Mobile to Millennials

While mobile devices are used by a wide demographic that’s not bound by age cohorts, mobile tends to matter a slight bit more to millennials and influences their online behaviour quite considerably.

Millennials spend quite a good number of hours poring over media content on their phones. Not that they don’t use desktops but that mobile gets more attention for the obvious reason that it is on their person most of the day and next to them the rest of the time. Secondly, a high percentage of people use it to research before buying or simply use it to kill time, wait for someone, entertain themselves… And belonging to a generation that grew up with technology they expect that all things mobile be easy and advanced with maximum cross-channel viability.

When they are spending anywhere between one and five hours on this little device, it throws the light on how much you could be missing out on when you aren’t targeting them through this medium. If your audience is the 18-25 clientele, mobile outreach becomes a necessity. If you aren’t utilising this conduit, chances are you aren’t reaching your millennial bracket at all.

The stats present a contradictory combination – many don’t want to receive promotions on their mobile devices but 1 out of 3 shop online as opposed to visiting retailers; many don’t want to share their location or other personal details, however, they want to know about deals from the local area. This conundrum actually reflects their needs – offers and information that are beneficial along with the option to opt out of campaigns, as opposed to spam, gratuitous phone calls and intrusion.

Basically what they want from a mobile campaign is the good and relevant things that cater to their needs, not yours. Millennials have (with some reluctant trust and resignation) understood that without some give and take – for instance, their location for you to geo-target – they might be able to hang on to their personal info but will lose out on personalised assistance from you. And there begins the changed definitions for privacy.

With them taking a step towards you, you need to match their pace.

• It is imperative that you cut out your campaigns and decisions keeping them in mind.
• Use their personal data to serve them better – demarcate the demographics, understand their wants, and build campaigns around that. Don’t try and use that data to push things that repel them.
• Offer the app experience everywhere possible. Like during the billing and payment sections.
• Offer customer service options like SMS or via Facebook rather than e-mail or telephone.

This is the bracket of people who want you the most. Surely you must feel the need to cater to them as a priority!