How Effective Is FOMO in Marketing (14 Examples & Results)

The fear of missing out (FOMO) is a real thing. 

You may not realize that FOMO influences the majority of your purchasing decisions. It’s a psychological trigger that drives 60% of millennials’ purchases.

As a marketer, you already know and probably use FOMO in your messaging. However, simply using it at a few places might not yield expected conversions. You must create FOMO at the right time or the right events in your shoppers' journey. 

For example, when someone adds a product to their cart and is about to abandon it, you can use the exit intent to trigger a notification to persuade them to complete their purchase. The notification can convey a special discount offer with a coupon code valid for a limited time or a free delivery offer for the first 100 buyers. Social proof marketing software can help you configure notifications like these. These notifications create the urgency for shoppers to make the purchase now. 

Let’s understand more about FOMO marketing and see how to use it effectively in your messaging. 

What is FOMO marketing?

FOMO marketing uses humans’ reactive nature to sell products. The approach uses tactics and messaging to create urgency and a fear of missing out, encouraging users to take action. 
This approach serves people or businesses that sell a product or service, often digitally. Generally, they configure notifications on the website through FOMO marketing software to deliver social proof notifications. Such messaging creates urgency while establishing trust and credibility for the brand. 

Think of notifications like,” Only three pastries left in stock. Adrian recently purchased a few and gave it a five-star review.” That’s creating FOMO while delivering social proof of people liking your product.

Why is FOMO marketing important? 

The statistics make a strong case for marketers and business owners to use FOMO marketing in their strategy. 

• More than half of people who use social media platforms fear missing out.
• Interestingly, 33% of people would need access to social media and experience FOMO rather than losing their pinky finger.
• FOMO influences 72% of buying decisions made by festivalgoers. 

Source: FOMO statistics

There are more. However, stats aren’t the only way to justify the importance of FOMO while selling a B2C product or service. 

Here are a few brands that have proven that Fomo marketing works for companies of all sizes and industries:

• Singles Swag increased its sales by $100K using FOMO and social proof 
• notifications in its marketing.
• Similarly, Salon Booking System added $1000 to their sales with Fomo and social proof notifications. 

Don’t go by “Fear” in the name and perceive FOMO differently. What you show and display to your customers is the truth and what’s happening on your website. 

Use it to drive more conversions, increase average order value (AOV), and reduce abandoned carts. 

[.blog-highlight]Learn how to reclaim lost sales with a push notification strategy for abandoned carts.[.blog-highlight]

‍Benefits of FOMO marketing

FOMO marketing uses the fundamental human instinct of not being left out as an opportunity to drive customer behavior powerfully. Brands enjoy some notable benefits when they leverage FOMO in their marketing strategies. 

• Uplifts conversions. Strategies such as implementing countdown timers on product pages prompt customers to act before the time runs out. VWO observed that it improved landing page form submissions by 10%. 
• Reinforces loyalty. Giving early access to exclusive deals to customers increases their loyalty toward your brand. Customers feel they are part of a special group and feel valued. 
• Attracts new customers. Promoting a referral program for a limited time period with exciting rewards attracts new people and expands your brand's reach. You can run referral programs as one-time deals to encourage present customers to bring more people to your store or website. 
• Stir excitement. When customers feel they might miss out on a future opportunity, it builds excitement and buzz around the product. 
• Speed up decision-making. FOMO marketing builds urgency, encouraging customers to make purchasing decisions faster. It also reduces cart abandonment rates. 

FOMO marketing techniques and examples

Below are a few notable techniques for creating FOMO in marketing. Take a look at the different strategies and methods brands employ. 

1. Offer a flash sale

Steepandcheap, a clothing and sports gear brand, has a separate landing page running a flash sale. The sale is time-bound and offers multiple products at a discounted rate. The brand does a good job of highlighting the sale throughout the website. 

2. Show limited stock

Bodies as a clothing, a clothing and accessories e-commerce store, creates FOMO by showing items that are limited in stock. Shoppers feel an urgency to purchase before the product isn’t available for shopping. 

Limited stock also adds an element of exclusivity. Buyers feel they have an opportunity to purchase and feel motivated to make a quick decision. 

3. Provide exclusive deals to first-time customers 

Everlane offers a 15% discount to first-time customers who subscribe to its mailing list. The brand creates FOMO by stating that the offer is valid only for seven days upon signup. 

The brand hosts support content to help shoppers get a 15% discount. 

4. Introduce limited-time offers

Nordstrom, an e-commerce store selling clothing and accessories, offers 30% off selected shoes. The company has a separate tab, “Sale,” on the website to list the products available at a discounted price. 

5. Make the products exclusive

Rado, a watch company, sells limited-edition watches on its website. Customers feel special when they purchase them, and since they are limited-edition items, shoppers must act fast before the item goes out of stock. 

6. Deliver social proof through notifications

Sometimes, people are on the verge of buying but need the final push to complete the purchase. In such situations, a social proof push notification gives them a reason to buy when people like them purchasing the same product or service. 

Fomo, a social proof and push notification platform, delivers these timely nudges to increase conversions on your website. You can use them on home or product pages to encourage people to purchase quickly. 

It’s infinitely useful since a social proof notification is a live evidence of more and more people purchasing the product. Consequently, it encourages shoppers to trust and purchase the product before it sells out.  

7. Create exclusive offers for the first 100 or 200 buyers

Veestro, a plant-based weekly meal delivery company, gifts reusable water bottles to its first 100 customers. The company effectively markets it to its customers on the website and through email newsletters. 

8. Show sold-out products to add credibility to limited stock

Okno, an eyewear brand by Eyewearlabs, displays a few items that have sold out while displaying the product catalog on their website. It encourages shoppers to purchase the products, possibly faster, because they can see products getting “sold out” and people purchasing them. 

It works best if you pair this technique with showing limited stock, it adds more credibility to your FOMO marketing.

‍Remember: Keep the proportion of sold-out products between 10% and 30%. Excessing this range may backfire. Check if you’re showing available products as out of stock, and customers will perceive that products are usually sold out on the website.

9. Use free shipping as a limited-time offer

A UPS survey says that 88% of online customers are likely to buy when they have a free shipping option. 1Body, a health supplement and nutrition brand, offers free shipping when customers are about to abandon their carts. 

This doesn’t affect customers who go to the checkout page directly. Such exit-intent popups give the final push to the customer to complete a purchase. The countdown clock adds to the urgency and encourages shoppers to buy faster.

10. Use “order soon, get soon” notifications

It is a very commonly used Fomo Marketing tactic on Amazon. Amazon usually gives you a tentative delivery date for the product and highlights “if you order within (set hours and minutes).”Shoppers have an urge to get their hands on the product as soon as they pay for it. It creates FOMO to get the product soon and encourages buyers to order it soon.

Analyzing FOMO Marketing Strategies

Here are some real case studies showing the importance of FOMO marketing and the impact it can generate for brands. 

1. The Petzyo case study 

Petzyo, a premium dog food brand in Australia, was struggling with cart abandonments and a complex sales funnel while driving conversion on its website. They created FOMO with social proof notifications based on recent purchases, customer reviews, and website activity. 

With the help of a social proof marketing platform, they could easily automate these notifications. 

Impact: The brand was able to increase its sales by $3000. 

2. SingleSwag case study

SingleSwag, a Florida-based company offering subscription boxes, was challenged by increasing abandoned carts and limited profitability. They were exploring options to add urgency and social proof to their website using a quick, easy-to-implement tool. 

Impact: SingleSwag observed more conversions and revenue after using social proof and FOMO marketing. They were able to increase their sales by $100k. 

3. Mark&vy case study

Mark&vy, a brand selling traditional Vietnamese Ao Dài dresses, had a tremendous bounce rate on their website and poor conversions. The company implemented FOMO marketing and started showing recent purchases, stocks selling out, and pageviews to shoppers on the website. 

Mark&vy added credibility to their website, which significantly dropped their bounce rates. 

4. Teddylane case study

Teddylane, a premium fashion accessory brand, faced challenges with click-to-checkout rates and abandoned carts. They wanted users to complete more transactions and boost conversions. 

Teddylane leveraged Fomo marketing to build urgency and motivation to convert by showing peer activity on the website, stocks selling out, and purchases.

Impact: FOMO marketing strategy increased Teddylane’s checkout rate by 10% and boosted their conversions.

Take a step toward automating FOMO marketing.

Using FOMO in your marketing strategy across the website would be tricky without a tool to help you automate it. Fomo, a social proof marketing and push notification platform, will help create urgency while establishing credibility in the right places. 

Several users rely on Fomo to leverage FOMO in their marketing strategy. It’s easy to use, navigate and implement. 

[.blog-highlight]Sign up for a free trial and use FOMO to increase conversions and revenue.[.blog-highlight]

Fomo Marketing Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can you create FOMO in marketing?

Start by highlighting limited-time offers or exclusive products. Use phrases like "Only a few left!" or "Sale ends tonight!" to urge quick action. Share customer testimonials and photos on social media to show others enjoying your products. This showcases your products’  popularity and desirability. Also, include countdown timers on your website for deals to push the urgency visually. Send personalized emails or notifications reminding customers what they might miss out on. By emphasizing scarcity and exclusivity, you can make customers buy immediately to avoid missing out.

2. How can you use FOMO in marketing? 

You can use social proof software like Fomo to display popups and notifications on your website. These techniques convey the urgency to purchase a product, such as showing limited stock availability or flash sale discounts.

3. How are FOMO and scarcity marketing related? 

Scarcity marketing creates a perception that a product or service is in limited supply or available only for a limited time. It taps directly into the concept of FOMO, as consumers fear missing out on something rare or exclusive.

When marketers use scarcity tactics, such as advertising limited editions, time-bound offers, or low stock levels, they trigger a sense of urgency among consumers. This fear of missing out compels them to act quickly and avoid losing the opportunity to own or experience something unique. Essentially, scarcity marketing leverages FOMO to drive consumer actions, making products seem more valuable and desirable because they are scarce.