Social Media Overload, Fear of Missing Out, and Your Online Marketing Campaign

The ever-present nature of social media has gone from an unexpected development to an accepted aspect of life in only a few years. With more social media platforms than ever and greater ease of access due to mobile devices, it can be hard to escape the clutches of social media. And whether you work in the field of social media marketing or are simply one of its many casual participants, you may be feeling burned out.

According to a report by Mashable, people are visiting social media sites more than ever, but are also experiencing more anxiety and having thoughts of putting a pause on their online activity. With so many companies investing their time and effort, as well as hopes, into social media presence, it is vital that you understand where online users currently sit in both their actions and mental state.

On the Edge of Burning Out

Results from Mashable’s poll indicate that 51% of people are social networking more now than they were two years ago, with 27% checking their social media sites as soon as they wake up. Additionally, users manage an average of 3.1 email addresses, an increase from 2.6 in 2012, an indication of higher and more varied site usage. A total of 42% have multiple social networking accounts, although 61% of 18 to 34-year-olds having multiple accounts.

However, there is a palpable downside to this increased usage. Of people polled, 52% revealed that they have taken or considered taking a vacation from their social networks in the past year. Conversely, approximately 56% of social networking users experience Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), as they are afraid that they will miss an important event, update, or news story if they do not consistently check their accounts. This high percentage of FOMO may prevent users from actually following through on their plans of vacationing.

Being upset with their social media use but unable to stop has led many to being frustrated with the content they see online. Many involved in the study wished that they could remove celebrity updates, stop seeing irrelevant updates, and somehow manage all of their profiles at once.

Protecting Your Campaign

With so many unsatisfied social media users, what happens to your online campaign? Keep in mind that users want to see relevant content and also not be overloaded with updates that will frustrate them. The last thing you want is to bombard users with content until they decide to unfollow you. Keep your followers in mind when sending out updates and stay aware of their overall disposition toward you and the content you create.

Make sure that the updates, statuses, etc. that you create intrigue them, make them happy, or cause them to engage in a positive manner. This way, they will look forward to seeing you pop up in their news feed when they log on, rather than dreading the possibility of reading something you have published.

Your Guide to a Successful Social Media Presence

At SLS Consulting, we understand the complex and often overwhelming nature of maintaining a social media marketing campaign. But with our help, you can focus on your business while we promote your company online through our social media, content creation, design, and search engine optimization departments. Whatever your goals may be, remember, you do not have to go on this journey alone. Contact us online or call us today at (323) 254-1510 and learn more about how we can help and what steps are right for your company to take next.