Introduction

According to a Visual Capitalist report, close to 30% of the world's population falls under the age group of 20–39 years. Additionally, another 33% of the population belongs to the age group of individuals under 20 years of age. Together, these two age groups constitute over 60% of the world's population. These two age groups consist of millennials and Gen Z, as they are popularly known in the corporate world. Marketing to these younger generations requires unique marketing tactics and strategies compared to the rest of the generations over 40 years of age. As senior marketing professionals, you need to understand this generational gap to effectively leverage your marketing strategy and make the most of your resources. In this article, we will discuss the need, challenges, and tactics to be utilised in marketing to younger generations.

Why is it important to target younger generations in your marketing campaign?

As I mentioned earlier, younger populations form a considerable portion of the end-user segment. Younger generations, such as Millennials and Gen Z, make up a significant portion of the population and are a significant consumer demographic. They have key decision-making power over the buying patterns of families and individuals. The large market share of the younger population makes it a lucrative demographic to target and convert into buying customers. Younger generations are digital natives and are comfortable with technology. In a highly technology-dependent world, this is an attractive trait. Digital marketers can easily target younger generations for their early adaptive behaviours in the face of new technologies. Younger customers learn new technologies quickly, making it easier for digital marketing professionals to scale into those unexplored channels, technologies, and platforms quickly.

They are likely to spend a significant amount of time online and are an important demographic to reach through digital marketing efforts. There is also an important reason to target the younger population. Younger generations will continue to be consumers as they grow older, and if you establish a connection with them early on, they are more likely to be loyal to brands. Building brand loyalty pays off in the long term. As the younger generations are technologically savvy, if brands use technology in innovative ways, they can attract their engagement and brand loyalty early on. Your brand's technological prowess helps you stand out from the competition while targeting this demographic. Needless to say, younger generations have a significant influence on their peers and families, playing an important role in your brand's word-of-mouth marketing.

What are the challenges you should expect when marketing to younger generations?

Though a lucrative demographic for digital marketing campaigns, you should expect several challenges in making your campaign a success while marketing to this market. Here are some major challenges:

1. Shifting consumer behaviour in the young population

Younger individuals are more digitally savvy and seek different paths in terms of experiences or possessions, making it important for brands to understand and adapt to these changing behaviours. The mindset and buying patterns of younger generations are largely influenced by social media, peers, and what's trending currently in the youth sphere. The instant popularity of fidget spinners in the past couple of years is a testimony to this. They started as just another gadget in the hands of children and teenagers but quickly became popular across all age groups, especially among youths (Source: Digital Uncovered). Understanding the logic or mindset behind such trends can lead to changing consumer behaviour and its significance for the younger generation's demographic.

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2. Dropping attention spans of young individuals means hard work for marketing professionals

A report from Colormatrics in the early 2000s showed that millennials' attention span was as low as 12 seconds. However, for Generation Z, the number fell even lower at 8 seconds! This proves that the younger generations have shorter and shorter attention spans and are constantly bombarded with information, making it harder to capture and hold their attention. This makes brand engagement a challenge, even though technology has made it easier to reach the desired audience.

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3. Their scepticism about advertising is a challenge to overcome

Younger generations are often sceptical of traditional advertising and marketing and may not respond to traditional marketing tactics like traditional advertising without digital marketing backup; even labelling them under generational groups can backfire. According to Forbes, formal language, overselling, and a disconnect from their mindset in marketing campaigns are all ineffective.

4. Privacy concerns of young persons can haunt your campaigns

Younger generations are generally more concerned about their privacy, making it more challenging for brands to collect data and target them effectively. As they are digital natives and well aware of online frauds, data thefts, and shady tactics, it is hard for digital marketers to reach them without a transparent data security policy. While websites are mandated by law to show a cookie policy banner for first-time visitors and let the user choose their cookie preferences, this is followed mostly by European and American websites only. Meanwhile, the massive data leakages from reputed companies, banks, social media sites, and online databases have put concern for privacy in the minds of younger generations.

5. Social media influence is high on younger persons

Younger generations are heavily influenced by social media, making it important for brands to have a strong presence on relevant platforms. They check a brand's social media profiles, read the reviews and comments, and decide the brand's worth based on the quality of the content and scale of engagement. This can be a problem for brands that neither understand the social media expectations of the generation nor invest in market research to understand what type of content they want or how to build an effective social media presence. Such brand or digital marketing campaigns ought to fail because of the lack of knowledge about the younger generation's obsession with social media and its importance in their lives.

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6. Their brand loyalty is hard to understand

Younger generations' brand loyalty is more complex, which is harder to understand by digital marketers compared to that of older generations. It makes it more difficult for brands to build long-term relationships with them. As younger individuals are open to new ideas and solutions, they are more likely to take risks in their buying patterns. Predicting this pattern is a major challenge for digital marketing professionals.

How to market to a younger generation

1. Embrace digital along with your traditional marketing campaigns

Younger generations are digital natives and are comfortable with technology. Digital marketing is essential for reaching this demographic. This includes having a strong online presence through social media platforms, influencer marketing, and other digital channels. Brands should be able to connect with their target audience through the channels they are already using. Using the right content through the right channels must be the number one priority of marketing professionals. Keeping tabs on the popularity of social media platforms and experimenting with them early will make you a leading brand among your generation. Creating high-quality content that young individuals can relate to is the key to a successful digital marketing campaign. Even if you use traditional marketing techniques, adding digital marketing to the mix will only increase your campaign's effectiveness.

2. Be authentic in your brand voice

Younger generations are wary of brands that are not authentic. To connect with this demographic, it is crucial to be transparent and genuine in all marketing efforts. Brands should focus on building real relationships with their target audience and avoid manipulative marketing tactics. Customers nowadays can easily tell real reviews from fake or sponsored ones. Having such unauthentic reviews or influencers for your brand can damage your online reputation. Always remember the power of word-of-mouth, which can quickly spread like wildfire in the digital world, especially among younger generations.

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3. Focus on experiences in your advertisements

Younger generations value experiences over material goods. To connect with this demographic, brands should offer unique and memorable experiences that align with their target audience's values and interests. This can include events, workshops, or even virtual experiences. Even in the case of product images, traditional white-background photographs of your product lose their charm against a vibrant photograph that highlights the experience with your product. For example, a white-background mockup of a t-shirt is dwarfed in effectiveness by a photo of the same t-shirt worn by an influencer doing some activity. Brands can use the same strategy for all their products or services and become a hot favourite for younger individuals.

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4. Collaborate with influencers

Younger generations trust individual influencers' recommendations. They are more likely to be influenced by these influencers than celebrity endorsements, as they perceive these as fabricated or fake. Brands should partner with relevant influencers to reach their target audience. This can include sponsored posts, product reviews, or even collaborations on events or projects. Targeting a younger audience through influencers with relatively few followers yields a better ROI as the fanbase tends to be more loyal and engaged than that of influencers with a large follower base.

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5. Emphasise social responsibility

Younger generations are more conscious of social and environmental issues. Brands that take a stance on these issues and show their commitment to making a positive impact are more likely to connect with this demographic. Standing up for issues like climate change, extremism, violence, poverty, and exploitation catches the eyes of individuals of the younger generation. Brands that take active participation in the fight against social injustices are perceived as morally superior entities and garner more followers and consumers in the demographic.

6. Mobile optimisation will boost your results

Younger generations are heavy mobile users and expect a seamless mobile experience. Make sure your website and all marketing materials are optimised for mobile devices. For younger generations, mobile phones have become a central hub for their daily activities, from social media to shopping and entertainment. Research has shown that people aged 18–34 are more likely to use their smartphones for shopping than any other age group. This means that companies that are not optimised for mobile risk missing out on a significant portion of their target market. Mobile optimisation involves ensuring that a website or app is easily accessible and functional on mobile devices, with a user-friendly interface, quick load times, and easy navigation.

When companies optimise their mobile presence, they are making it easier for younger generations to engage with their brand on the go. A seamless mobile experience will also increase the likelihood of positive word-of-mouth and repeat purchases. Moreover, younger generations are more likely to trust brands that they can easily access and interact with via their mobile devices. A well-designed mobile experience can build brand loyalty and credibility with younger consumers, increasing the chances of long-term customer relationships. In addition, mobile optimisation can also improve search engine rankings and make it easier for consumers to discover a brand.

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7. Personalisation helps

Younger generations appreciate a personalised experience. Use data and technology to personalise your marketing efforts, such as targeted advertisements and customised email campaigns. Personalisation refers to the tailoring of marketing messages and experiences to the individual preferences and behaviours of each customer. With the rise of digital technologies, companies now have access to vast amounts of data on their customers, making it possible to deliver highly personalised experiences. Personalisation can help companies build trust and credibility with younger generations by showing that they understand and value their unique needs and preferences. Personalisation can also increase engagement and drive conversions. By delivering relevant and tailored experiences to each customer, companies can increase the likelihood of capturing their attention and generating a positive response. Personalised experiences can also increase the chances of repeat purchases and long-term customer relationships.

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Conclusion

Marketing, especially to younger generations, doubtless has several benefits. The demographic has a large pool of potential customers who can become loyal consumers if marketing is done right. There are several challenges in marketing to the younger population as opposed to the older generation. However, with the right knowledge, tools, and understanding, marketing professionals can successfully run marketing campaigns targeting this generation. Using digital marketing, influencers, social media, and mobile optimisation increases the trust of young customers. Having a strong brand identity with tailored content on the internet attracts more young customers to your brand. Having social responsibility and utilising personalisation options in digital marketing and content marketing campaigns will make sure that your message reaches and engages the target demographic.

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