Millennials account for a quarter of the entire U.S. population.
That comes out to 320 million people. In other words, a vast consumer audience.
Once a millennial is loyal to a brand, they’re likely to stay faithful. They’re careful with their money, but in a way, that’s smart and calculated.
What much of it comes down to is social media content creation.
Businesses with a dynamic, engaging social media presence attract millennial dollars.
Companies that customize the shopping experience have even higher odds that these young adults will return the favor—with their money.
Which social media platforms do you mostly find millennials mostly using?
Here, we break down what exactly millennials are (because let’s be honest, do you?) and how you can advertise to them through their preferred platforms.
First Things First: What Are Millennials, Exactly?
You may have a preconceived notion of who millennials are or what their lifestyle entails.
But it helps to have some factual information. After all, how can you cater to an audience you only know a little bit about?
Millennials are born between the years 1981 to 1996. That makes them, respectively, those ages 24-39.
Likely, you didn’t imagine a millennial to be almost 40 years old!
So, you’re not marketing to teenagers so much as you’re selling to job-holding, graduates, and young adults.
Millennials grew up in the digital era.
They utilize technology for everything—grocery shopping, GPS, remote apps, texting, and wasting time on social media.
That’s why it’s so important to know which platform they prefer and use (and which method they prefer to shop on).
Traditional marketing efforts don’t have the same effect on millennials as they do on other generations.
Before millennials purchase anything online, they do their work.
They conduct research, ask their friends, look at reviews, test the products in stores, and take advantage of free trials.
They want assurance that what they’re spending their hard-earned money on is worth it.
One way to show that your product is worth it is by being genuine in your social media posts.
Personalize their shopping experience, treat them like people; and, interact with them online by solving problems or addressing concerns.
Now that you have a better understanding of who millennials are and why having a strong omnichannel presence is important (and why you need them!)
So, let’s continue.
What Social Media Do Millennials Use?
79% of millennials use social media multiple times every day.
They also divide their time between several different platforms rather than sticking to just one.
Whether it’s Tiktok for DIY, Facebook for family, or Instagram for Entertainment, you have to know which avenues they prefer for their moods.
As a brand or business, that’s great for you because you’ve got several options when it comes to where to spend your marketing dollars.
It makes sense that advertising on multiple platforms increases your exposure, too. But even dabbling in the top few is a worthwhile endeavor.
Let’s take a journey of the history of social media platforms and how they became to be where they are now.
What was the first social media platform?
While most people think that MySpace was the O.G social media platform back in 2003, it was a site called SixDegrees.com
You could set up a profile page, create lists of connections, and send messages within networks.
The site amassed around one million users before it was bought out for $125 million …and eventually died out in 2000 and tried to make a small comeback which still slightly exists today.
Then came a few others… Hot or Not, Friendster, Myspace, than the behemoth we have today known as “The Facebook” launched in 2004.
87% of millennials use Facebook at least once a week.
This number is much higher than other generations—for example, only about 36% of Gen Z use Facebook once a week.
So, Facebook is still running for the leader of social media when it comes to the millennial generation.
Its main strength is a wide range of content, which can be anything from texted-based to visual and everything between.
Right now, this variety appeals to millennials.
Is YouTube considered Social Media?
86% of millennials use YouTube at least once a week.
This number is enormous, especially when considering that video marketing was the most effective marketing technique in the last few years.
If your website features video content, it’s 53 times more likely to show up on Google’s first page of search engine results.
Keep in mind, if advertising with video, that the average attention span is pretty low: about 30 seconds.
So, keep your videos under two minutes—30 seconds to gather attention, and 90 seconds to pitch your product or service.
71% of millennials use Instagram at least once a week.
Many younger generations love platforms like Instagram for their lack of content and text.
72% of millennials buy fashion and beauty products based on Instagram posts.
They get all the good visuals with none of the annoying rants or long-winded arguments.
80% of users follow at least one business account on Instagram, but usually more. Two hundred million users actively visit business profiles at least once a day.
And over half of their users use the app to discover new products or services.
Snapchat, Twitter, and Pinterest
52% of millennials use Snapchat at least once a week. 42% of millennials use both Twitter and Pinterest at least once a week.
People love these apps for the same reason they enjoy Instagram—all of the visuals with none of the ‘boring’ stuff.
Also, it’s relatively short-lived, appealing to their instant gratification.
75% of saved pins on Pinterest are from business sites. Two million people pin products every single day!
Twitter is great for spreading your business around the globe.
78% of users live outside the States—so be sure to capitalize on that fact when looking to expand your business internationally.
Snapchat is similar to TikTok, so read on for more regarding these video platforms.
TikTok
Say hello to the new kid on the block!
TikTok was the most downloaded app in the U.S. in October 2018. It’s nothing to scoff at.
Video advertising on this platform is in its beginning stages, which means your company has the potential to spearhead the efforts in your industry.
Why should you begin to advertise on this platform you may not have even heard about?
Well, TikTok hosts up to 500 million active users globally, the average of which spend up to one hour on the app per day.
When it comes to advertising on this platform, consider similar efforts as those you’d use on Instagram.
Speak Their Digital Language
To get their business, you need to speak your client’s love language.
By now, you not only know the answer to this question but should have an idea of how to start marketing within those platforms.
But social media marketing takes time—time that you may not have if you’re wearing many hats within your company.
We work with all types of businesses all over the world to find which avenues would work for your business.
