Exploring the Media Consumption Habits and Attitudes Towards Ads Among Young Adults.
By Delphin Varghese
How young adults consume media has drastically changed over the past few years, making ad targeting extra challenging for this particular age group. The consumption varied from individual to individual depending upon the end goal. For instance, some use it primarily for entertainment, whereas others use it for practical purposes, to build a community, or fulfill their emotional needs. The needs vary, and so does the pattern of consumption.
A Deloitte report suggests that younger generations are more inclined towards immersive and interactive social experiences. The youth consumer cohort is a complex segment that needs to be addressed and engaged strategically.
Digital Media and Video Streaming: The Future of Advertising to Young Adults
Whitepaper data indicates that digital mediums are the predominant choices of the urban youth in comparison to traditional media. According to Business Insider, digital media encompasses websites and apps (63%), social media (55%), streaming video (53%) and streaming music (49%). Consumers aged between 25-34 are more likely to resort to ‘streaming video’ alongside the intent to consume live and non-live TV. This will consequently boost the demand for streaming services, which will likely register exponential growth in consumption in the coming years.
According to VentureBeat news, video streaming services (613 million) outperform traditional cable connections (556 million) in terms of the number of subscribers. As media becomes more fragmented every year, crafting a strategy that helps brand custodians to leverage the young adult segment becomes increasingly essential.
Premium Ad Rates and Social Media: Engaging Young Adults
Given that young adults have a more excellent lifetime value, marketers are driven to invest in premium ad rates to tap into this segment. Social media is undeniably one of the most sought-after platforms among young adults. Brands leverage social media to foster awareness, grow communities and boost brand loyalty. Influencer marketing is paramount to scaling any brand, maximising reach by tapping into consumer segments at different levels of the buying funnel, building credibility, and establishing long-term win-win partnerships.
Steering clear generic ad statements might be a good idea when looking to grab the attention of young adults. Consumers are bombarded with ads all day, whether commercials on OTTs, ads in the middle of podcasts, scrolling through social media or browsing the net. Thinking “out of the box” is a must to engage millennials and boost brand recall.
Interactive and Engaging Content: Crucial for Attracting Young Adults
Apart from this, it is also crucial for brands to ensure that the content on their website and social handles, like Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, etc., are interactive and engaging. Your product/service is not always sufficient to attract the young adult segment to your website. Giving human connection to your brand is of utmost importance. Once your consumers can relate to your content, they will eventually grow to love your brand and try out the products/services you offer. Social media platforms are great in helping you interact with your target audience and foster personalisation with your brand. Besides this, your offering should also solve a particular problem that makes their lives easier.
Millennials research a product before purchasing it; thus, customer reviews are the backbone of your marketing strategy. Authentic customer reviews and positive feedback attached to your site are quintessential in helping you acquire quality potential consumers.
Mission Beyond Sales: Effective Advertising for Gen Z and Millennials
Crafting a mission that extends beyond sales is imperative to garner millennials’ attention and build a loyal customer base. A report by the consumer research firm, Bulbshare reveals that Gen Z (born between 1997-2013) detest traditional advertising alongside sharing an affinity for ad blockers and advocacy. This report suggests that 99% of consumers in this generational cohort will opt to “skip” an ad, and approximately 63% rely on ad blockers to circumvent online adverts. Furthermore, findings from the report also suggest that nearly 74% of consumers feel bombarded with advertisements. Thus, brands targeting the Gen Z age and millennial consumer segment should narrow their focus towards unconventional messaging and ‘disruptive’ advertising, which is difficult to ignore.
Key Takeaways
Young adults’ media consumption has changed, making ad targeting challenging. They prefer immersive and interactive social experiences, with digital media being popular. Brands should create engaging content, rely on customer reviews, and adopt unconventional messaging to target young adults effectively.
(About the Author: Delphin Varghese, co-founder and Chief Business Officer at Adcounty Media)
Views are personal.
(Copy Right – India CSR Network)
