Millennials seem to have a unique perspective.
The Millennial generation (people born between 1981-1996) has been a point of fascination for pundits and marketers alike.
Millennials seem to have a unique perspective, worldview, and set of habits compared to the generations both before (Gen X, Boomers) and after (Gen Z). Considering Millennials now comprise 25 percent of the American population, according to Burke—representing $8.3 Trillion in buying power—any marketing plan that doesn’t include efforts to reach this demographic will likely generate significantly less revenue and miss out on the brand loyalty of this generation.
To reach Millennials, you not only need to create content that speaks to their priorities and thought processes, but also understand where to deliver it most effectively. Let’s explore some of the most common ways Millennials consume content—and the type of content they’re most attracted to—to help identify the best channels for getting your message to them.
Millennials Favor Online Sources
Since Millennials are the first generation to grow up with the Internet and mobile devices, it naturally follows that their preferred methods of receiving content are mainly online. Consider the following:
- Nearly 50 percent of Millennials spend a minimum of 10 hours per week online. Twenty percent spend more than 20 hours per week.
- Nearly 60 percent of Millennials use the Internet as a primary source for news.
- Nearly 60 percent of Millennials use their smartphones for shopping.
- The most visited websites among Millennials include YouTube, Facebook, BuzzFeed, Spotify, and Amazon.
Thus, an effective marketing campaign geared toward Millennials will inevitably include a significant budget for creating digital content.
Millennials Eschew Traditional Advertising
The fact that Millennials are online doesn’t mean you should necessarily buy ads or simply treat the Internet as a new type of billboard. Millennials are turned off by mass marketing; in fact, 57 percent of Millennials block ad content whenever possible. Instead, they prefer to use the Internet to research facts for themselves, which is why Millennials are 247 percent more likely to be influenced by a blog post than by a traditional ad. For that reason, hiring a blogger for your own site and guest blogging on other sites are excellent tools for reaching this generation with informative content about your product or service.
Millennials Are More Loyal to Brands that Engage Them
Nearly 95 percent of Millennials are on Facebook. Over 60 percent of them are on Instagram. There are 87 million Millennials on LinkedIn. Thus, social media plays a critical role in how this demographic consumes and processes content. Building a strong social media presence with authentic content is critical in reaching them. That said, we’re not talking about simply buying Facebook ads (see point above); we’re talking about engaging a Millennial audience through regular social media interactions. Yes, it’s an opportunity to educate them about your brand, but if you want to build loyalty, invest time and money to engage, ask questions, and talk about issues and causes they care about.
Los Angeles multicultural advertising agency Wicked Bionic has done extensive research on the Millennial market and how they respond. We specialize in helping brands tailor their message and their strategies to reach specific audiences more effectively.
– By Dana C. Arnett
About the Author
Dana C. Arnett is the Founder and CEO of Wicked Bionic, a Los Angeles-based multicultural communications and advertising agency. She works with government and private sector clients, specializing in paid media campaigns. With over 30 years of experience in entertainment production and a decade building authentic connections between organizations and diverse communities, Dana is a recognized leader in culturally responsive marketing.
