GENERATIONAL MARKETING FOR SOCIAL MEDIA
The reality of 21st-century marketing is that one size fits all. Still, many different demographics have different social media marketing approaches. Hence, if you want to develop a marketing for social media strategies and marketing strategy that truly engages your target audiences, It’s crucial to recognize the variations between the generations and use strategies tailored to appeal to each.
Generations are divided and categorized by people’s choices and belief systems. For effective marketing, this generational marketing helps to engage the right person at the right time. Marketers consider that there are four popular age-based generational categories.
The Generations:
- Baby Boomers- born between 1946 to 1964
Boomers have excessive value as consumers in the market these days; they spend most of their money on each shopping trip, and as they hit retirement, they are more inclined to spend money on things not included on the shopping list. Surprisingly, this generation spends the most on technology, everything from premium cable to smartphones.
- Born between 1965 and 1976, Generation X
The members of Generation X are pretty busy since they have kids, pay for mortgages and college, and put in a lot of labor. Turns out they are also online. More than 80% of this generation reports that they are on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. They are more connected with technology adoption and use with millennials. They are more likely to be politically loyal throughout their lives.
- Generation Y- born between 1977 to 1995
The largest generation of entrepreneurs are millennials, who started joining the workforce when the economy collapsed. Pop culture and social media are where this generation is most frequently referenced. This generation is the most responsive to online shopping opportunities and recommendations from friends and family and is motivated by shopping needs. This generation decides where to eat based on Instagram pictures and more towards engaging on social media pages.
- Generation Z- born between 1996 to 2010
Generation z sees the world differently, and their view influences their purchasing decision. They expect marketers to provide them with highly personalized experiences to meet their individual needs to grab then capture and hold their interest for at least 8 seconds.
Younger generations will eventually take place as a consumer and advisors on social media. The buying decision of these generations often carries more influence on generational lifestyles and social values. The marketers then decide how to sell their products and services through social media platforms. To market them, one needs much investment. Therefore, after understanding your targeted audience’s marketing to them, the most important thing is knowing how to grab their attention.
All of these generations have one thing in common they all exist on social media; therefore, it’s essential to understand the different ways to market them on this medium.
Marketing to these generations
As we know, every generation has different tastes in marketing. Staring with baby boomers, a study by Citipost found that 91% of Baby Boomers have only one account on the social media platform. Out of which 84% of people are on Facebook. Therefore, baby boomers are primarily in favor of the content-based platform Facebook. They are attracted to this medium and respond quickly when asked to share their opinion or views through this platform. This generation is also very likely to respond to comments and messages of customer service. Through this, marketer finds it easy to gain their trust.
Generation X is most likely attached to the television. They spend most of their time in traditional advertising, i.e., watching TV, listening to the radio, and reading the newspaper. As a digital agency Beeby Clark noted that if you want to sell them a chicken sandwich, first show them a chicken sandwich. They trust more the facts and figures. This generation spends more time on social media than generation Y; social media marketings platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and youtube. They are the most devoted to the brand. They are more towards finding hacks and life-saving tricks and tips. Therefore, to target them, the best way is to approach them through traditional marketing.
Generation Y or Millennials are identified as the most vocal about issues and stand for their rights, as they are born into the world of technology; therefore, they are highly influenced by the reviews they get from others and are not brand loyal as our first generation baby boomers. All digital marketing strategies work for them because they use only marketing for social media to conduct research about them before buying them. Marketers can easily reach them through Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram as they use such platforms daily.
The generation that is more towards social media platforms and in today’s technology is the last generation which is generation Z, because they have been connected to these technologies from the very beginning. Marketers find it easy to attract them through social media and gain their trust quickly. They can create a viral TikTok video in minutes. They spend most of their time on all the major social media platforms. Therefore they only look up for social media to buy any product and to gain honest reviews of those products.
Hence, each marketing strategy is different for every generation. The marketers should attract these generations with the thing they trust the most. In that case, they will be succeeded in developing themselves in today’s market.
