For more information, please visit How to Use FOMO in Social Media Marketing companies in Phoenix.

Last words

No matter what approach you take, brands must keep FOMO in mind when developing social marketing strategies to remain relevant to customers. A brand’s content must not only be engaging but also offer real value to compete with all the information-crazy content. It can be a lifesaver for users to not get FOMO.

What do you think? Are you able to apply FOMO to increase your social engagement? Try to imagine yourself as the person they are and think creatively about your strategy. You can add anything in the comments section below. As always, good luck with your eCommerce journey.