Survey: Social media key to reaching millennials
A new study by Wakefield-based SDL confirms what many likely could have guessed: If you want to appeal to millennials, you need to be using social media.
According to the study, which surveyed 300 college-educated, full time-employed adults between the ages of 18 and 36, millennials check their smartphones 45 times a day and are 56 percent more likely to find brand content on social networks than through a search engine or traditional email.
The survey results were part of the first of a five-part series by SDL, a web content management, analytics and campaign management firm, called “Five Truths for Future Marketers.” The first report, “Campaigns are Extinct,” examines the need for marketers to look beyond traditional marketing campaigns when appealing to millennials.
The study found that millennials “orchestrate their own brand experiences across multiple channels and devices — often as many as four devices in one day,” with email being the least effective approach for marketing to them.
According to SDL, five out of six millennials connect with companies on social media sites, with most content found on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. More than half of those surveyed (60 percent) said they connect with companies online to get discounts, while 55 percent do so for free perks.
However, growing a relationship with the customer isn’t always about deals and sales. The survey found that 60 percent of millennials said they like receiving contact from the company that’s unrelated to selling a product, such as a holiday or birthday card.
When it comes to knowing what the customers want, two out of three surveyed said they have little to no confidence that companies can market to them effectively. However, 54 percent said they’re willing to give companies more information if it means a better experience.
“There is an important transformation taking place in the minds of the current and next wave of consumers regarding how they choose to interact with brands,” said Paige O’Neill, CMO of SDL. “The traditional marketing funnel is now irrelevant, making traditional campaigns extinct. Brands must break through millennials’ personal junk filter with relevant, valuable and non-promotional interactions, for a longer-term view of building brand advocacy.”
Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
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