This is something that I am certainly struggling with so thought why not share those struggles with you lovely people? Let’s start off with what is FOMO. Well, it’s the Fear of Missing Out, we all get this from not wanting to miss out on a night out to not being part of a group chat.
In this instance, it is the fear of missing out on getting and reviewing the latest can greatest. This for a new wanna-be content creator like me can be hard to avoid and it comes with a load of pitfalls which I am slowly learning and getting to grips with. So what are those pitfalls?
Reviewing for sake of it
I have fallen for this one especially when it comes to phone choices. I love tech but there is some tech that I feel that I have to review or should review to get those all-important views. The S23 Ultra was a prime example of this for me. I saw countless Videos on Youtube and comments on Social Media which made me think that I should be getting on the bandwagon.
So I went out and bought it think amazing I am going to make loads of content out of this even though I am truly wedded to Apple and its brilliant Ecosystem. I had the device a few days and realised that actually I was not wanting to pick it up over my iPhone and that I was not going to be able to provide a really good review on what is no doubt a great phone. I had no interest in trying all the features out I was happy with the features I had on my iPhone.
And I ended up sending it back with the only bit of content produced explaining why I returned it. I wasn’t time on a device and all although it piqued my interest was never going to fully get my attention and I could have been focusing on other content that I can provide a detailed view on.
It’s Expensive
Tech is not cheap and FOMO in this niche is a quick way to rack up debt that you really don’t need to and shouldn’t do. Again using my FOMO purchase of the S23 Ultra as a prime example, this was paid out of my pocket and not through content revenue. I justified the purchase as it’s for the content and it will bring in revenue.
Now there is nothing wrong with this if you are getting review units or you have the content revenue coming in to pay for it. In my case neither was the case. Yes, I make some money but it’s by no means away near the amount I would need to cover this purchase.
Personally, I think this is the biggest pitfall for new creators trying to make it out there. You are surrounded by great creators on social media and you think I should be doing that. Luckily I was not out of pocket in the end as I was able to return the device for a full refund but sometimes you might not be able to do this.
learning to avoid FOMO
I certainly don’t have all the answers here and I am learning as I go and sometimes still falling into the same traps. However, these are some of the things that I am going to try and do to avoid making these mistakes going forward.
Will I use the product?
I want to focus on products and producing content on what really interests me and what I will use on a daily basis. I find that if I am truly invested in what I am writing or talking about its will produce much better content and will be valued more by the people consuming it.
Going forward I will be asking myself will I really use this? Can I produce quality, informative content in this? If the answer is No or Maybe then it should be a no to buying.
Can I afford this?
There may be some products that are not too expensive and I can cover them through revenue coming in out of my own pocket. But in the main for larger purchases like phones, tables I will have to ask the question and be honest with myself. If I can’t afford it through the business then no don’t buy it.
This is difficult because you may think that you need to buy new stuff to review, but actually can you not review stuff that you already own and build your audience and revenue that way?
Find other content ideas
I want to focus on this more going forward. The tech niche is not just about reviewing the latest and greatest. There are plenty of other things to talk about and provide a view on. So I am still going to focus on reviews but also more on other things like best apps and new technologies etc. The only cost here is my own time on researching and creating.
Final Thoughts
I am not saying that I will not fall to the power of FOMO at some point going forward. The important thing for me here is that I have finally acknowledged that I suffer from this and I can take steps to try and avoid going down those rabbit holes.
Thinking of my blog as more than a hobby and actually as a business which is what I want it to be. Would you spend loads of money in a business with no way to pay for on the whim it might bring some revenue in — NO. So a mind shift is also needed.
Here’s to hopefully avoid the dreaded Creator FOMO.