The 'Fear Of Missing Out', also known as FOMO, is all of this time. The fear of missing something is increasing and thanks to social media we are more affected than ever. The 'restless feeling' ensures that people are constantly online. But what exactly does FOMO mean, how does it work and perhaps most importantof all: how do you respond to this?
The fear we're seeing now on social media to miss things is not entirely new. Everyone has experienced that gnawing feeling. Did I make the wrong choice? Could I have gone out last Saturday night instead of a night of couch? Yes, FOMO has certainly been around for a long time, but due to the explosive growth of social media this has become even more of a 'thing'. Anytime, anywhere we can now see what our friends, acquaintances, family members are doing; After all, the snaps on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter don't lie. There's hardly any escape.
Dissatisfied with less
When we talk about FOMO, we are mainly talking about the so-called 'maximizers'. They're people who want to get the most out of life. They are therefore not easily satisfied with a choice made. Because imagine, you're going to make the wrong one and you're not going to be so happy. So simply this fear has everything to do with making choices and striving for happiness. Too many choices give us stress and evoke more anxiety. Missing things would make us less happy.
Ephemeral content
As a marketer, it is useful to respond to this trend. The question is how this can be done most effectively. The answer is: stories! I'm sure you've noticed, the stories on social media that disappear from your profile after twenty-four hours. This form of content is called 'ephemeral content' throughout its lifetime. Temporary content, then.
By now, (almost) all channels already hold the story function. It all started with Snapchat in 2013. Since then, the feature has spread to many other channels. First Instagram, then Facebook and then YouTube, WhatsApp and Messenger. Because the content can only be viewed for a short time, people constantly tend to check their social media. The cause of this can all be reduced to that one concept: FOMO. You only have twenty-four hours to view the story, share it with friends or respond to it. So there is urgency to check the channels, otherwise you will miss this content. This creates a higher level of involvement. In addition, stories evoke a sense of exclusivity. You can now see something that will not exist later. Customer attention and engagement; the goal on social media.
How can you best use stories?
As a marketer, you can respond to FOMO through stories. Now, of course, the question is how you use your stories to stand out from your competitors. Below we tell you five ways of possible story content.
Engage your followers with your brand
User generated content; I'm sure you've heard of it. It's content that your followers create themselves. There are many opportunities to involve your customers in your brand. For example, you can come up with a win campaign where your followers have to tag your brand name in their own story. You can then use this user generated content to share in your own story; engagement at the top!
Tell your story!
People love stories! That's just the way we're set up. A logical step would therefore be to do something with this. By posting short updates in succession, you can easily tell your unique brand story. A good story is personal and authentic and will ensure that it connects customers with your brand. Always try to articulate and visually communicate your core message with your target audience.
Take, for example, the Chocomel brand. They share content about how to make a so-called 'Chunky Chocomel Milkshake'.
Let your followers come to your website
Most story features allow you to link to your website right away. There's almost no better way to generate more website traffic that way. All you have to do is put a product/service in your story. Your followers only have to swipe up or click on the product/service and then end up on the correct landing page of your website.
Advertise
Advertising is also covered by the ephemeral content. The ads play out unexpectedly among all available stories, so this is a perfect way to briefly connect your followers with your brand. Just think of the company Spotify. You'll recognize the ads with the message "Skip unlimited numbers with Premium!"" if you don't have a subscription yet.
Create live content
Finally, there is the possibility to be unique by creating live content. This option can be especially interesting if you are an event, fair or something else fun. Your followers will get a notification the moment you go live. They can only watch the content in the live video at that particular moment, which will evoke exclusivity from your followers. This is just the big downside; not all followers will see your content if they are not online at that time.
In short...
Responding to the FOMO trend can be very useful nowadays. Use this trend to your advantage! You can respond to this trend through stories. Be sure to include this content in your marketing strategy. As a social media expert, you create urgency and exclusivity, but you also stay with your followers. Engage your followers with your brand, tell your story, generate website traffic, advertise or go live! Let your followers become aware with your original and smooth posts and get a positive result. We are curious, will you get started with the story trend?
