As the primary era raised on-line, millennials set the stage for digital commerce as we all know it at present. And whereas they may not be as flush with money because the child boomers or as stylish as Gen Z, they’ve quietly grown up, began households, and brought over the workforce…
… Somebody ought to most likely examine on them.
However entrepreneurs who’ve saved their finger on the millennial pulse know they’re alive and properly. And because the world’s first era of social media influencers, manufacturers can faucet right into a seasoned group of content material creators who’ve spent years nurturing engaged communities which are prepared to purchase.
What defines a millennial?
Most agree {that a} millennial have to be born between 1981 and 1996, however the precise age vary barely varies.
What do millennials worth?
With some of their mid-20s and others coming into their 40s, millennials signify one of the vital various generations on the subject of pursuits, priorities, and financial standing. That stated, there are a number of values that they almost all share.
Transparency
Millennials wish to hear from actual individuals with actual opinions, not establishments pushing a story. In terms of advertising and marketing, millennials favor to take recommendation from somebody who truly makes use of the product and believes in its advantages. However manufacturers that use these techniques ought to be upfront about them in order to not appear misleading.
“The millennial client thinks about transparency and credibility as extra top-of-mind model values than others. Some millennial shoppers care about formal authority sources, however many are skeptical as they’re conscious that some manufacturers pay for these formal authority sources.”
Sturdy, long-lasting merchandise
Consumers worldwide are starting to prioritize buying longer-lasting merchandise, and millennials are main the cost. In consequence, 63% of millennial shoppers say they bought a well-made, luxurious merchandise in 2021 in comparison with 46% of Gen X and 18% of child boomers.
Sustainability
Millennials pay extra consideration to sustainability than every other era. Roughly 50% of millennials say sustainable practices are a should, adopted by Gen Z at 38%. This creates an fascinating alternative for retail manufacturers to experiment with resale—an business anticipated to double between 2022 and 2025.

Comfort
Regardless of a rising emphasis on sustainability, millennials nonetheless crave comfort. Roughly 67% say they’d pay at the least $10 for same-day supply, whereas 81% declare an unacceptable supply expertise would have an effect on their choice to order from an organization sooner or later.
Customized procuring
Opposite to in style perception, many individuals truly don’t thoughts sharing their information with corporations—particularly millennials. The youthful generations are way more doubtless to surrender their information than their older counterparts if it means an organization could have a greater likelihood of anticipating their wants.
Why ought to manufacturers care about millennials?
The biggest era
Millennials lately overtook child boomers for the most important share of the U.S. inhabitants.
Right here’s the breakdown:
- Millennials – 73.2 million
- Child boomers – 70.4 million
- Gen Z – 67.8 million
- Gen X – 65.2 million
- Gen A (youngest) – 36.7 million
- The silent era (oldest) – 21.7 million
A dominant workforce
Not solely are there extra millennials within the U.S. than ever earlier than, however there are additionally extra within the workforce than ever earlier than. Researchers predict that by 2025, millennials will make up 75% of all working adults.
Most time spent on-line
Millennials spend extra time on-line (7.5 hours per day) than every other era and buy a mean of 15 merchandise from the web yearly. Moreover, most millennials (77%) say they spend time researching merchandise on-line.
Essentially the most various era
Immediately, greater than 44% of millennials determine as a minority. This implies markers have an opportunity to market to a wide range of individuals with completely different backgrounds and experiences. It additionally means manufacturers ought to invite as many various voices and views as potential into the strategic means of their advertising and marketing campaigns.
A mixture of in-store and on-line procuring
Millennials are the most balanced era on the subject of procuring preferences. A latest survey revealed that 38% of millennials nonetheless favor to buy in-store, 32% would moderately store on-line, and 30% need a mixture. This provides entrepreneurs loads of choices when deciding the easiest way to achieve them.
Millennial on-line tendencies to be careful for
Social video over streaming video
Social video isn’t near difficult streaming companies for viewers but, however that would quickly change. In accordance with Deloitte’s March 2022 Digital Media Traits survey, 60% of millennials spend extra time with user-generated video than streaming companies—greater than every other era. Gen Z is subsequent at 47%, adopted by Gen X at 45%.
Fb exodus
Fb utilization is declining throughout the board. The truth is, the one group seeing significant development on the platform is seniors, who count on to add about 1 million new customers by the tip of the yr.
Alternatively, specialists predict about 1 million Fb customers between the ages of 24 and 35 will go away the platform by the tip of 2022. And people who keep gained’t be almost as lively as they had been prior to now.
Pinterest love
Roughly 70% of millennials say they use social media as a supply for product info, and Pinterest has capitalized in addition to anybody. The platform lately rolled out a number of new social commerce options, together with augmented actuality and an in-app checkout device.
Purchase-now-pay-later (BNPL) choices
Because the demand for larger ticket gadgets rises, many millennials have turned to buy-now-pay-later fashions. Knowledge exhibits that roughly 30% of digital patrons will use BNPL as a fee technique, with roughly one-third of these patrons being millennials.
Much less time on social media total
Millennials are the most probably to say they’ve began spending much less time utilizing social media. As they work to reduce their scrolling, digital entrepreneurs should prioritize fast conversions to capitalize on a demographic attempting to chop again on display time.
The right way to market to millennials
Promote extra than simply your merchandise
Millennials wish to see extra than simply the most recent and biggest product. In addition they wish to hear about your model and what makes it particular.
As such, corporations ought to take the time to share their model story and the story of their staff. Doing so will create a human factor with which millennials can join, resulting in extra long-term relationships.
Provide an expertise
Have you ever ever tried to purchase a present for that one that “doesn’t want any extra stuff?” Effectively, think about that particular person a millennial.
As sustainability turns into extra in style, manufacturers ought to think about promoting an “expertise” moderately than a product. For instance, an out of doors firm would possibly primarily deal with promoting its clients the thought of returning to nature and having time with buddies. In the meantime, the secondary focus may be providing the merchandise that allow them to take action.
Stand for one thing
A latest research discovered shoppers are 4 to 6 instances extra more likely to buy, shield, and champion purpose-driven corporations. Because the taboo round corporations changing into “too political” begins to fade, manufacturers can (and may) make their voices heard about the place they stand on sure social points.
Implement a mixture of social media channels
In accordance with a report from GWI, millennials often use about 9 completely different social media channels. Though Instagram and TikTok lead the cost for social commerce, entrepreneurs ought to increase their attain to trending platforms like LinkedIn and Pinterest to diversify their advertising and marketing combine.
Create video content material
Nothing conjures up purchases for millennials on social media like video content material. With out bodily holding one thing, video is by far the easiest way to study a product and uncover its capabilities. Reside video is a bonus as a result of it provides viewers an opportunity to ask questions in real-time.
How millennials view influencer advertising and marketing
Millennials usually aren’t followers of adverts—until they arrive from their favourite content material creators. The truth is, almost 60% say they’re high-quality with seeing ads from influencers they belief on the subject of product suggestions.
General, millennials’ attitudes towards influencers are overwhelmingly optimistic. Roughly 53% say influencers often expose them to new and fascinating merchandise, whereas 40% say influencers make them extra doubtless to purchase a product. Simply 14% of millennials say they don’t work together with influencers in any respect.
5 millennial influencers to encourage your influencer advertising and marketing efforts
1. Kathryn Kellogg
Kathryn Kellogg is the founding father of Going Zero Waste—a way of life web site that teaches individuals to reside a more healthy and extra sustainable way of life. She can also be the Nationwide Geographic spokesperson for plastic-free residing, the chief sustainability officer at One Motion, and the writer of 101 Methods to Go Zero Waste—a ebook that breaks sustainable residing down into a straightforward, step-by-step course of.
You may get extra way of life and sustainability ideas from Kathryn on Fb, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.
2. Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
Dr. Kendi is a historian and main antiracist scholar. He’s a Nationwide E-book Award-winning and New York Occasions bestselling writer, a contributor to The Atlantic, and a CBS Information racial justice contributor.
Dr. Kendi teaches his followers nurture a extra inclusive atmosphere for all. He believes that the journey begins from delivery and has written a number of youngsters’s books to assist information the youthful era, in addition to parenting books like The right way to Increase an Antiracist.
Yow will discover extra from Dr. Kendi on Fb and Twitter.
3. Momma Cusses
@mommacusses No such factor as badwords. Solely unhealthy intentions. #mommacusses #momlife #intentionalparenting #responsiveparenting #tiktoktaughtme #tiktokpartner ♬ authentic sound – Gwenna Laithland
Gwenna Laithland, higher recognized on-line as “Momma Cusses,” began her channel in 2020 in hopes of normalizing what she calls “trendy motherhood” and constructing an area the place mothers can join and really feel like part of a neighborhood.
Gwenna retains her content material gentle and humorous with a touch of training. However as a self-proclaimed parenting “unexpert,” she reminds her followers, “there isn’t any such factor as parenting specialists—simply individuals with good concepts that will or could not be just right for you.
You too can discover Momma Cusses on Twitter and Instagram.
4. CinnamonToastKen
CinnamonToastKen’s content material is as healthful as it’s hilarious. The dad, gamer, millennial influencer, and good-natured goofball first began posting movies to YouTube in 2011 and has been creating content material ever since. If you happen to’re into memes, life hacks, video video games, dad jokes, or all the above, Ken’s channel is the place for you.
You may get extra of Ken’s antics on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
5. Jameela Jamil
As an actress, Jameela Jamil is understood for her work on the hit comedy sequence The Good Place. However she’s simply as well-known among the many activism neighborhood for her work to create a protected and radically inclusive house on social media.
Jameela’s I Weigh neighborhood introduces followers to new voices, artists, activists, and actions to create an area the place individuals will help change the world collectively.
Yow will discover extra from Jameela and the I Weigh neighborhood on TikTok, YouTube, and the I Weigh podcast.
Conclusion: Pay shut consideration to how and the place millennials store to capitalize on at present’s most various demographic.
Millennials, because it seems, are doing simply high-quality. And partnering with millennial influencers and content material creators who can converse to their distinctive values and experiences pays dividends when attempting to achieve at present’s largest and most related demographic.