Seven ways your business can attract a younger audience
Advice from a millennial consultant (Part 1)
Republished Sept. 7, 2020
With COVID-19 changing the way we live, work and engage with the world, it’s more important than ever for businesses and organizations to understand the importance of optimizing their online presence. Not to do so may be the difference between brands that survive in the months and years to come, and those that don’t. If you’re looking at pivoting your messaging to, or gaining a greater share of, the millennial or Gen. Z audience and their vast spending power, here are a few ways to do that.
Millennials vs. Gen Z: There’s no one size fits all
The Pew Research Center says millennials, or Generation Y, are those people born between 1981 and 1996, while Gen Zers are born between 1997 and 2012. That’s the definition I’m using for the purpose of writing this article.
Though the two generations often get lumped together, millennials and Generation Z are not the same. The oldest millennials are now approaching their 40s, many with well-established careers, spouses or long-term partners, children and mortgages. The youngest Gen Zers, meanwhile, are still in grade school, and years away from having purchasing power. Do not make the mistake of treating these generations the same way in the digital world.
Social media: Quality over quantity
It’s no longer news that social media platforms are prime territory for finding and engaging young people. Making your company available online is important, but choose your platforms carefully. Facebook ‘s popularity among younger audiences is rapidly waning. Instagram has become a staple app in much the way Facebook once was, and TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media apps because of burgeoning Gen Z users. Likewise, YouTube is the second most-used search engine and where many millennials and Gen Zers go for product research. Actively engaging with your desired consumers on one of these platforms could be enormously helpful for your brand. Spreading yourself too thin over all of them and posting once in a blue moon defeats the purpose of having a presence on social media at all.
Mobile over desktop
If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’d better jump on that train, fast. Millennials grew up watching Internet technology advance, while most of Gen Z has never lived without it being widely available. Both generations rarely go anywhere without their smart phones, and most of their online time is spent on those devices, so mobile-friendly websites and advertising are absolutely a necessity.
Know your target audience
Young people tend to value the environment, mental wellbeing, social justice and equality, while rejecting classist attitudes. They want to support companies they feel good about. Does your marketing also represent these values? Can consumers of your products feel good about supporting you? Lindt has a whole one-third of its website dedicated to its sustainability initiatives in producing its chocolate. What environmental or community initiatives has your business supported lately? Make sure that’s made widely known on your company’s website and social media.
But don’t stereotype
Millennials, and especially Gen Z, are more fluid than ever with their personal identities and interests. They largely reject traditional gender roles. In identifying your target audience, then, flexibility serves better than rigidity. Cosmetics giant Sephora has had makeup advertising with male models for a few years now, and has debuted Pride collections in the past with a portion of proceeds going to LGBTQ organizations. Having a fixed mindset about whom you’re targeting could be a roadblock to your organization’s future success.
More than just words
There’s more than one way to communicate your brand’s message, and embracing a multimedia approach online will serve you well. Millennials have longer attention spans than Gen Z, so reserve longer, deep-dive videos and podcasts for them. Gen Z respond better to short-form video content. Think of Snapchat or Instagram stories, or the TikTok videos rapidly taking over Instagram’s Explore page. These 5- to 20-second snippets captivate teens and young adults.
Personal over promotional
One area where both generations can agree: they prefer advertising to feel more informational and genuine. They will skip over video ads, and likely have adblocking extensions downloaded into their favourite web browsers. Advertising that shows real people discussing products, though, tends to resonate with younger audiences. This is one of the reasons behind the rise of “influencers” – social media marketers who are paid by companies or organizations to promote products and experiences online. A young person is far more likely to try out a product if their favourite social media account recommends it.
Millennials will soon be the largest generation in the workforce, and Generation Z is not far behind, beginning to graduate from college and university. The time to pivot your marketing strategy to them is now.
