The Draw of Social Media

What is the Big Draw of Social Media?

Once in awhile, we all feel the draw of social media.  The feeling that we might miss something.  After all everyone is doing it.  Social media is a beast that cages even the most introverted human.  The actual terminology for this phenomena is called (FoMO.)  Wikipedia defines FoMO as “a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent”.^[2] This social angst^[3] is characterized by “a desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing”.^[2]

Today there is an app for everything and a page for everything. Everyone can find anything at their fingertips.  We are so inclusive, not much is exclusive and we seem to like it that way.

According to Psychology Today,  “FoMO frequently provokes feelings of anxiety and restlessness, often generated by competitive thoughts that others are experiencing more pleasure, success, or fulfillment in their lives than they are. It can also be a response to a conscious or unconscious fear of aging and/or dying. Unless the underlying concerns that drive this desire to compulsively accumulate as many experiences as possible is identified and addressed, FOMO behavior will continue to prevail and diminish the overall quality of well-being, and fulfillment in one’s relationships and life in general.”

the draw of social media seems to aggregate the FoMO in our human nature.

It is in our nature to feel apprehension that one is not in-the-know or one is out of touch with some social events.  Millennials (those currently between the ages of 18-34) seem to be even more anxious about missing  experiences, and interactions.  Moreover, the “FoMO serves as a motive for an escalating usage of social media” according to the article by J.J. Kandell in “Internet Addition on Campus.  The Vulnerability of college students.” Cyberpsychology & Behavior 1998.

It is in our nature to feel apprehension that one is not in-the-know or one is out of touch with some social events.  Millennials (those currently between the ages of 18-34) seem to be even more anxious about missing  experiences, and interactions.  Moreover, the “FoMO serves as a motive for an escalating usage of social media” according to the article by J.J. Kandell in “Internet Addition on Campus.  The Vulnerability of college students.” Cyberpsychology & Behavior 1998.

As our advertising dollars continue to switch to social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest Millennials will continue to shape the successes and failers of our advertising ventures.  Those most likely to make purchases online continue to be Millennials “Women and men ages 18 to 34 are more likely than 35 to 64-year-olds to engage in nearly every online shopping activity, with 40% of males and 33% of females in the younger age group saying they would buy everything online if they could. “ (source:eMarketer.) That study was from 2013.  In 2016 we are looking at even a wider gap of people making the shift to online shopping.  That is why online advertising on social sites like Facebook and Pinterest are building momentum.

There was a wise man named Brian Polis who once said, “Social Media is about Sociology and Psychology more than Technology.”  I believe he hit the nail on the head with the hammer.  Marketers must continue to develop strategies to improve the impact of our campaigns for social media in those terms.  The FoMO is not going to go away anymore than the internet is going to.  Today the challenge is to create campaigns that dynamically capture the market.