Millennials are often saddled with outdated stereotypes from their early years on social, which doesn’t give marketers an accurate picture of who they are today. They aren’t college kids taking duck-face selfies. Most are navigating early adulthood and the excitement and uncertainty that comes with it, including job milestones, parenthood and eldercare.
Seventy-two percent state that social is an essential part of their lives, the highest of all age groups. When identifying the most common ways Millennials use social media, our survey also found that:
- 61% use social to communicate with family, friends and acquaintances
- 51% use social to kill time
- 47% use social to learn about new trends
- 43% use social to get breaking news
And while their schedules are getting busier, Millennials aren’t shying away from new platforms. In fact, they’re Threads power users. Nearly half (42%) are using Meta Threads daily and 36% are using the platform weekly.
What Millennials expects from brands on social media
To make an impact with Millennials, you’ll need more than just meme templates and trending audios. Similar to their Gen Z counterparts, Millennials appreciate brands that prioritize customer responsiveness. However, they place a higher value on brands creating original content rather than direct engagement.
If the idea of cranking out more content is making you break into a sweat, don’t panic. Instead, explore ways to build online communities related to your product or service. It’s a win-win—your fans find support and connection, while your brand gains a constant source of highly relevant content ideas.
Millennials are navigating their careers, family life and future in unique ways compared to previous generations. Businesses can actively contribute to these significant life moments by establishing online communities where fans can connect with each other and with your brand.
How your business can reach more Millennial consumers on social
There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy to creating a social media community. However, there are a few essential steps to ensuring its success.
Start by identifying the purpose behind your community. Conversations specific to your product or service will get stale after a while, so zoom out. Align your brand with high-level topics that encourage long-term discussions.
Social listening tools like Sprout can help identify broader topics of interest that relate to your brand. Analyze conversations happening with your fans, competitors and industry overall. Once you’ve identified some common threads, use that information to inform a community-specific content plan that promotes ongoing engagement.
Millennial marketing example break down: Instant Brands
Instant Brands is home to an iconic portfolio of brands including Pyrex, Corelle and of course, Instant Pot. They also manage a thriving community of over three million fans—the Instant Pot Facebook Group.
The page is home to countless archived and active discussions on all things Instant Pot. Users can find new recipes, innovative product use cases, advice and more. Discussions take place daily, providing Instant Pot fans with an endless stream of authentic, engaging content.
These conversations create real connections that keep Millennial audiences bonded with the Instant Pot brand. It elevates the humble appliance beyond the kitchen cabinet, into the hearts and minds of the families that use it.
