Content marketing plot twist - Millennials are taking over search!
Segmenting generations to reach a target audience dates back to the earliest days of advertising. Generation Xers, Baby Boomers and even the so-called “Silent Generation” have all had their day in the sun. But now, many marketers are opening their eyes to the darling new kids on the block, the 18 to 34 age group known as the “Millennials.” These digital natives are single-handedly changing the face of consumer marketing.
The reasoning is simple; they’ve never known a world without the modern-day internet. Technology and social media allow Millennials to immediately interact with brands in entirely different ways than previous generations. It’s no longer an option, but a priority, for you as a B2B marketer to transform the way you market your products and services to reach this audience. That time, is now!!
So, what’s changed? A survey of approximately 3,000 B2B researchers was conducted about their research and purchase habits by Google and Millward Brown Digital. Check it out:
- Nearly half of all B2B researchers are millennials
- 71% of B2B researchers start their research with a generic search
- 57% involved in the B2B buying process are already down the path to a decision before they’ll actually perform an action on your site.
- 42% of researchers use a mobile device during the B2B purchasing process
- 70% of buyers are watching online video throughout their path to purchase
Alright enough statistics, here are 4 quick ways you can capture and cater to these consumers:
1. Reach. As a Millennial myself, I know I am always looking for ways to save time, money and effort. There’s no question that social media and mobile devices easily allow me to save all three. Therefore, as a brand, you need to leverage those platforms, wherever they are, and develop a more cross-channel and cross-device brand presence.
2. Reinforce. Previous generations relied primarily on experts when making a purchasing decision. Millennials, however, tend to trust family, friends, customer reviews, etc. much more. You should continue to reinforce your authentic reputation with the right brand values and personalities.
3. Relate. You're not a robot, so your business shouldn’t operate like one! Try moving from push communications to a two-way open dialogue. Millennials prefer brands that represent their own personal views and values, and they enjoy when a brand shares something similar of interest. Build your brand to what matters most to this market.
4. Referral. lf Millennials have a good experience, there’s a high chance they will share brand preferences with their social networks. As stated earlier, they trust the opinions of outside sources, so cultivating credible sources for referrals will ultimately let this market do your millennial marketing for you.
Creating a marketing strategy to specifically target Millennials is no easy task. Heck, most of who we consider “Millennials” aren’t even on Facebook. How do you find the people who will shape the future of your company? An evaluation of your content marketing efforts begins with an “Inbound marketing” consultation, and it starts today!
