Smell that? It’s not teen spirit — it’s avocado toast.
You’ve probably heard all of the stereotypes around the term, “Millennials.” Children of the internet, this generation has impacted and influenced modern marketing, products and culture. Media has caricatured them for at least two decades — but what are they really like?
Millennials are generally between 26 and 41 years old, and have unique characteristics that set them apart from other generations.
Defining Millennial Characteristics
Millennials were born and brought up to the sound of dial-up, email and instant messaging. Growing up with unprecedented access to information has shaped Millennials into who they are, how they consume technology and products, and how they pursue power, pleasure and influence.
First things first: Millennials are tech-savvy consumers, and live for viral internet moments (still). Marketers targeting this generation, with its increasing spending power, need to prioritize digital marketing.
Millennials are also rather chatty. They love sharing opinions about products and services — they’re the quintessential live journalists and online reviewers. They feel empowered when they perceive their voices as being heard. They also consume a majority of their media online, and while they don’t watch as much video as Generation Z, they’re a close second, and spend more time on YouTube than they do reading lengthy posts. The written word isn’t dead for Millennials, just digitized.
In fact, Millennials do an awful lot of reading. Generation X was the “You’ve Got Mail” generation, but Millennials read and communicate more frequently through social media platforms. That said, their messaging is more visual than that of previous generations — more “emoji generation” than email. They prefer to share videos, images and memes in lieu of text to get the point across. Because of their love for community building through link sharing and meme-generating, Millennials also make great brand influencers, and help their favorite brands with “earned” media marketing.
What Motivates Millennials?
Even as Millennials are always connected and dialed in, they’re also always on the go — natural explorers of virtual and veritable frontiers. They’re also experimental, and love trying out new products and restaurants, traveling, and sharing their lives on social media. The following are things that motivate this generation:
Travel
Millennials love adventurous travel when compared to the older baby boomers, who prefer pre-planned vacation packages and organized fun. If you check out travel blogs and online communities, Millennials make up the most significant part of the followers and conversation starters. Businesses in the travel industry must connect with this influential generation as part of their omnichannel marketing strategy, as good word-of-mouth from these compulsive sharers and reviewers is a valuable asset.
Thinking about Health & Getting Older
Millennials aren’t even close to being the oldest generation of active consumers, but as they approach 40, continued quality of life becomes ever more important. People in this age bracket think about their health, and staying in their best shape as they age out of their 20s and 30s. What we’ve learned about marketing and selling health and wellness-related products to this health-conscious segment is a blog in itself.
Investing in Higher-Quality Products
Many Millennials exhibit good, thoughtful financial habits that include saving, and receiving good value in exchange for the money they spend. A Millennial would likely buy a pricier, higher-quality product that lasts several years instead of a cheaper, disposable alternative that will break down and need replacement in a comparatively short time.
Marketing to Millennials
Every omnichannel marketing strategy needs to include specialized elements tailored to connecting with Millennials, a powerful and influential driver of markets and industries of all kinds. Like baby boomers, members of Generation X and Gen Zers, Millennials require communication on their level, and to their expectations.
Online Reviews
Millennials often read reviews from other customers before deciding to buy a product. Campaigns that build brand loyalty and encourage happy customers to leave positive reviews and feedback can create organic connections among members of the Millennial generation.
Search Engines
Millennials might be the first truly digital generation, but that doesn’t mean they’re willing to click through two or three pages of search results in order to find exactly what they’re looking for. If connecting with Millennials as potential customers is part of your marketing strategy, you absolutely need to keep your website’s search engine optimization (SEO) in top shape, and show up on that first page of results. Create engaging product descriptions, service pages, and blog posts that rank at the top of search engine findings.
Personality & Humor
Incorporate humor into your marketing campaigns by using funny videos, images, animations, and memes. Millennials adore humor and playful content, and will often be attracted to a brand with a strong, unique or quirky personality. They’re also always the first to share a funny video with friends and family.
Learn More about What Millennials Want
Do you want more in-depth research on how to engage Millennials?
This is just the tip of the iceberg!
We’ve published a full study of the motivations behind what make Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers+ make a purchase.