5 Things You Should Know About Marketing to Millennials

This was written by the lovely millennial Chloe Stoces and first published on my website last year. You can see the original article here.

In order to be able to effectively market to the Millennial generation, it’s important to first understand us. When i say understand us, I mean more than just recognizing that your child or grandchildren are Millennials. You need to recognize what is important to us as a generation. We are different from older generations. We pay more attention to the brand and purpose rather than the features of a product. Instead of fighting the change in the marketing world, work to adapt to it by learning how the new generation functions.

Here are the most important tips to keep in mind when Marketing to Millennials

1. Recognizing What’s Important to Millennials

There are 4 things that are important to Millennials when it comes to buying products: word of mouth, authenticity in advertising, products with purpose, and understanding that reviews matter. Millennials are more likely to purchase a product that a friend recommends simply because we know that someone has already tried it and loved it. We are a generation that likes to feel like we are a part of one community. Word of mouth and reviews definitely help this process. Make sure you address any reviews you receive quickly and sincerely. This connects back to authenticity and having a purpose.

Millennials understand the difference between “marketing speak” and real talk. Share your company the way you would share if you were talking to a friend, Avoid a lot of adjectives and be open about your mission and purpose. Almost 50% of Millennials would be willing to make a purchase from a company if their purchase supports a cause.

2. Social Media Matters

Millennials have a stereotype of constantly being glued to their Facebook or Instagram. Social Media platforms are how we communicate with each other and keep in touch with friends and family who live far away. We establish relationships and are constantly interacting over these platforms – not only with our friends but with companies as well. It only makes sense to be a part of these platforms in order to stay relevant to the Millennial community.

Makes sure your company has it’s own Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat pages, as these seem to be the most popular of the Social Media platforms. This is a place where we can go view what you’re about all in the safety and familiarity of what we already know.

 3. Going Mobile Matters Even More

Something that not a lot of companies think of is where Millennials are when they’re accessing your website or Facebook page. It’s a common mistake to assume that we are sitting at home with a cup of coffee, when in reality we are probably accessing it from a mobile device.

Make sure to have a mobile friendly version of your website. Adapt so we receive the same flawless experience when visiting your website whether from our desktop or on our smartphone from a coffee shop.

4. Making Your Audience Important

One of the best marketing strategies is to make your consumers an important part of your marketing efforts. Millennials always value authenticity and word of mouth most when considering a product. When we see other consumers posting about their experience and interacting with the company by showing pictures and their stories, it makes us more likely to buy the product.

You can also run promotions by using hashtags and having consumers enter a contest by promoting your page on Facebook or Instagram. Not only will this boost your views since 46% of Millennials reported having over 200 friends on Facebook alone, but it makes us feel like we’re important to your brand.

5. Paying Attention to How Millennials Watch Content Online

When trying to learn about a product, nothing is more aggravating than a 5 minute long video that takes 3 minutes just to understand what the product is. Millennials are a very fast paced generation. If you are creating a marketing video, make sure it’s very clear what your product is within the first 10-15 seconds. Otherwise, we will be quick to move on. In other words, keep it short, sweet and to the point.

Keep in mind that the Millennial generation makes up 21% of discretionary purchases. That’s a whopping TRILLION dollars a year! You don’t want to miss out on your piece of the Millennial Pie because you don’t understand us as a market. Successfully marketing to Millennials can be a game changer for your business.

Chloe Stoces