Millennials, also known as Gen Y or Generation Me, are responsible for founding Facebook, posting pictures on Instagram, and making cellphones an extension of the body. While millennials are often viewed as entitled and self-centered, they have also proven to be very active in social causes and strive to make a difference in the world.
(Pixabay / filmbetrachterin)
Since millennials have grown up with a number of technological advancements, they enjoy constantly interfacing with others and the brands they like. As a result, traditional marketing techniques that would work on former generations don’t usually work on them. There are about 80 million people in the U.S. who are considered part of this generation, making them a force to be heeded by marketers.
Here are some ideas you should keep in mind while trying to attract millennials to your business:
Design for ease — Make sure that the most important information on your website is readily available to consumers. Websites that are hard to navigate or have essential information buried will lose millennials in a matter of seconds. Users should be able to get to the heart of your site within two clicks of the initial landing page.
Be mobile-friendly — In addition to having a good web design, make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Most millennials won’t be accessing your website from a desktop computer. If you want to make a big impact on that generation, make sure that your site has mobile flexibility or that you have an app. If your website is cumbersome to read, millennials will find what they’re looking for from someone else.
Make content engaging — Millennials tend to move at a fast pace, so if you don’t grab their attention right away, you will lose them to the sea of other things that can occupy their time. Some ways to accomplish this are to write content that catches their attention, create viral videos, hold contests, or affiliate your brand with a charity or cause that may be of interest to them. Another thing to keep in mind when creating content is shareability. If your content is engaging and catches their eye, millennials will share it with their friends, which can be a big boon for your business.
Connect through social media — Social media is the lifeblood of millennials. They often check their social media accounts first thing when they wake up in the morning and throughout the day. You can connect with this group by linking your site to the various social media platforms where they actively participate. However, it’s not enough to just make accounts and post on them. If you really want to reach millennials, interact with them by retweeting them on Twitter, responding to messages, and liking their comments.
If you’re not already reaching out to millennials, make sure you start now. While they require a marketing strategy all their own, their love of communication and sharing with others will benefit your company. Just make sure that you can offer a product that they love and content that they are willing to share.