Generation Y's view on Social Media

Generation Y is unlike any other generation today. They like information at their fingertips, having cutting-edge technology, and do not like to be advertised to. Being a Gen Y'er myself, I am going to discuss what I have observed about the effectiveness of social media for this generation.

Social media allows us to connect with friends, relatives, co-workers, and even famous people or large corporations. People are exposed to over 3,000 ads per DAY! One may wonder how so many advertisements to an already saturated generation can be effective. Social media is the answer! But, it must be done right. I first viewed social media advertising on Facebook. Personally, I find these ads to be ineffective because they are not flashy and are not a topic of interest for people logging into Facebook. However, giving people the option to interact with a company, star, professional, etc. is a whole other realm of niche advertising. 

I think the emergence of Twitter was the perfect outlet for this need. Twitter has allowed Generation Y to view what stars and companies are doing in real-time, all the time. When someone admires a favorite music artist they are able to see artist updates, interact and engage with them. Engagement is one of the most important aspects of marketing, as it relates to the AIDA model. The ability to comment or re-tweet their message allows Gen Y further interaction than ever before, social media ENGAGED! The same goes for a person communicating with a business. Companies can disseminate information regarding new products, services, events, community involvement, etc. so consumers can easily see what they are doing. 

Traditional media outlets do not capture Gen Y much anymore, so there is little chance we would reference back to newspapers, magazines and even some television for the latest and greatest information. The internet transmits this same information quicker and more efficiently. Radio has been replaced by iPods and radio advertisements by satellite radio. The emergence of TiVo, On Demand, and other television services provide consumers with shows or movies, uninterrupted by advertisements.

It is clear that social media is how to engage Gen Y. With the development of the iPhone and other smart devices, Gen Y can be completely hooked up to their social media sites 24/7. Personally, I have an iPhone with applications for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and You Tube. This allows me to view messages from all of these outlets, even when I am not at a computer. I find it very valuable to get information when and where I want it. I do not have the time to listen to news broadcasts or read newspapers, so getting a simple message from Twitter linking me to the web site, or  seeing a Facebook update from a company lets me know the news is there if I want it.

So what am I suggesting? It is critical for all companies, stars, professionals, etc. to be deeply involved in social media if they want to capture Generation Y's interest... and keep it. Our age group wants to interact with you, but in a way that fits our needs. Don't assume we will be reading a particular magazines or watching a particular show anymore because there are many other ways we get this information now, social media in particular. Contacting us through social media outlets in a timely manner with quick tid-bits of important information is a highly effective and interesting way to get us engaged.