Millennials And Social Media: Competing With Their Addiction
Millennials and social media…a tough nut to crack. The Y generation is distracted.
They’re used to swiping (thanks Tinder) and they’re addicted to social media. They’re also wise to digital marketing and have a pesky habit of skipping ads – even more so on social media platforms like YouTube.
Millennials And Social Media Usage
And it’s not just the millennial generation. Let’s be honest – we’re all guilty of continuously checking our social media accounts and ignoring ads, even when they’re relevant to us.
Whether we’re purposely picking up our phones or subconsciously scrolling, it would seem we’ve become addicted.
A recent study conducted by Deloitte found that young adults are far more likely to check their phone with an average of 52 times a day for 18-24-year-olds, compared to 12 times a day for those over 55.
But could it be that social media and technology are changing more than just immediate behaviour?
Are millennials even aware of what they’re viewing on social media or are have they become a generation of scrolling sloths?
How can we keep them engaged with us in a socially saturated world?
How Do We Adjust Our Digital Marketing To Declining Attention Spans?
It’s becoming harder and harder to keep attention. The internet is a machine for distraction.
Gone are the days when a millennial would have a conversation or sit and watch TV without looking at their phones.
We live in a world of distractions and noise, with 35% of TV time taken up with a second screen.
A study from Microsoft indicates that our attention spans are declining to 8 seconds – that’s less than a goldfish.
With such a short window of opportunity, marketeers need to strike attention and evoke emotion. Fast. But how?
Make It Snappy
According to the Telegraph, the average millennial sees over 3,500 adverts a day. In an ever promoted world, brands need to communicate their message quickly and retain engagement. Keep your copy concise.
There’s nothing worse than an advert popping up with lines and lines of text.
We live in a digital society and consumers, particularly millennials who have a habit of skipping ads, expect their information quickly.
If your digital marketing is difficult to digest, it won’t work.
A Perfect Combination – Humour, Millenials And Social Media
Everything you communicate is received through a negative filter, especially when promoting a product on social media.
Nobody wants to be bombarded on Facebook with sales messages – it’s irritating.
As the saying goes, if you’re going to crash a party, you’d better bring champagne.
Many ‘boring brands’ have used humour on social media to engage with their audience.
Charmin were in a highly competitive market, with a recession to compete with. The toilet roll brand created their own hashtag #TweetFromTheSeat and posted hilarious social content, causing their website traffic to sore.
By making their audience laugh, Charmin created an emotional connection.
Why Do Brands Use Humour?
Brands use humour because it’s fundamental to forming positive relationships, especially on social media. We buy from people we like, and humour is the easiest and fastest way to get there.
Yet, so many marketers are afraid of this technique. Nobody wants to appear unfunny or for their campaign to fall flat but as Benjamin Franklin said, “If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect.”
Keep It Relevant
Humour drives attention and likeability but don’t use humour for humours sake. Keep the content relevant to your brand.
Ace Metrix’s director Michael Curran, says that low relevance results in creating lower desire for the advertised products than non-funny adverts. Always link the joke back to the product as this is key to your audience remembering your brand.
Excite Millennials With Rewards
The most remarkable thing about using humour in social media marketing is how companies with seemingly ordinary products can make you feel like theirs is the most exciting one out there.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a brand that people get excited about when they see the logo?
People respond to humour because it evokes emotion. It excites us.
Studies show that when millennials are excited, they are 40% more likely to make a purchase, especially when the brand offers a reward at peak levels of excitement.
For example, present a consumer with a congratulatory message such as, “You’ve earned this, here’s 25% off for being awesome!” in comparison to a pushy sales led message, that often screams desperation.
An EDA Lab Study found that when consumers were presented with a reward rather than an advert, their levels of excitement increased by 31% and brand favorability increased by 10%. The same study also found that there was a 27% increase of brand recall when a reward had been offered.
It makes perfect sense. Think about your favourite brand and how you feel when they surprise you with a free gift. Did they send you an email near an exciting time of year with a promotion? Did they reward you for being a loyal customer with voucher?
Brands that excite have millennials in the palm of their hands, and with money off their favourite products to gain, they’re not complaining.
Use Personalisation In Your Social Media Marketing
When someone calls our name, we listen. From birth we are conditioned to react when our name is mentioned – you could say it’s almost instinctive.
Our names are personal. Imagine a stranger on the street walking up to you and calling you by your name. It would be unexpected, rude and would certainly surprise you.
Yet when a brand that we have interacted with previously uses it to communicate with us, we almost feel welcomed by an old friend. Our engagement levels increase and we actually listen.
Personalisation dramatically increases conversions. Co-operative Travel saw a 95% increase in visitors and 217% increase in revenue once it started implementing personalisation within their digital marketing. Any why? Because their customers felt a familiarity with the brand.
How Can You Use Personalisation In Your Digital Marketing?
You don’t just have to stick to social media either. According to Experian, personalised marketing emails receive 29% higher open rates and 41% higher click-through rates.
When marketers tailor campaigns they are able to reach consumers individually with something that seems personally relevant and interesting. Here are some examples of how brands can tailor their digital marketing:
- Demographics
- Interests
- Location
- Purchase history
- Relationship status
Keen To Learn More About Millennials And Social Media?
If you’re feeling inspired and want to learn more about how you can put our millennials and social media tips into practice, give ICAAL a call on 023 8033 2675.
We’re a digital marketing agency based in Southampton and guess what? The majority of us were born in the 90’s, meaning millennials and social media marketing are our thing.
Everything we do is made with love, so you can feel assured that your digital marketing is in good hands.
You may also want to check out our blog on Social Media Marketing.
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