The Millennial Generation and the Web

Let's say you've just been challenged to communicate with an online audience between 16 and 25 years old. You know that this age group uses a number of social networking tools. What you don't know is if you should be using them, too, and if so, how?

When designing for a web audience, the tools are software, but the choices are growing daily. Better understanding the audience and how they use the Internet is an essential first step in determining the proper software design. Communicating with a generation that has grown up connected-a cohort group often referred to as the Millennials, or those born between 1982-2000--adds a significant twist to web-design challenges.

A sub-classification of this group consists of pre-teens between the ages of 7 and 12. They've been labeled Tweens. For them, computers and the Internet are as ubiquitous as running water.

Last fall, people who make their living trying to communicate with Millennials met in New York City's Jacob Javits Convention Center to discuss how this group uses the Internet. Here are a few important facts I gleaned from that conference:

The Millennial generation...

• is more likely to blow off advertising
• expects to be vocal and interact on the Internet
• has an average of 75 friends on MySpace
• has an average of 52 contacts with whom they communicate through instant messaging
• uses cell phones to stay in touch with an average of 38 contacts
• has an average of seven "friends" they've never met
• uses both MySpace and Facebook extensively, and does not see them as distinct platforms. The difference to them is that MySpace is about who you are and Facebook is about what you are doing & what you are up to
• has an expectation of authenticity; they are not tolerant of inauthenticity

Of course, authenticity is an expectation not only among Millennials, but for the entire society. Think about how much information we are bombarded with every day. There is no way we can absorb it all, so most of us have developed advanced filtering systems to help us cope and to sort out what's important to us. One way we filter is by asking a simple question: "Are you for real, and do you get me?"

To think about this a different way, let's examine the retail giant Target, and try to understand why it has become so successful. Target is a big box filled with custom-designed "stuff." As a nation responsible for about 40% of the world's consumption, America loves stuff. Kmart was a big box filled with stuff, too. So why did Target flourish while Kmart failed? The full answer is probably more complex than we can address here, but one primary difference was design. Target hired big-name designers and challenged them to make even toilet brushes look cool. As a consumer of toilet brushes,  why do I care what it looks like as long as it does its job? The answer: I care because I have a personal style, which is a strong part of my self-identity. And there are enough choices in the retail market to allow me to find something that reflects my self-identity.

So how does this all relate back to authenticity, you ask? As a consumer, I feel challenged to sort through the filters and find my own definition of authenticity. I want to find suppliers who really "get me." I might define myself as someone who cares about the environment, and decide to only purchase products that are environmentally friendly. Or maybe I identify myself as someone who is health-conscious, and will only buy organic. In the end, most people will spend more when they feel a connection to that product and/or the supplier of the product.

So let's bring this back to the young Internet user, shall we? If you hope to market to this demographic, you'll need to build an authentic connection with them. Parents especially know what great BS detectors they possess. One way is to understand their stress (friends, school, dating), and validating their intelligence and communicating quickly and clearly will help, too. Web 2.0, with its focus on user-generated content, really fits this audience well because of the straightforward approach and the ability to customize messages. When building a website for the Millennial generation, make sure you consider social networks, and develop a strategy that will work for you. Here are some of the more popular sites: Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter and Second Life, as well as various blogs and podcasts. For the tweens, look into habbo.com, Second Life for younger generations, and Stardoll.com for paper dolls on the web. If you want to keep up with marketing tips for the Y generation, visit ypulse.com. This site offers daily commentary about the Y generation for marketing professionals.

Good luck on your efforts. Let us know how they turn out.