Nowadays, social media is indispensable in our daily lives. So. Have we had that cliche again? But on which channel can you reach your target group and what behavior do they display? The ‘What’s happening online’ research by Ruigrok NetPanel gives us more insight into the various target groups on social media.
Digitieners:
Digitieners are young people between 14 and 20 years old, who were born in the digital world. They know no better than being able to swipe, like an app, and live all day with their mobile phones (except when they are asleep;-)). This target group mainly shares visual content, which is why the social media channels Instagram and Snapchat are still completely hot. Via Instagram, they mainly look for inspiration and prefer to view posts about clothing, lifestyle, and beauty. While Snapchat is used more for 1-on-1 communication with peers. However, as marketers, we should not stick to these social media channels too quickly. Young people can quickly give new digital trends a place in their lives and have therefore left when older generations join these young channels …
Millennials:
Millennials are between 22 and 36 years old and this is perhaps the most talked about generation. This generation is active on different devices and knows better than anyone how to shop and bank online. No time to get groceries? Then they simply order this online or have food delivered. The Millennials follow the example of the Digitieners and communicate more and more visually. This can be seen in the sharp increase on Instagram (+ 36%) and Snapchat (+ 23%). Facebook is being used less and less by this target group because more and more advertisements are being shown instead of messages from their friends. Does it no longer make sense to advertise as a marketer on Facebook? Although Millennials are not a fan of advertisements, 57% say they find no problem as long as brands are authentic.
Generation X:
(37 – 56 years old) called Generation X is a bit more practical and does not have to lead the way when it comes to social media. It is striking that the use of Facebook among this target group has actually increased (+ 5%), while the younger target groups are increasingly distancing themselves from this channel. Yet there are also smaller differences between the younger generations. Generation X is in fact making a real catch-up with regard to the use of the internet on different devices and they can find their way in ordering food and products better and better. What do they find interesting on social media? Travel, nature, and food and drink are topics that Generation X monitors. Nevertheless, they sometimes decide to be offline for a while and can easily lay down their smartphone next to them than Millennials and Digitieners.
Baby Boomers:
The older generation of Baby Boomers (57 – 72 years old) are increasingly active online and nowadays use a smartphone or tablet in addition to a laptop. They are also active on social media, and their app and they regularly view the news overview on Facebook. Here they prefer to look at posts about nature and travel. Or just watch the news on YouTube, it is increasingly becoming the most normal thing in the world. Nevertheless, the Baby Boomers remain in favor of personal contact and would rather see their friends and family in real life than online.
Conclusion?
Many of my suspicions about the online use of these target groups have been confirmed and I can therefore call myself a real Millennial. Do you want to reach the younger generations? Then stay up-to-date on the latest online trends and follow the Digitieners. Or do you want to focus on the older generation? Make sure you gain their trust and do not completely exclude traditional media because sometimes they also like to be offline.