In our ever-changing society, it’s hard to prioritize time for what’s most important. Our family? Our friends? But how often do we feel as if that double-tap suffices as an adequate means of communication?
I know I’m not the only one who aimlessly scrolls for hours through my feed to only close out of the app, open another, and unknowingly open the same one moments later. We almost feel complete while binge-stalking our acquaintances’ fabricated lives. When the FOMO begins to set in Saturday night after that tub of Ben & Jerry’s is gone, we realize no amount of ice cream (as bangin’ as it is) can fill that void of inadequacy (this just got really real).
As a marketing major with experience in psychographic and behavioral advertising research, it’s clear that our generational issue of scrolling-and-comparing is the perfect combination for social media marketers.
In a discussion about millennials in the workplace, Simon Sinek, a motivational speaker and acclaimed author, describes exactly why millenials have a hard time adapting to corporate America. The most shocking observation Sinek shares is the reaction the human brain has when it’s exposed to technology. According to his research, technology contributes to the manifestation of a dopamine-addicted society. Dopamine is the same chemical that’s released when we smoke, drink and gamble. As a result, we’re a generation that seeks instant gratification at all times.
The saddest part of all this? Businesses are capitalizing on our dopamine-addicted psyches now more than ever. So what does this mean for us?
I know from experience in social media marketing that curating the best content available is not only ideal, but it’s crucial. I work on campus with event planning and media marketing that is geared towards commuter students. Commuters make up roughly 75% of Montclair’s student population. This poses a sense of responsibility in bridging the gap of communication between campus activities and people who’d rather get in and out ASAP. That’s where social media comes in.
A simple Instagram business profile allows our office to access basic demographics. Male-to-female ratio, age ranges, and locations of our followers are all fair-game. Additionally, we know what time people are accessing our page, and how people interact with our content. This, unfortunately is only social media marketing on a small-scale.
With companies now being accused of privacy invasion and accessing users’ personal information through third-party outlets, it’s scary to think what information we share is still ours. But for social media marketers, it’s clear that the majority doesn’t even care. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve verbally expressed an interest in literally anything, for an ad to pop up for it the next day. How that works, I’m not exactly sure yet, but I need answers.
As I continue my career in the field of marketing I hope to never lose my integrity. We’re all in this technologically-addicted society together, and I feel a moral obligation to do better. We all need to do a little better. Whether that’s a social media cleanse or simply reaching out to people we’ve lost touch with. Instant gratification is just that, instant. Deep, meaningful relationships cannot be compromised to the means of a device.
PS: always clear your cookies and cover your webcams, you’re welcome.
Also Ben & Jerry’s if you’re reading this, sponsor me.