It’s uncommon to find a business these days that doesn’t have a social media presence, but often it can raise more questions than it answers. Questions like: How do you make it work for your business and where do you start when it’s time to drill down your target audience? What inspires each generation on social media?
Well, those fabulous people over at Citipost Mail have been doing some research and have come up with a great range of interesting insights into what each generation favors when it comes to social media. While it’s obvious to see that platforms such as Facebook are firm favorites across the spectrum, there are a vast amount of differences in how social media is used, which could mean your marketing efforts are somewhat wasted if you don’t quite get it right. What might work for Millennials won’t always work for Generation X and vice versa. There is no one-size-fits-all options with social media when it comes to different generations. Each one of these different factors can impact how successful a marketing campaign is, so it’s important to know what these are and how you can use them to their fullest potential.
Generation Z
Generation Z are the newest wave of social media users, the truly digital generation and you’d be hard pushed to come across a Gen Z that hasn’t had some form of contact with a computer or smartphone device. Gen Z are far more aware when it comes to what’s going on around them and are often seen as the globalist generation, with social and environmental awareness playing a big part in their day to day lives. However, they’re also noted as having a pretty short attention span, so keeping things precise, relevant and authentic will have the biggest impact. Visually, video content that is designed to empower, motivate and offers some kind of reward for their actions is best when it comes to inspiring Generation Z.
Millennials
Millennials on the other hand, are far more idealistic about what they want and this has led to them being viewed negatively in recent times. But as the largest generation and the most influential on social media at present, there is a lot more about them than they’re given credit for, especially from a business point of view. Extremely vocal about what they stand for, Millennials respond well when presented with brand advocates and influencers who they can interact with, giving them the opportunity to interact will build a sense of loyalty. Due to this, Linkedin is particularly valuable for those Millennials looking to develop professionally, with over 38% of users falling into this bracket. Ratings and reviews are also highly prized, including these will help to build better relationships with Millennials.
Generation X
Generation X are often cited as the forgotten generation or latch key kids, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The smallest of all the generations covered, but that certainly doesn’t mean they should be left behind. Reportedly, Gen X have the second largest disposable income after Baby Boomers and are at a stage in their life where luxury and comfort take precedent, appealing to this desire as well as indulging their need for nostalgia will be of benefit. Gen X aren’t generally tech savvy having largely grown up without it, so using straightforward, visually engaging content with simple click through links is best. They’re also the most likely generation to share content, always including a call to action will help to increase shares and spread the word.
Baby Boomers
Baby Boomers are a generation that you’re most likely to avoid when devising your social media marketing plan, but with 91% purported to have a social media account and the most spare they approach retirement, this could be a bad move. Boomers tend to favor more content heavy platforms such as Facebook, avoiding the likes of Twitter with just 5% of their active users falling into this category. A generation with a “get on and do it” attitude, they’re vocal about what they believe in much like Millennials and like to make sure their voice is heard, including polls and quizzes in content will appeal to this and allow them to share their opinions. A huge 95% of Boomers will opt for email over instant messenger, so encouraging newsletter signups will help increase interaction and build awareness.
Conclusion
Building a quality fan base for your business on social media can seem like an fruitless and somewhat tiring task, but choosing the right demographic from the start for your marketing campaign is imperative to ensure the biggest impact. Using tips and statistics such as those offered by Citipost Mail, will help you to develop quality content that is engaging and relevant to the right people, ensuring your efforts don’t go to waste.
Community manager at Visual Contenting. Jacqueline loves to talk about social media trends, new technology and how they help businesses accelerate their marketing efforts.
