Are you making an extra effort to aim your marketing to millennials? If not, you are missing an entire generation of young, savvy, and even influential consumers. Millennials represent an enormous marketing opportunity—one that you should not ignore.
Today, we are going to peek at the why’s and how’s of how you can capture the dollars of the millennial generation.
What is a millennial?
First and foremost, let’s clear up any lingering confusion about what age group embodies the millennial generation.
You might be wondering why you’d waste precious resources marketing to broke college kids. But, the fact is that millennials are now all grown up—a successful generation with money to spend.
In fact, Pew Research defines millennials as people who were born from 1981 to 1996. Right now, the generation ranges in age from 23 to 38.
Why are millennials important to your digital marketing?
Millennials are a generation that embraces and celebrates diversity.
These young adults grew up while the internet was rapidly expanding and became some of the first social media influencers—think of the earliest YouTube “celebrities.”
For American millennials, some of the historical events they witnessed included the 9/11 attacks, the election of the first African-American President of the United States, and the collapse of the US mortgage industry that put millions of Americans out of their homes in 2008-2010. Bear in mind also that many of this demographic launched careers during a period of recession—that’s remarkable resilience.
The events in the world around them shaped the millennial generation into tech-savvy, cautiously optimistic, open-minded people with creative problem-solving skills. These qualities have enabled them to thrive despite growing up in uncertain times.
Marketing to Millennials
So, now you are convinced that you should target the millennial consumer. But, you’re wondering how, precisely, you should go about it.
Here are some digital marketing tips that will help you captivate a millennial audience; any other medium than digital is a wasted effort where millennials are concerned.
Social Marketing
Millennials are social media enthusiasts. It’s no wonder, as they grew up along with
Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat.
But, to the millennial, the similarities end there. To them, there’s a distinction. For many, especially the younger range of the generation, Twitter and Facebook are the social media platforms of their parents’ choosing. While they might use those platforms to keep in touch with family, it’s not their favorite.
Their favored choice in social media? Hands-down—it is Instagram. Statistics from 2018 show that 64% of social media users in the US between the ages of 18 and 29 (the youngest millennials with a few Gen-Z adults tossed into the mix) use Instagram. Additionally, 40% of users between the ages of 30 and 49 (the older millennials with a blend of Gen-X) use Instagram.
While there’s no clear delineation between the millennials and the Gen-Z and Gen-X users, one thing is clear—Instagram marketing is wildly popular with that age range.
Strive for content quality
Whatever digital marketing platforms you are using, always strive for quality content. That may sound like general advice, but it’s especially true when you are marketing to millennials.
These are adults who grew up with the first smartphones and have lived practically their entire lives just a few clicks away from any information they need. If a millennial lands on your offer, they have a problem to solve, and you must offer a quick, effective solution.
Make sure your pages are optimized to load with lightning speed, your blog post headlines capture attention, hook them quickly, then reel them in by backing up the promise with quality content, facts, and legitimate data.
Be authentic
Remember that this is a demographic of experienced and sophisticated internet users. They grew up wary of catfish and internet scams.
From their experiences, they can sniff inauthenticity a mile away.
When you are creating social marketing, blog posts, or newsletters to target them, use a genuine voice and craft an actionable calls-to-action CTA).
However, you should also know that they hate it when you pander to them just to entice them to purchase. They are recession-era adults and must-see long-term value in the items they buy.
Offer safety measures
Millennials grew up online, with their POS (parent over shoulder) nagging them to watch out for online stranger danger, and the message was well received.
In all your digital marketing efforts, take care to employ safety measures that protect millennial data.
If they suspect you are “unsafe,” they will click away from your site.
- Use online forms with masked and enrypted email address data when you encourage them to subscribe.
- Invest in the SSL security that’s expected today.
- Store payment form data in the EmailMeForm Vault for safekeeping when you accept their credit cards.
Create a great user experience
Create a great user experience (also referenced to as UX) to keep millennials engaged—and on your website. Don’t use a text-only format. Find some funny or entertaining YouTube videos, use chatbots to assist these users selecting merchandise, and add instant messaging so you can connect and answer questions.
The bottom line is that you must optimize your website’s environment
to make millennials want to spend their dollars with you.
Increasing the UX will benefit not only those millennial users but all visitors to your site.
Final Thoughts
If the term “millennial” conjures up images of lazy college kids who sit around their dorm rooms all day in your mind, you are missing the mark.
The millennial generation is shaping popular American culture and influencing the younger generations. By planning digital marketing strategies to embrace this generation, you will also set yourself up for continued relevance, thus enjoying success with the generations that follow.
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Deborah Tayloe
Deborah is a blogger and freelancer who often writes for EmailMeForm. When she’s not blogging, you’ll probably find Deborah working on DIY projects around her home in North Carolina.
