Does Your Brand Speak the Millennial Language Online?

Communication and thought patterns are two characteristics that place millennials in a world of their own. Born between the 1980s and 1990s, the generation Y kids easily stand out in the society.  

Marketers can’t afford to turn a blind eye to the peculiarities of millennials if they want to be successful in selling to them.

According to an Accenture Study, the millennial population in the US is over 80 million with a spending power of about $600 billion every year.

Simply having the best product doesn’t cut it. A lot of thoughts go into what’s said to them and how it’s said. Communicating in a certain pattern, the tech-savvy generation hearkens to brands that speak their language.

Here are four ways your brand can speak the millennial language online:

1.      Define your voice

A good brand has a distinctive voice – one that’s articulate and consistent. This is important to be recognizable especially in a saturated market. Imagine someone speaking in different tones. Not only is it difficult to understand what they are saying, they also constitute nuisance. That’s what happens when brands don’t have a consistent voice. If you can’t communicate effectively, millennials would rather listen to something else or not listen to anything at all.

Some options at your disposal in creating a definite brand tone include casual, conversational, serious and authoritative. In making a selection, you need to understand the psychographics of your audience. Millennials are young. Not just in age, but also at heart. Naturally, a less-serious voice appeals to them. This is different from the conventional formal tone brands are expected to have in communicating with their audiences. When those audiences are millennials, being casual and conversational will get their attention. Interacting with friends and loved ones is something they find enjoyable. They like to have that friendly tone in brand communications as well.

2. Tell relatable stories

Millennials love stories. A good story evokes all kinds of positive emotions. They want to hear stories that mirror their experiences and thought patterns.

But it isn’t all about the entertainment.

A good brand story mirrors your company’s goal, vision and mission. Reading these out to them, regularly, will make you sound like a broken record.

Don’t forget to include your company’s core values in your stories. Millennials like to identify with a good cause. By communicating your values across to them in your digital marketing, you give them insights about your company beyond your money-making goal, and into your substance.

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3. Pull not push

Riding on the coattails of technology, millennials are arguably the most informed generation. This knowing isn’t necessarily by their biological wiring, but access to information. They don’t need to look too far to learn about things. With their phones constantly in their hands, they type away on search engines.

Unlike the generations before them who would judge a marketing campaign solely by its presentation, the digital natives take it upon themselves to verify claims made.

Your hard-selling techniques will yield little or no results. Constantly throwing your mid-roll video or pop-up web ads in their face isn’t going to make them buy what you are selling. They’ll be seen as intrusive to the good time they are having online.

Rather than tell them to “buy this,” give them reasons why they should buy it by showcasing its value. An organic marketing approach is the way to go. Curious and adventurous, they like to do things at their own will. Entice them with your offers, and let them come forward on their own.

4. Display humor

Everyone loves a good laugh; millennials love it even more. There isn’t a particular time or place for humor. The more often it is, the better. Sounding all serious and uptight could make you come across as boring – the one thing they loathe. Life isn’t that serious, at least to them. Millennials believe that there’s a little bit of humor in the most serious situations. The onus is on you to find it.

Cease every opportunity you get to thrown in a joke. Be witty. Imagine you are chatting with friends over drinks. Time flies because you are enjoying the conversation.

Conclusion

The millennial language isn’t hard to figure out. It’s very similar to the language we speak in our comfort zones. Brands often miss the mark when they try to go by the books to be prim and proper. Engaging the services of professional digital marketers erases such pitfalls.

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