12 Apr Why Content and Design Matters So Much For Millennial Customers

One of the most demanding audiences out there are millennials. They are old enough to have experienced how the world around them works, since they have been born in the 80s and the 90s, yet they are young and hip enough. In fact, not only are they the ones that are following trends, but they are also creating some of their own. According to The Doe, American culture reached its peak in the 1990s, and millions of people are only waking up to that fact now. This is why millennials represent a huge challenge for most marketers because they cannot be easily persuaded by generic marketing tactics, since many have a firm belief that the 90s was the best decade and they miss the trends that predominated back then.

On top of that, they are picky not just when it comes to the quality of the products they decide to purchase, but also the ways in which brands which produce those products interact with them, starting with content and design, and all the way down to their social media presence and website loading times. In fact, research shows that 62% of millennials are more likely to make a purchase if a brand has engaged them on social media. All things considered, they seem like a pretty picky bunch, so why should you cater to them?

Well, regardless of what kind of industry your brand is in, most of your target audience is probably made up of millennials, and since they spend over 600 billion dollars on retail alone, getting their attention might be a crucial component for your success. But, like we’ve said, millennials pay attention to content and design just as much as the product itself, so let’s take a look at why that is, and how you can use that to your advantage.

1. Their Purchases Are Influenced by Blogs and Social Media

The wealth of information about any product online makes rash purchases a pretty rare thing among millennials. Crafty marketing copy and flashy visuals might get their attention for a second, but rest assured they are going to do some research before buying anything from you. You can use that to your advantage by having a blog section on your website, where you will post content that is both helpful and high-quality, which will help you position yourself as an authority in the field. According to Hubspot, millennials are 44% more inclined to trust expert advice than brand advertisements.

They are also more likely to take advice from influencers they follow on social media, which is why influencer marketing is all the rage nowadays. This is especially true when it comes to fashion, beauty, and lifestyle blogs, as well as social media pages. Just as professionals say, there are no shortcuts when it comes to producing superior content, and just like college students get help from professional writers for their assignments, you should have a professional content creator on your staff, or at least a freelance writer, to help you out with your blog.

2. They Trust User-Generated Content

Speaking of content, blogs and social media are not the only types of content which influence millennials to purchase a product or to choose a particular brand. According to research, 84% of millennials are influenced by user-generated content on company websites. In other words, they are more willing to trust other users such as themselves, as opposed to companies and their marketing tactics. This is one of the reasons why websites like Yelp and TripAdvisor are so popular among them, as well. But, even if all the user reviews about your product or service on those websites are nothing short of glowing, you should still make sure to have them on your website, whether you are running a writing service or a restaurant.

Why? Well, because you don’t want your customers leaving your website once they are there. If they leave, they might come across your competitors, and then it’s too late. The same goes for user-generated content on your social media pages. Positive comments, likes, and shares can help with brand awareness, as well as make your business come across as genuine. For instance, if your brand is big on Instagram, you can encourage users to send you their pics using your product, which you will then post on your official profile.

3. They Love Visual and Interactive Content

When it comes to visual content, millennials can’t get enough of it, and are in fact more likely to prefer it over text-based content. On top of that, they are also more likely to share that visual content with their peers. This goes double for video, which is a form that millennials trust the most, and it’s easy to see why, because it provides a more detailed demonstration of products they are interested in, and because it does so in an easily digestible and visually-pleasing manner. However, they do tend to avoid videos which are too salesy.

Millennials also love interactive content, such as quizzes, surveys, and last but not least, interactive infographics. They love brands which make them feel included, as if they are their partners, not just customers. Spending more time creative interactive content, especially on social media, will definitely keep the millennial part of your target audience engaged, and when they are engaged, they are more likely to make a purchase.

4. They Care about Authentic Packaging

Millennials love a product that is functional and beautifully designed in equal measure, which is something that the late Steve Jobs had figured out a long time ago, and why Apple has become such a successful and iconic brand. However, their preference for great design extends beyond the actual product and includes its packaging, as well, which needs to be authentic. In an ideal case, your brand’s packaging should also reflect the values your company stands for. For example, if your company is interested in recycling and promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle, your product packaging should also reflect that through a clean minimalist design and/or use of recycled materials.

Apart from providing an extra level of authenticity, great packaging also serves to increase the value of the product itself. Your millennial audience, while looking for the best deal around, is also interested in purchasing something that feels special, as if it was made specifically for them and their needs. They are more likely to spend money on something that is a total package, no pun intended.

5. They Are Using Mobile Devices

We live in an era of mobile devices, there is no doubt about that. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that Mobile content consumption has reached all time high on WordPress websites, which influenced Google to roll out mobile-first indexing where pages featuring responsive design rank higher. So, this is another reason why design matters to millennials, since they are very likely to own multiple mobile devices. Once they have found your business online, how long do you think it will take them to leave your website in case it’s not responsive and it doesn’t look or load well on their tablet/smartphone?

Apart from investing into mobile ads and making your landing pages responsive, another thing you need to pay attention to is the design of your online store, as well as making sure that the checkout process is as simple as possible. According to research, 40% of millennials between 19 and 33 have made purchases using a mobile device. That trend is only going to get more popular in the future.

6. They Don’t Trust Traditional Advertising

We have mentioned this several times already, but what does it really mean? Well, when it comes to stuff like radio, TV, and magazine ads, as well as digital methods like cold emailing and pop-ups, millennials are pretty skeptical. They feel as if you are trying to force their products on them, and they turn away as a result of that. Being overly salesy and getting in front of them in that manner is not the right way to go. Instead, you should try and get them to come to you. But how?

Well, if you consider the fact that they hang out in Instagram, Twitter, and especially Facebook, you should try and create visual content that feels native to that particular platform, content which feels less like an ad. You can even use memes or puns as part of your marketing campaign in order to capture your audience’s attention and get them to at least chuckle. Or, instead showing an image of your product with your logo plastered all over it, place it in a way that feels more subtle and within a certain context.

Summary

As you can see, while your millennial audience may be more demanding when it comes to content and design, ultimately, all the hard work you have put into attracting them is worth it. As a result, you will end up turning your brand into a business that is not only able to provide a great product or service, but one which can do it in a way that is subtle, genuine, and stylish. What more could you ask for?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Gorman is an experienced college paper writer and a dissertation editing expert working for reputable essay writing service in the UK as well as for Ninja Essays and Edu Birdie. He is a contributing writer for several blogs. He also enjoys cooking and spending time with his family. His two beautiful daughters say that his being one of those professional essay writers helps them a lot during studies. Feel free to contact him via Facebook or check his Twitter.