Social media insights from the next generation: Conversations with Centennials yield lessons for bus
While my phone is in my hands most of the time, he never lets go of his. It’s more like a fifth limb.
He also watches vastly more video content than I do—although none of it is “appointment TV.” Alex watches what he wants, when he wants to, via YouTube, Vimeo, Netflix, and Google Chromecast.
Terrestrial radio is even more foreign to him. I can’t remember ever having seen Alex turn on the radio. Like video, he accesses music and other audio content only on demand.
As for print, his experience is limited to seeing a strange old man (that would be me, of course) sitting in the living room, flipping through newspapers and magazines—but that’s pretty much it.
All of this got me thinking about social media. While I consider myself well aware of shifting trends and emerging platforms, my son and his friends are a step ahead of me, and they spend time on different sites and in different ways than me and my contemporaries.
These differences will have implications for businesses as “Centennials” (the generation following the Millennials) grow into adults. So to learn more, I spoke with my son and his friends and connected with other teens via a brief survey. Here’s what I found out (while keeping in mind that these findings are more anecdotal than scientific):
Reports of Facebook’s death seem to be greatly exaggerated. There’s been considerable debate about Facebook’s relevance among teens. If the group of 60-some Centennials I spoke with is any indication, however, there’s no major youth exodus underway.
However, other platforms are gaining ground. Facebook use among the group I spoke with, however, is far from universal. In fact, Facebook is not as commonly-used in this group as YouTube and Instagram and is less likely to be identified as a “favorite” social media platform. This reflects a trend towards diversified use of social media by consumers of all ages. In other words, attempting to reach “everyone” via Facebook alone is no longer effective—and will be less so as the Centennials age.
Visual media appears to be strongly preferred. Again, no surprise here given larger trends, but platforms with video and photo content (like YouTube and Instagram) seem to be the most popular among the youngest social media consumers.
LinkedIn is not on their radar. In 2013, LinkedIn lowered its minimum user age to 14. If the audience I spoke to is any barometer, however, this has been met with a resounding yawn. None of the kids I spoke to is on LinkedIn—and likely won’t be until they have more specific career ambitions.
Interestingly, selfies were cited as a differentiator. When I asked about perceived differences in how this audience uses social media compared to their parents and other adults, they mentioned a predilection for selfies. That likely reflects a behavior that’s more innate with younger users as opposed to something learned by older users—when, that is, we aren’t self-conscious about turning the camera around in the first place.
Many of the things they like and dislike most about social media sound very familiar. What users value about social media seems to transcend age. Simply put, young people are no different in that they want to stay connected to the important people in their lives and share their stories. When it comes to the negative aspects of social media, the kids I spoke with mostly referred to issues with people more than platforms—the same “drama,” it seems, of which we older folks sometimes grow weary.
Social media appears to be much more ingrained in their lives, however. Nevertheless, they did cite some perceived differences in how they use social media compared to older adults. Frequency and comfort level rose to the top. One young person said it especially well: “I use social media constantly while they only check [it] so often.”
They will interact with brands and businesses—but they have their limits. Most Centennials are eager to connect with brands. However, they have some of the same concerns we older adults do, including when businesses “don’t follow back,” post “too much spam,” “post too much,” or take a one-sided approach that ignores the audience’s needs.
What’s the lesson in all this for your business? First, remember that people are people. Whether they are 18 or 81, they gravitate toward—and away from—social media for many of the same reasons. Still, it’s worth noting that social media is likely to become an even more important means of connecting with your future customers and employees, while visual content will continue to have a greater impact. If you have any doubt, just talk to the kids you know—if you can get them away from their smartphones, that is.
