Born in 1980, the first generation of this digitally fluent audience started high school when the web had just become a public space. Most of this generation, those we refer to as millennials, sees the digital revolution as the norm… as essential as oxygen. Half of this group, those aged 26 and younger, used social media in high school: first Myspace and soon after, Facebook. Today, this group is extremely active on countless social media outlets. Studies suggest that a majority of millennials feel connected most of the time, and 51% of millennials say they are mostly or most always online or connected to the internet. This number is getting higher by the minute. The time is now to ensure that your company is maximizing its online presence to tap into this younger audience and make them loyal customers. Harnessing the following knowledge about this digitally savvy sect will help your business tremendously as you craft and refine your digital presence:
Millennials want to engage with brands on social networks.
This generation boasts the highest social networking usage and activity of its counterparts. Millennials want to be able to engage with companies on social media, and are more likely to support brands that boast active profiles. While millennials thoroughly enjoy buying goods and purchasing services, for them, the experience of the purchase and what it involves is the most important piece of the puzzle. Through following a brand’s Instagram, for instance, these consumers get a peak into the brand’s DNA and story. Millennials love this — it brings a humanistic element to the company that makes them more apt to make a purchase.
This group of purchasers also wants to be listened to. They want to be able to tweet a company a question — or a complaint— about a product or service and be engaged with, as social media is the newest form of customer service. It’s the most convenient and quick way for millennials to get the answers they desire — actively managed social platforms allow this group to not have to wait on hold on the phone or to visit a brick and mortar. Everything can be done online, from searching for the business, to scanning the business’ website and social media for general information and offerings, to the sale itself, and anything afterwards, like help with tracking numbers, returns, and, new orders!
They want to co-create products with their favorite companies.
Similar to how millennials value the experiences associated with their purchases sometimes more than the purchases themselves, millennials want to feel intrinsically involved in the product or service they’re buying. Whether this is through following the company on social media and viewing their daily content like they do with their favorite blog, or even taking a survey about which product or service they’d like to see launched next, they like to be part of the process every step of the way.
They are loyal to the brands they love.
Millennials have a strong tendency to repeatedly buy from brands they love and make recommendations to their friends. Once millennials find brands that they feel connected to, or care about supporting, they will stay loyal unless they have a bad experience. It’s essential to establish these deep, positive connections with your audience from the beginning, so as they get older, they will continue to purchase from you.
They like brands who give back to the community.
Millennials are particular. Similar to how they like to experience a brand’s DNA through its digital presence, millennials also care about how products are made, sourced, etc. This audience is very driven towards companies that are specific about their sourcing methods and those that are philanthropic. Companies that are thoughtful in their approach get the most attention here. Most millennials prefer to buy from a company that contributes to society in one way or another. Brands that care about their communities catch this young groups' eye; they especially love supporting local brands, rather than purchasing from large competitors.
Being on trend, and ahead of the curve when possible, is what generates the type of brand presence that millennials will pay attention to. Positive attention from this group of consumers is highly valuable, as they are among the most vocal of audiences. Whether it’s by Instagramming a picture of a product, a video of a store, or a glowing Yelp review, when millennials share information about a business, their friends and networks see it, instantly increasing a business’ reach tenfold. Keeping in mind what you now know about millennials’ particulars for purchasing, your business will be more able to capture this very important audience.