Considering they’re the largest living generation, it’s no surprise marketers spend a lot of time determining marketing strategies that work for millennials. With today’s crowded digital landscape, though, it can be hard to know how to get their attention. Since they’ve grown up with ever-changing digital technology, these so-called digital natives are less inclined to pay attention to traditional marketing. So the question is, what’s the best way to reach them? To help guide you, we’ve put together our top tried-and-true tips for marketing to millennials.
Keep it Real
While it may seem counterintuitive for a generation that spends so much time online, millennials want brands to feel human. In order to trust your brand, they want to know who your company is and what your core values are. Because they’ve grown up with digital and social media, they’re discerning and if your content feels too much like advertising, they’ll skip over it. Instead, let your audience get to know you. Tell them about your vision, your values and the people behind your brand. And make sure you’re communicative; respond to comments and messages to reinforce your brand’s human side. By doing these things, you build trust with your millennial
audience.
Sell an Experience, not a Product
Unlike other generations, millennials aren’t interested in traditional direct sales tactics . They favor brands that let them be part of the experience. In order to do this, you need to ditch traditional advertising channels. Encourage your target audience to contribute their own content to promote your product. With user-generated content and influencer marketing, you can foster engagement in a more organic way and build brand loyalty.
Be Mobile-centric
In this day and age, marketers know that adopting a mobile-first strategy is critical in reaching their audience, since the average consumer spends 3.3 hours per day on their mobile device. For millenials, that number can be as high as 5 hours per day , and they’re using the internet via a mobile browser up to three times more than a desktop browser . Keeping those usage statistics in mind, rather than adopting the widely followed strategy of “mobile-friendly”, take it one step further and be mobile-centric. To do this, make sure your site is optimized for mobile and adopt mobile payment solutions. If creating your own mobile app is cost prohibitive, leverage social media apps for marketing campaigns.
Optimize Content for Social Media
We know, you probably already know this one, but it can’t be stressed enough. By now you know that if your goal is reaching millennials, a significant amount of your marketing budget should be allocated toward social media. But use your time wisely. As a result of the overwhelming amount of content, millennials have a 5-second attention span. To make sure you’re getting their attention, focus on creating short but engaging videos. Since these “micro-videos” are now available on virtually every social media channel, creating and sharing them is an effective and cost-efficient tactic for engaging millennials.
Engage in Person
While it’s well-known that marketers need to leverage their social networks to engage millennials, in this digital age, there’s an oft-forgotten strategy: Meet them in person. To fully understand and cater to your target audience, you need to connect with them. One of the best ways to do this is to have in-person conversations with them. When possible, attend trade and consumer shows and seize opportunities to learn about your audience. They’ll benefit from this too, as they’ll get to know the human side of your brand.
Keep Adapting
With all the different media channels available to them, it can be hard to nail down the best approach for marketing to millennials. Digital technology and preferred channels are ever-evolving, so it’s critical to stay on top of trends and make sure to adapt accordingly. And in the meantime, make sure you’re keeping the conversation open with your target audience. By doing this, you can stay current on their needs and adjust target messaging as necessary.
