Gelisim News

Gaining insight into FoMO and JoMO, the virtual forms of addiction, can benefit marketing efforts!

Social media use is now influencing more and more aspects of our lives. As such, new concepts such as FoMO and JoMO emerged. Evaluating social media addiction in terms of marketing, Asst. Prof. Dr. Cagla Tugberk Ariker stated that although ethical discussions constitute another dimension of the subject, brands can get positive results by considering FoMO and JoMO cases while creating and implementing social media marketing strategies.

Nowadays, most people spend their time updating their own "statuses," following popular topics, exchanging information with acquaintances, and sharing content on social media. Brands use social media significantly as well. Companies who communicate with their customers in real time through their events, promotions, and products have an advantage. Stating that new concepts such as FoMO and JoMO have emerged as a result of the fact that social media has gained so much place in our lives and that we are aware of what is going on at any moment, Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU) Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences Department of Business Administration (English) Assist. Prof. Dr. Cagla Tugberk Ariker said, "When we look at internet usage statistics, we can say that understanding FoMO and improving the online presence of the brand is of great importance for marketing managers."

"On average, Turkish internet users are on the internet 24 hours a day"

FoMO (Fear of Missing Out) is defined as the widespread anxiety that others may have positive experiences in the absence of the person and therefore the desire to constantly stay in touch with what other people are doing. Stating that today, addiction to mobile phones and social media can generally be associated with FoMO, Asst. Prof. Dr. Cagla Tugberk Ariker said that FoMO's relationship with marketing "When we look at the statistics on internet use, we can understand why FoMO is important for marketing managers. The results of the research conducted by We Are Social and Meltwater show that Turkish internet users use the internet on average 7 hours and 24 minutes a day, and the share of mobile internet in this is 4 hours and 26 minutes. FoMO can influence consumer behavior as it is associated with a strong desire to follow trends. Marketing managers can therefore employ techniques like influencer partnerships, viral marketing, and immediate promotional offers. In addition, since FoMO brings the desire of the individual to share their experiences, encouraging users to develop content can also be effective."
 
 
Conscious consumption strategies can be implemented for JoMO-type consumers

Stating that JoMO (Joy of Missing Out) is the other concept that emerged in response to the negativities brought by FoMO to the individual's life, Ariker said, "JoMO can be defined as experiencing the pleasure of getting away from other people or social demands. It has a tight connection to mindful consumption. Therefore, marketing managers can implement value-oriented marketing strategies that support conscious consumption, minimalism and personal development, especially if they target JoMO-type consumers.”