As a business, it’s one thing to know who your target audience is - but it's another thing to understand where your audience is, and what type of content they choose to engage with in the social media landscape.
In this article we will take a look at how you can get the most out of your social media advertising based on your audience's date of birth.
This generation are the ones who have never known life without the internet or social media. They grew up with smartphones in their hands, and 24/7 access to any and all forms of the latest internet crazes and trends. They're the most ethnically diverse and the largest cohort of the population. They’re the least likely group to purchase directly from an advert, and would much rather have products recommended to them by influencers. They enjoy short form content such as TikTok videos, and tend only to stream their favourite TV shows rather than watch traditional television.
Over half of Gen Z consumers are on TikTok, and they use it every day. They could have chosen any of the social media networks, but they chose TikTok - why?
Well firstly, it’s a video first platform, and Gen Z are the most likely to watch video content on social media.
Secondly, it’s funny and it’s feel-good. This generation grew up through recessions, pandemics, climate change and wars - a serious take on current affairs is absolutely not what they want to see. They want to view funny videos and memes.
So, keep it lighthearted, and keep it short (they have the lowest online attention span of all the generations, sitting at around 8 seconds).
TikTok has a For You Page (FYP), which provides tailored fresh content based on your previous likes/engagements and interactions. The more you use the app, the more personalised and relevant the FYP becomes. So whatever you create, make it relevant.
As mentioned a little earlier on, this generation are the least likely to make purchases recommended by an advert. So the best way to communicate with them is through the medium of an influencer and their platform. TikTok has the highest rate of influencer engagement of any platform, and it’s not hard to see why. This generation won’t tolerate a highly edited/filtered instagram image of an influencer trying to sell them makeup. They want to see an unfiltered video of the influencer using that makeup, or they’re out.
Millennials were the first generation to grow up through the internet age. They are the early adopters, highly educated, they are closely linked politically with Gen Z’ers, and are often grouped into the ‘snowflake’ category. They are the ‘always-on’ generation. They were brought up checking emails from home, and embrace all new technologies with ease. They love to share content, and especially love video - YouTube stats show that 50% of its viewers are millennials.
Millennials are the most likely of any of the generations to purchase after seeing an Ad. This doesn't mean they’re easy targets however, you still need to create the right kind of content first. It needs to be relatable, helpful and start a conversation, and always involve video (and if not video, make it a meme)
Millennials place much more trust in brands and branded content than the other generations. An influencer strategy helps support this, an influencer on a platform like YouTube, even better.
This bunch has frequently changing preferences. Whilst Facebook, Twitter and Instagram still lead the way, there’s been a shift (Since COVID)) over to TikTok for a bit of lighthearted entertainment. So don’t write off platforms based on what you think you know - 39% of millennials use TikTok!
Gen X tend to be high earners with stable careers. They’re tech savvy, but are less likely to embrace new forms of social media. They grew up during a period of social changes. They’re the generation who formed companies such as Apple and Google, and were the first generation to use mobile phones. These are the parents of millennials, and the most likely generation to have gone through a divorce. Their chosen social media consumption is videos, and they prefer watching vlogs, news, DIY tutorials and informational content on YouTube.
Gen X love Facebook, but they use it mainly to connect with friends and family. They’re not as likely to purchase from an advert as millennials, but are less likely to be advised from an influencer. They’ll be using YouTube to find informative content, such as DIY and ‘How-To’ videos; it is wise to target them on these platforms - but don’t expect them to buy straightaway, they do much more research before committing to a purchase.
This is the generation most likely to actively seek, and use discounts. They are a loyal set of customers, so once you’ve got them, treat them kindly - offering rewards for spending, and loyalty discounts will ensure continued and repeat custom.
Baby Boomers were predominantly forced online by the Covid pandemic. They were driven to use social media to communicate with friends and family, and the lockdown of stores encouraged them to make purchases online that they would usually have done in person. They’ve got a lot of disposable income, and tend to buy household items/make smaller purchases online, more often than the other generations. They’ve usually got families to buy for (kids/grandkids) and do a lot of research online. They also account for the biggest % of online tablet purchases of any generation.
They’re similar to Gen X in terms of using Facebook for socialising and keeping in touch with friends and family. They’re also 58% more likely to click through to a brand's website from a social post than millennials! They also love to share content, so make sure your content is aesthetically pleasing! They’re also the most likely to read longer articles - so make sure you deploy relevant and considered SEO practices.
This generation loves long form video, so make sure you have a strong YouTube strategy in place, anything like how-to/fact videos are extremely popular. 1 in 3 boomers said they use YouTube to learn more about a product or service.
Keep in mind it’s vital in order to maximise your business’ social media output, any content produced must be tailored in accordance with generational trends and preferences. Each generation must be treated as a unique target audience, with differing (and often rapidly fluctuating) needs and interests when it comes to the online content they are willing to consume. For example video content is a shared interest of all generations, however the duration of optimised content differs widely for each category. Gen Z prefers much shorter clips than Boomers, who are far more likely to engage with long form video content. Something as seemingly innocuous as content duration can make a massive difference in customer purchase conversion numbers.
A bespoke social media strategy must be cultivated and deployed to achieve customer conversions for your business throughout the generational spectrum. At Statuo we’re experts in crafting such strategies, we know the power and relevance of social media as a platform for your business, and how to maximise this vast resource.
For information regarding any of our expert digital marketing services get in touch here!
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