Success of Digital Marketing Tactics Dependent on Generational Differences

Companies use a wide range of tactics to reach out to their target audiences, but the “AdReaction: Engaging Gen X, Y and Z” report from Kantar and Millward Brown suggests that digital marketing techniques resonate according to generation.

For example, the report revealed that the majority of Gen Z (74 percent), Gen Y (66 percent), and Gen X (55 percent) used mobile devices for at least one hour per day, highlighting a key channel for digital marketers.

All three generations appear to be taking away some value from video advertisements as well. Forty-nine percent of Gen Z and Gen Y respondents stated that they find digital ads “very easy” to understand, and 47 percent of Gen X respondents agreed.

Gen Z, Gen Y, and Gen X also said they used social media sites multiple times per day. The majority of Gen Y respondents (64 percent) and Gen X respondents (54 percent) said they were heavy users of Facebook, while most of Gen Z respondents (66 percent) said they visit YouTube numerous times each day. This data suggests that digital marketers may be able to reach customers through these specific social media outlets.

Using Digital Marketing to Connect with Millennials

Social media marketing has been especially helpful for marketers looking to reach out to B2B customers in the past. A survey conducted by Sacunas in 2016 found that 85 percent of millennial buyers use social media channels to research B2B products and services for their companies. Out of all of the available platforms, 40 percent said that they prefer Facebook.

In terms of other digital marketing channels, 82 percent of millennials said that they consider mobile to be critical in the research process, and 29 percent also stated that they find video content to be important.