Another article about how to market to Millennials?
Surely there must be 41 million of these on the internet by now, but here’s what’s different about this one; its not going to be full of 27 different ways to market to Millennials. No, as someone who is a Millennial and part of the ‘experiences generation’, that’s what this is going to be… an experience!
Last month my colleague, Paula, talked about which digital advertising platforms to advertise on. I’m here to take a deeper dive into my own brain and the brains of my friends to help you connect with a generation of people that already account for 21.4% of Saskatchewan’s population and will become the largest by 2029.
Let’s start with brand awareness. The best way to gain brand traction at scale is still video and audio. They have just taken a turn to the digital age with platforms like YouTube and Spotify. On mobile devices alone, YouTube reaches more people in the 18-34 demographic than any TV network in Canada, while Spotify’s largest user base in Canada also falls into that 21-40 demographic.
Now you’re thinking to yourself, doesn’t everyone just pay for Spotify? One out of every five minutes spent on Spotify are on the free version of their app. On these platforms we’re looking for engaging, quick, shareable content that fits the platform. If you’ve done a good job of this, you’ll gain “earned” media because we’ll share your content with our friends.
You’ve got your brand out there, let’s engage those people to visit you. For millennials, the experience is key. Platforms like Instagram (key demographic of 25-34), TikTok (key demographic of 25-34) and Snapchat (key demographic of 18-34) allow brands to showcase their creativity with full screen ads to create a visual experience for your audience.
Further, be straight forward. If you want us to come in and buy a burger or a pair of socks, tell us that is what you want us to do. Remember though, just because these platforms have the most Millennials doesn’t mean that we aren’t other places as well. Facebook and Instagram are the same company, making it very easy to send ads across both networks.
Lastly, when a Millennial is ready to buy, we are going to turn to our networks, both personal and social for advice. This is where search comes in to play. We are going to spend time doing our research. We are impulsive, but we’re smart about it.
Let’s say I see an ad on TikTok for a slim wallet. I look down at my depressing, ratty old leather wallet and decide, “Yup this thing has to go.”
The next step is research. I may search for “best slim wallets” or “slim wallet reviews”. I may ask a friend who has a slim wallet what they like about it and where they got it from.
From that moment on, I am now looking up brand names. It is very important to make sure you are serving Google ads and have great SEO rich content allowing you to appear at the top of these searches. You may consider working with an influencer or a blogger to help create reviews about your product, which leads me to the last and most important point.
Ensure you are obtaining reviews on places like Yelp (Apple Maps), Facebook and Google, as well as Trip Advisor (Snapchat). Be responsive on these platforms to both the good and bad reviews.
In the end, there is no silver bullet for marketing to Millennials, but if you take three things away from this article, have it be these:
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- Embrace Communication: The internet has allowed us to connect and communicate instantly with the world. But don’t look past communicating with your own community. Be active in publicly responding to reviews both good and bad. There is massive value in showing people that, yes, this customer had a poor experience, but that you have gone above and beyond to communicate and turn that experience into a better one. There is also the personal gratification we get when our favourite brands thank us for our business online.
- Embrace Change: Digital ads and technology in general can be scary, but we are on the cusp of having more people that embrace technology than don’t. With that shift in the marketplace, businesses are going to need to adapt. Directwest is here to help with that shift, taking your advertising into the digital age.
- Embrace Creativity: The internet is a busy loud place, but it is also a fun place where people are constantly sharing their creativity and ideas. Brands can have personality online too. Establishing your brand’s voice is something that can help separate you from your competitors.
Whether moving into the digital space is a big leap or old news for your business, you don’t have to navigate it alone. From Google to TikTok, we can help you take the next step. Connect with one of our experts today to learn more!
Nelson Hackewich is a Search Marketing Specialist with the Revenue Growth Team at Directwest
