A Study on the Impact of Social Media Use on Experiential

Consumption Behavior

Hanyan Zhang

School of Journalism and Communication, Hubei University of Education, Wuhan, Hubei, China

Keywords: Experiential Consumption, Social Media, UGMC, Tie Strength, FOMO.

Abstract: As an important area in consumer behavior research, experiential consumption is influenced by multiple

factors, including personalized push, user-generated multimedia content (UGMC), relationship strength, and

fear of missing out (FOMO). The study focuses on travel consumption scenarios and explores how these

factors affect consumers' decision-making process and consumption experience. Research shows that

personalized push and UGMC can effectively improve information acquisition efficiency and decision-

making convenience, and strong relationships enhance consumers' trust in information. However, these

factors may also bring about negative problems such as information overload, psychological burdens, and

irrational consumption. This study provides an important reference for the theoretical development and

practical application of experiential consumption. It not only deeply demonstrates the impact of social media

on experiential consumption, but also has guiding significance for practice. By analyzing the characteristics

of experiential consumption, the study provides effective strategies for local cultural tourism promotion. At

the same time, the study also encourages consumers to look at information and popular trends rationally and

pay more attention to in-depth participation in cultural activities to obtain a better experience. These

suggestions provide new ideas for promoting the development of experiential consumption and improving the

local cultural and tourism economy.

1 INTRODUCTION

With the in-depth development of the Internet, the

digital economy has emerged, and social media has

gradually become an indispensable part of people's

consumption decisions. Whether it is looking for

travel guides on social media before daily

consumption, or sharing records on social media after

consumption, social media is quietly changing

traditional consumption patterns. At the same time, as

economic development benefits all people and per

capita disposable income rises, people's needs have

shifted from material and cultural needs to needs for

a better life. This change has led to people paying

more and more attention to experiential consumption.

The rise of experiential consumption has made

consumers no longer focus only on the use value of

the product itself but on the emotional satisfaction

and social identity recognition brought by

consumption. The rise of this experiential

consumption trend coincides with the digital

economy driven by the rise of Internet social media.

2 THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL

MEDIA ON EXPERIENTIAL

CONSUMPTION

This section will analyze the impact of social media

on experiential consumption from two perspectives:

social media platforms and consumers themselves.

2.1 The Role of Social Media Platform

Development in Promoting the

e-Economy

2.1.1 Personalized Push Notifications on

Social Media Platforms

Online retailers are using personalized push

technology to create context-specific stimuli for users

to entice shoppers to make impulse purchases.

Personalized advertising customizes content based on

user personal information such as age, gender,

preferences, etc., providing more targeted advertising

to improve consumers' perception of products. As

social media provides a continuous stream of data on

Zhang, H.

A Study on the Impact of Social Media Use on Experiential Consumption Behavior.

DOI: 10.5220/0014109200004942

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Applied Psychology and Marketing Management (APMM 2025), pages 143-147

ISBN: 978-989-758-791-7

143

the likes and preferences of billions of users,

personalized advertising has become a common way

for digital advertisers to communicate effectively

with consumers, driving the growth of commerce on

social media (Setyani et al., 2019).

Highly personalized push notifications can better

reflect user needs and are considered to have higher

information quality and accuracy. Through similarity

heuristics (interests are considered credible if they are

similar to the content of the advertisement) and

auxiliary heuristics (ads are considered credible if

they help people find things they like). Consumers

can enhance the connection between themselves and

brands through perceived personalization, thus

developing a favorable impression of the brand. For

example, when a consumer who pursues fashion and

high-quality life sees an advertisement for a high-end

watch, he or she will think that the brand can reflect

his or her identity and taste, and thus develop a

favorable impression of the brand (De Keyzer et al.,

2022). Related research shows that personalized ads

can increase click-through rates by 670% compared

to non-personalized ads. Therefore, it can be

considered that personalized push notifications on

social media platforms are a key factor in promoting

user purchases (Beales, 2010).

2.2 Impact of User-Generated

Multimedia Content (UGMC) on

Social Media Platforms

User-generated multimedia content (UGMC) refers

to multimedia content created independently by

consumers or users. Including but not limited to

pictures, audio, video, animation, and interactive

content, usually used in social media or other digital

platforms and have certain marketing attributes.

UGMC positively influences experiential

consumption through multiple dimensions, showing a

significant effect, especially in the context of tourism

consumption. UGMC can enhance the sensory

experience. Through images, videos, or texts shared

by users, consumers can indirectly experience the

visual, auditory, and even taste experience of the

destination, thereby stimulating a positive flow

experience. UGMC has had a profound impact on

experiential consumption (such as tourism, catering,

entertainment, etc.) through authentic and diverse

information delivery. UGMC can stimulate emotional

experiences. The emotional experiences shared by

users about past tourism services, such as pleasant

service experiences or wonderful travel stories, can

trigger emotional resonance among potential

consumers. This emotional connection will

strengthen their positive perception of the new

destination during the decision-making process.

Social media is often used by tourists to gather

information about travel destinations, travel ideas, or

inspiration. For example, research data shows that

YouTube is a popular media channel that provides

travel inspiration for subscribers of all ages. About

50% of subscribers are aged 25-64, and 38% are aged

18-24. For subscribers, video blogs (vlogs) are seen

as an important source of inspiration for future travel.

In addition, the social interaction engagement of user-

generated travel vlogs is four times that of other types

of travel on YouTube (Crowel et al., 2014). This

shows that most tourists prefer to watch content

generated by UGMC and are inspired by it.

UGMC also has an important impact on cognitive

experience. Consumers can obtain detailed

information about the destination through UGMC,

including social culture, environmental

characteristics, or consumption values, which can

help provide a reference for future decision-making.

UGMC can shape the intentional experience, that is,

through the motivational content shared by others,

consumers are more eager to participate in it (Gardan

et al., 2022). Whether it is a travel challenge,

recommended route, or special event, UGMC can

effectively stimulate the potential consumers' desire

to act. UGMC also strengthens the relationship

experience. Users establish connections with content

producers or other consumers through sharing and

interaction. This relationship further enhances the

credibility and spread of information, making

potential tourists more inclined to refer to this content

for decision-making. UGMC (user-generated

marketing content) provides other users with real and

reliable information, thereby invisibly helping

tourists reduce the risks in their experiential

consumption decisions.

2.3 The Impact of Consumers'

Psychology on Experiential

Consumption

2.3.1 Strength of the Relationship Between

Consumers and Content Producers on

Social Platforms

Tie strength is a core concept in social network

analysis. Granovetter first proposed the concept of

"tie strength" and defined it as a force that links

members of a social network together. He believed

that the strength of a tie can be divided into strong and

weak ties based on the frequency of contact. Ties with

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less than two contacts per week are considered weak

ties, and vice versa.

Based on the theory and research of social

network analysis, the relationship strength between

consumers and platform content producers is

redefined here as: the multi-dimensional connection

strength between consumers and content producers in

terms of interaction frequency, emotional connection,

degree of trust, and depth of collaboration, which

reflects the close interaction between the two in the

process of content consumption, dissemination and

co-creation.

Research by Sweeney et al. shows that the

strength of the relationship between the

communicator and the receiver significantly affects

the acceptance of word-of-mouth communication.

Strong relationships usually mean deeper emotional

connections and higher levels of trust; therefore,

consumers are more likely to accept information

conveyed by strong relationships (Koo, 2016).

Relevant research results show that when recipients

browse brand or product information released by

content producers with whom they have a strong

relationship, they have a higher perception of the

practicality, authenticity, fun, and value of the

content, thereby increasing their willingness to

purchase. As the strength of the relationship

increases, the impact of user-generated content on the

recipient's purchase intention further increases.

This suggests that when consumers' information

sources involve different relationship strengths

during the decision-making process, strong

relationships are more helpful in promoting

information exchange between individuals, and this

effect is particularly significant when the interaction

frequency is high (Zhang, 2020). Users frequently

interact with producers through browsing, liking,

commenting, collecting, or forwarding. The

accumulation of this interaction frequency gradually

strengthens the strength of the relationship between

the two parties and makes users form a sense of

dependence. For example, if users like a blogger's

video every day, they will gradually establish a

stronger relationship.

Therefore, relationship strength can, to a certain

extent, improve the receiver's willingness to accept

information, increase perception at a psychological

level, and tend to use this information as a reference

for their own purchasing decisions.

2.4 Consumers' Fear of Missing out

(FOMO)

The most commonly used definition of FOMO comes

from Przybylski, who defines FOMO as "a pervasive

concern that others may be having rewarding

experiences that one lacks characterized by a desire

to continually connect with what others are doing"

(Przybylski et al., 2013). J. Walter Thompson (JWT)

Worldwide defines FOMO as "an uneasy, sometimes

all-consuming feeling that you are missing out on

something that your peers are doing, knowing, or

having more or better than you." Both definitions of

FOMO describe a feeling of "missing something"

caused by comparing one's current situation to that of

others.

Millennials have characteristics of being socially

driven (tending to stay connected and follow the

society they belong to, and focusing on social

achievements) and socioeconomically introverted

(tending to participate in personal activities and not

spend money for self-satisfaction), which leads them

to have higher FOMO characteristics. Fear of missing

out causes them to consume products similar to those

consumed by the rest of society (Yaputri et al., 2022).

Marketers use this psychology to design

advertisements, using strategies such as "limited time

offer" and "only this time" to trigger consumers' sense

of urgency, prompting them to invest more resources

in participating in activities or purchasing products.

In addition, FOMO has become an important tool to

attract consumers in the fields of tourism,

entertainment, social activities, etc. For example, in

tourism marketing, KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders)

showing travel photos or videos can stimulate the

audience's FOMO, thereby prompting them to take

action (Lee et al., 2023).

In experiential consumption, FOMO can motivate

consumers to participate in more social activities and

try new experiences, thereby enriching their lives and

improving their sense of happiness. It may also help

consumers establish deeper connections with close

relationship groups, especially in social networks

with strong relationships (such as family and close

friends), where FOMO is more likely to prompt

individuals to prioritize activities with social

significance.

3 DISCUSSION

Personalized push notifications, UGMC (user-

generated content), relationship strength, and FOMO

(fear of missing out) are key drivers of experiential

A Study on the Impact of Social Media Use on Experiential Consumption Behavior

145

consumption and show strong potential in promoting

consumer experience and behavior. However, while

these factors drive consumption, they may also

generate a series of potential problems that hurt

consumer behavior and mental health.

3.1 Problem Analysis

First of all, although personalized push notifications

can improve the efficiency and accuracy of

information dissemination, they can also easily lead

to "information overload" for consumers. Too

frequent or precise push notifications may raise

privacy concerns and undermine consumers' trust in

the platform. In addition, personalized push

notifications often induce unplanned consumption,

causing consumers to regret impulse purchases,

thereby reducing overall consumer satisfaction.

Secondly, although UGMC uses authenticity as its

selling point, its reliability is not absolute. Some users

may post false or exaggerated information,

misleading other consumers to make consumption

decisions that are inconsistent with the actual

situation. When UGMC presents overly embellished

content, it may inadvertently exacerbate social

pressure, cause consumers to feel psychologically

unbalanced, and even generate consumption anxiety.

Furthermore, in the strong relationship between

consumers and content producers, over-reliance on

recommended content may lead to cognitive bias and

ignoring personal actual needs. Some content

producers may recommend inappropriate products or

services in pursuit of commercial interests, which not

only harms the interests of consumers but also

undermines consumers' trust in producers.

Finally, FOMO, as an important psychological

driving factor for experiential consumption, can

stimulate consumer behavior, but its side effects

cannot be ignored. FOMO may prompt consumers to

over-participate in activities with high social value,

leading to financial pressure and psychological

burdens. In the long run, FOMO may also increase

consumers' dependence on social media, affect

mental health, and cause difficulty in decision-

making.

3.2 Implications

3.2.1 Implications for Local Cultural

Tourism Promotion

These factors provide multi-dimensional inspiration

for local cultural and tourism promotion. By

accurately targeting potential tourists through

personalized push notifications, cultural and tourism

departments can more efficiently improve the

promotion effect. At the same time, using UGMC to

enhance the authenticity and appeal of the destination

image and cooperating with credible content

producers can further enhance trust in

communication. In addition, clever use of the FOMO

effect can stimulate tourists' enthusiasm for

participation and create a unique attraction for the

destination.

However, cultural tourism promotions must also

be wary of the risk of over-marketing. While pursuing

attractiveness, the content must be authentic and

sustainable to avoid damaging tourists' trust and

mental health due to misleading information.

3.2.2 Thinking from the Consumer's

Perspective

Consumers need to enhance their self-awareness in

experiential consumption. While enjoying

personalized push notifications and the convenience

of UGMC, one should improve the ability to discern

the reliability of information and be wary of false

content and blind obedience. Especially when facing

FOMO, consumers need to adjust their psychological

expectations to avoid unnecessary emotional pressure

and financial burden caused by chasing trends.

3.2.3 Suggestions for Platforms and

Enterprises

As providers of technology and content, platforms

and enterprises must assume corresponding social

responsibilities. On the technical level, personalized

push algorithms should be optimized to ensure the

appropriateness of content push while protecting user

privacy. In the management of UGMC, the review

mechanism for content authenticity should be

strengthened, and cooperation with credible content

producers should be carried out to eliminate false

propaganda. In addition, companies should avoid

simply using FOMO to create consumer anxiety, but

instead improve consumers' long-term satisfaction by

providing truly valuable products and services and

promoting the development of a healthy consumer

ecosystem.

Personalized push, UGMC, relationship strength,

and FOMO together constitute the ecosystem of

experiential consumption, which can not only

promote consumer experience but also bring a series

of challenges. Local cultural and tourism promotion,

consumers, and enterprises need to find a balance in

this ecosystem, rationally utilize technology and

psychological mechanisms, and jointly build a

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sustainable and healthy experiential consumption

environment to achieve a win-win situation for all

parties.

4 CONCLUSION

This study analyzes the role of personalized push,

UGMC, relationship strength, and FOMO in

experiential consumption, and reveals their positive

impact and potential problems on consumer behavior.

Research shows that these factors can improve

consumer decision-making efficiency and experience

satisfaction, but they can also lead to information

overload, consumer anxiety, and irrational behavior.

The research provides important reference for the

theoretical development and practical application of

experiential consumption and puts forward specific

suggestions for local cultural and tourism promotion,

platform optimization, and consumers.

However, this study focuses on the field of

experiential consumption and emphasizes the

importance of multi-party collaboration. In the future,

the relevant conclusions can be further verified in

other consumption scenarios. With the continuous

advancement of technology, it can also explore in

depth the profound impact of emerging technologies

(such as artificial intelligence recommendations) on

consumer psychology and behavior.

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