Millennials and Social Media: How to Market to Generation ”Y”

by May 12, 2020Digital Marketing, Social Media

Everybody loves to hate on millennials, but there’s no denying that they’re a generation with purchasing power.
Don’t believe us? Consider the fact that this generation was the leading factor in the shift toward e-commerce. Since 2017, online sales have increased by about 79,561 billion dollars, and this number is projected to increase.
If you want millennials to spend some of this money on your brand, you have to target them where they’re at: social media platforms.

Keep reading to learn how millennials and social media can combine into a great marketing strategy.

 

Choose the Right Platforms

If you want your content to reach millennials on social media, you have to post on the platforms they use most often.
Pew Research Center recently conducted a study to identify Americans’ social media preferences, and the results are in. While social media usage overall has stayed almost constant since 2018, key preferential differences emerged between millennials and other age groups.
Youtube and Facebook are still the most heavily used platforms, with an average of 73% and 69% of US adults visiting them at least occasionally. But in the 18 to 29-year-old demographic (younger millennials and Gen Z) Instagram and Snapchat are a close second. Of this age group, 67% use Instagram and 62% use Snapchat.

If you can focus your content on these four channels—Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat—you have a good chance of meeting millennials where they’re at.

 

Post the Right Content

Millennials want content that was made for viewing on social media. Your content should be clear, engaging, easy to understand, and full of other media like infographics and photos. And above all, your information should be reliable.
If all of this seems like a lot, don’t worry. Millennials also enjoy seeing user-generated content from regular people or influencers who follow your brand. If people tag your products or services in your photo, repost them on your own social channels with a thank you message! Or, if someone leaves a great comment or testimonial, post that message in text or graphic form.

Just make sure that whenever you repost content, you first reach out to the person to ask their permission. It’s also important to give them credit in your post, usually in the form of a tag.

 

Engage with Your Audience and Be Genuine

Every generation wants their voice to be heard, but for millennials, it’s especially important.
This generation values honesty, straightforwardness, and an open exchange of ideas. They want to know that they’re part of something larger than themselves and that their actions have consequences in the grand scheme of things.
To engage this type of audience on social media, you have to open up your channels for comments. Then, respond to them in a respectful and genuine way.

Answering questions and comments signals that your company cares about its customers, not just its bottom line. This is one of the best ways to create a loyal community around your brand.

 

Millennials and Social Media: A Powerful Marketing Duo

Millennials and social media are a dynamic duo when it comes to marketing. It’s time to up your social media game so you don’t miss out on reaching this influential demographic.
If you need some support when it comes to maximizing your brand and its reach, Open Lock Marketing is here for you. Contact us today to find out how our team can help you engage with your target audience.

 

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