The Psychology Behind Social Media: Why We're All Addicted and How to Leverage It
We check our social media accounts when we wake up, on our lunch breaks, during commercials, and even right before we go to bed. It’s safe to say we’re all addicted to our phones. But why? Let’s chat about the psychology behind social media addiction and how marketers can leverage society’s astronomical phone usage to increase their accounts reach and engagement.
What Makes Social Media So Addictive?
Entire books have been written on this subject, so we’ll just summarize the main points here:
The Need for Social Interaction. Humans are inherently social beings who crave interaction and connection with others. Social media platforms provide an easy and accessible avenue for this interaction, without all the extra work (like phone calls & figuring out a time that works for everyone).
Instant Gratification. We live in a world of same-day delivery, short attention spans, and an intense need for quick social approval. Social media meets all of these needs by offering immediate feedback via likes, comments & DMs and a feed that is literally designed to keep a stream of new content on your screen. Social media is always refreshing & updating, giving you literal hours of new things to look at. This fuels a desire to keep checking back, feeding addiction to social media.
Fear of Missing Out. FOMO is a real, psychological phenomenon that is amplified by social media. Social media users are constantly bombarded with images and stories of people living seemingly perfect lives, attending amazing events, and experiencing incredible things. This cultivates a fear that you’re missing out on something, driving users to check their feeds more frequently (ie: why every woman you know is wearing pink to the Barbie movie right now).
How to Leverage Social Media Addiction in Marketing
Because so many users (including thousands in your target market) are constantly checking social media, your Instagram is a hugely powerful tool for your business. Here are our top tips on making your time on social media count.
Be Consistent & Regular. Given the addiction to instant gratification, businesses must ensure they are consistently present on their chosen social media platforms. Regular updates can stimulate frequent engagement from followers and maintain a brand's visibility in their feed. If your audience knows they can expect to see new content from your account, they’ll be checking in for it.
Foster a community. Take advantage of human’s need for social interaction! Build a community with your account by responding to comments & DMs, creating content that facilitates interaction, and encouraging user-generated content. This can create a sense of community, build brand loyalty and encourage users to return to your social media profiles (and spend their money on your product!)
Make use of FOMO. Like we said, people are terrified of missing out - use this to your advantage. This could involve sharing exclusive offers, behind-the-scenes content, or hosting live events. By creating a feeling of exclusivity or 'limited time' offers, you can encourage users to engage more frequently and quickly with your content.
So yes, it IS crazy that our phones are practically an additional appendage at this point. But it would be crazier for marketers to not leverage social media in their marketing plans. Social media gives you the opportunity to consistently reach potential customers & build brand loyalty - don’t sleep on it. Optimize on the things that make social media addictive and you’ll be amazed at how well your social media strategy works.
