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Are We Over-Engaging? Scarcity as Strategy in 2025

Social media isn’t what it used to be. In today’s digital landscape, where every brand is clamouring for attention, the numbers (and behaviours) are telling a new story from what we’ve been used to in the past:

Interactions are down by 80%.

Brand engagement has been cut in half, decreasing from 5.69% to 2.63%.

Engagement is now at an all-time low of 0.43%.

We know that the audience is still there, they’re just not engaging the way they used to. They’re consuming content silently — watching Instagram stories, spending more time in their DMs than on the feed, and lurking on platforms like TikTok (where 67% of users never post and 92% of interactions are passive views). This is social media fatigue at its finest: brain rot, content fatigue, and a growing burnout among marketers forced to chase every single interaction.

Time for a Reality Check

In an era overflowing with content, the old strategy of “more is better” is over. The solution? Scarcity. Instead of flooding feeds with endless posts and forced calls-to-action, the most innovative brands are dialling back to make every piece of content count.

When you create scarcity, you’re not disappearing, you’re building anticipation. Every post should be a premium experience, a carefully curated moment that signals to your audience: “What we’re sharing matters.” It’s about cutting through the noise with substance, not just volume.

Rethinking Engagement Metrics

Now, the likes and comments of marketing metrics of the past no longer capture the full picture. The metrics that truly matter today are:

Views:

True exposure isn’t measured by superficial reactions, it’s about ensuring your message is seen.

Saves:

When someone bookmarks your content, it’s a nod that they value it enough to return.

Shares and Sends:

These indicate your audience isn’t just passively consuming but is actively passing your message along to people they know will care about it.

In this new social media landscape, engagement isn’t forced — it’s organic, and often, it’s very passive. The shift is clear: views and shares now outperform traditional likes and comments.

Get Creative and Compel Conversation

If your standard call-to-action isn’t cutting it, it’s time to get creative. The key is to craft content that surprises, invites conversation, and sparks genuine opinions. You can’t force engagement, but you can create an environment that encourages interaction.

Get them Talking:

Share relatable content and pair it with strong, inviting CTAs. Your audience wants authenticity and a reason to join the conversation.

Create an Exclusive Environment:

With 78% of users preferring private spaces over public feeds, consider building communities on platforms like Discord or Facebook Groups. These intimate spaces foster deeper connections than the endless public scroll.

Get them to Slide into your DMs:

75% of users would rather engage with a brand using DMs instead of traditional channels. So meet them where they’re at with chat marketing tools (like Insider or ManyChat) to set up automations to get the conversation flowing.

The New Rules for 2025

It’s time to get clever with your content strategy. Embrace scarcity. Focus on quality over quantity. And above all, redefine what success looks like in a world where passive engagement is just as valuable as active interaction. Your audience may be lurking, but when you speak, make sure your message is crafted to inspire real, meaningful connections and capture their attention.

Is Scarcity your New Social Solution?

Carly Snider

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