No matter what kind of business you’re in, no matter how big or how small your organization is, identifying social media content by audience type is crucial. Social media plays a strong role in communicating and connecting with customers. Brands have the opportunity to reach their target audience, down to the age, gender, location, etc. It should come to no surprise that each demographic, namely generations, responds to different kinds of content and different styles of communication. Yes, we realize that a person’s birth date isn’t always indicative of their generational characteristics, but as a common group they have some similarities.
Identifying Social Media Content By Audience Type
Baby Boomers (approx. 50-71)
Wondering if social media makes sense for the “rock and roll” music generation? Believe it or not, today’s Baby Boomers are more connected than ever before. They’re rockin’ social media, searching Google and doing it all from their mobile phones. Besides, how else are they going to stay in touch with their kids and grandkids?
Similar to other age groups, Facebook is the most popular site among today’s Boomers but they’re also using LinkedIn and Pinterest, too. Be sure to keep the focus on how your product will help them solve their problems rather than try to hard sell.
Generation X (approx. 35-49)
Sometimes called the MTV Generation, the “X” in their name refers to this generation’s desire not to be defined. They’re more cautious in their spending and less trusting of advertising but they’re attracted to savvy products and honest communications that are visually stimulating.
Make no mistake, despite their small numbers, Gen X has the greatest spending power in the U.S. They’re tech savvy and loyal to brands (which they’ve thoroughly researched BTW), which makes them a remarkably unique consumer base you don’t want to ignore. Be sure your social media messages are clear, straightforward and truthful.
Millennials (approx. 20-35)
According to Pew, Millennials, also called Generation Y, are the largest group on every social network; 87 percent use Facebook and can be found on Twitter to find out what’s trending. Truly dependent on technology, Millennials have a higher median number of Facebook friends than any other demographic.
Millennials are also the most likely demographic to shop online (YOLO, right?); almost sixty percent of them say that the brands they buy online reflect their style and personality. If you want to capture their attention, you’ll need to provide simple solutions to their real-world problems and keep social media messages relevant and genuine.
Generation Z (approx. 13-19)
No one uses social media quite like Generation Z. Although they use Facebook less than the other generations, you can reach them on Instagram, Snapchat and Vine. Considering only 33 percent of Generation Z would like brands to reach out to them by email, lead generation campaigns won’t get you very far. On the other hand, user-generated content (UGC) campaigns make a much better use of this demographic’s talents, which is why Instagram and Vine are a perfect fit.
Also known as the iGeneration, Generation Z may not currently be your target audience… BUT THEY WILL BE. Which means you need to grab their attention now by giving them the tools to learn more about your amazing brand. Offer interesting how-to articles, educational videos and other entertaining content to keep them coming back for more.
Reaching All of the Generations
These four generations do have a couple things in common. The first is straightforward and honest communication. Regardless of their generation, most consumers are savvy enough to see through inflated claims; fancy ads won’t sway any of these groups.
And the second is the need to be heard. If a customer reaches out to a business on social media, they expect a response.
Engage. Engage. Engage.