Social media has emerged as a critical component of marketing to millennials. According to one study, millennials now make up the majority of the population in the United States. As a result, millennials have the world’s largest consumer base. So, in order for your company to grow, Millennials can play a significant role. Here are some general characteristics of Millennials that set them apart from the general population.
Authenticity & Transparency: Millennials, the discerning consumers of today, hold authenticity and transparency in marketing to the highest regard.
Influencing friends and family: This group is more likely to discuss their brand experiences and purchasing decisions on social media, making word-of-mouth marketing particularly effective.
Experiential marketing is a strategy that can be successful with millennials. It involves creating memorable events or experiences that engage the consumer.
In spite of their propensity to shop online, millennials still value in-person interactions and are more likely to make impulsive purchases in physical stores. For many millennials, sustainable and socially conscious business practices are crucial, so emphasizing those features of a product or company can be a successful marketing tactic. Remember that these are generalizations and that not all millennials will fit these descriptions.
There are key things that you need to understand about millennials in order to sell to this market. Doing this will allow you to capitalize on this digitally inclined demographic while increasing profits for your business. Here are a couple things you need to know when marketing to millennials.
- Outbound Marketing is Out
Millennials want to feel connected and involved when it comes to their purchases. Traditional marketing does not encourage this. Outbound marketing methods like magazine ads, direct mail campaigns, and radio spots, do not work well with Millennials and should as much as possible, not be used.
Millennials know what they want and, since they are so digitally savvy, they know how to find it online. That is why these young consumers do a lot of their research via blogs, forums, and YouTube videos.
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Word-to-mouth culture
Millennials are glued to their devices because they constantly need to be connected. Product reviews and social tools are readily accessible to them. This allows them to research and share opinions before they commit to a product. They purchase from brands and products they can trust and that are endorsed by Instagram influencers or real people.
Instagram influencer marketing is the result of this word-to-mouth culture that values trusted endorsements. It’s not just about having celebrities to make the consumer buy things, it’s about advertising real people. People that the consumer can relate to and trust. A survey shows that 61% of people will trust a friend’s endorsement of a brand and are more willing to buy from that brand. Social media is a way of creating this brand loyalty, it provides an unofficial endorsement in the form of user-generated content that can be reposted by the brand.
Respond to customer service requests, create campaigns that engage customers, and don’t just promote products but add informative posts and info on social channels. By incorporating these strategies into your marketing efforts you can generate/ drive traffic to your website and broadcast your brand’s core values.
- You have an 8-second window
Millennials have a very short attention span. Their focus is constantly shifting from one thing to the next. If your content does not capture their attention in the first 8 seconds, then it becomes irrelevant. This is why there is such a high demand for content creators because it’s not easy coming up with something that will grab people’s attention in such a short time frame. You need to be able to help them understand what your product is about and why they should care within those few first seconds.
We have become very fast that if visually something is not appealing then we are not interested and we move on to the next best thing out there. There are so many products available on the market that you need to be able to prove why yours is the best for your consumer and why it matters. The world is constantly changing and improving and if you are not the first or the best to do something then you will completely become irrelevant in a matter of seconds.
- You need to visually look the part
Millennials judge with their eyes first. Your website, brand, or ad content needs to be up to par. Visually it needs to be appealing, in style, and professional. If your content looks old or outdated then your brand or product will lose credibility, regardless of what you are selling. Not to mention you will not even have their attention for more than a second.
This generation is obsessed with creating and sharing video content. It is on every social media platform where people can upload short clips and stories on either Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat. YouTube has become very popular over the past decade and anyone is free to share almost whatever they want. Just about anyone can become famous. YouTube stars are becoming just as popular as celebrities.
Creating video content is the best way to create a connection with millennials. It is a way of grabbing their small attention span. They will be more interested in watching something than reading an ad or looking at a picture since they are so quick to scroll through images. However, your video needs to be professional and visually appealing. You need to create a connection with them, inspire them, and give them a reason to keep watching.
- You need to be in more places than one
Millennials have developed a culture of multitasking by constantly switching between devices and platforms. Our generation is plugged into their devices and our attention is split between different platforms. We’re constantly scrolling, switching, and looking at different things. Our attention is not on one social networking app but on multiple platforms all at once. If you plan on running ads through YouTube only then this may not be very effective, as the majority of people will switch devices as soon as an ad campaign comes on. However, this division of attention is used to benefit strategic ad campaigns. By dividing your brand’s ad investment into different platforms, you can extend your reach across different channels.
- Brand storytelling
In order to reach millennials, you need to create content that means something to them or that they can relate to. They are receptive to brand storytelling. This generation values being acknowledged, being presented with options, and feeling connected. Your message needs to be intelligent, thoughtful, and inclusive. It is about including everyone together. Millennials are interested in products that are sustainable and make a difference. Slowly products are trying to incorporate these values, which have been attracting millennials to purchase their products. This makes a huge difference when advertising to your demographic, as this generation is more inclined in making a difference. When your product means something and makes a difference, then they will be attracted to your brand or product.
Marketing tactics that might have worked in the past recently changed due to this digitally inclined generation. By directly addressing this generation, brands will be able to create a connection between them and the consumer. Engaging millennials sustain these connections and transform ads.
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