The golden rule in any type of marketing is to know your audience. With social media, though, how do you know which platform to use and what content appeals to different generations and their different sets of values and expectations?
First, let’s take a look at the different generations you’re probably marketing to:
Millenials (also known as Generation Y) are Americans born between 1980 and the mid-2000s. They are the largest generation in the US, representing ½ of the total US population (Source: Whitehouse.gov)
Generation X is the generation born after the post-World War II baby boom with birthdates ranging from 1960s to the early 1980s
Baby Boomers are the people born during the post-World War II baby boom, with birthdates between the years 1946 and 1964.
Generation Z are those after the Millenial Generations, with birthdates ranging from the lates 1990s to present day.
Social Media Today posted a great infographic on how different generations consumer content online. Let’s break it down.
WHEN TO POST
In social media marketing, you have to understand when generations are consuming content based on when they’re awake, busy, or likely browsing the web or checking their phone/social networks. Most generations consume content in the late evening, some time after dinner and before bed. Consider posting content during this time to reach the largest audience. If you’re looking to target baby boomers, consider posting content earlier in the morning as well.
WHERE TO POST
If you’re targeting Millenials or Generation Z, go mobile. According to a recent survey by Social Media Today, 200 million Facebook users view the site strictly on their mobile device, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of those people are under the age of 18. To be effective in this space, consider running mobile-only promotions. Generation Z is likely using social network other than Facebook and Twitter, so use other social networks like Instagram and Snapchat to post content and host contests.
Millenials and Generation Z are also into multitasking They’re likely on their computer, phone, and watching TV at the same time. Launch campaigns across various networks to target them effectively.
Here are the social platforms each generation uses most often to share content:
WHAT TO POST
It seems blog articles are the most consumed content across all generations. If your company doesn’t have a blog, it’s probably something you should consider implementing as a part of your marketing strategy. Check out this article on why blogging matters for your business.
Images and videos are also the most shared visual content and video is becoming an increasingly popular marketing tool.
