A moving target
Editor's note: Lauren Paul is a blog writer with Denver research firm GutCheck.
From their hard-to-predict voting behavior to their questionable-at-best survival skills, the power of Millennials to take center stage and influence the world cannot be ignored. So we decided to take a closer look at this desirable target audience, compiling all the consumer insights and implications from our company’s recent research to observe the trends. Below are the highlights from what we learned about Millennials and what it means for the future of not only marketing research but product innovation, product development and marketing at large.
Millennials want straightforward social media that connects and informs them
In an exploratory study of what features matter most to both Millennials and teenagers (aka, Gen Z) when it comes to social media platforms, we discovered that both groups have replaced other media and communications tools with social media for the convenience and personalization they offer. This is because the primary drivers for social media use were stated by both groups to be connectivity and information consumption, allowing for access to news, celebrities and other influencers, and generally feeling connected to the outside world. But while Millennials were comfortable with more universal connectivity, teens desired more options for compartmentalizing their social groups within apps. Millennials were instead more focused on the need for convenience, expressing a desire for simple, straightforward apps which they don’t have to spend time learning.
“I like to use social media to connect with others and learn new things. Social media helps me stay current with things going on in the world and see how other people view the world.”
– 29-year-old male, Ohio
Millennials use social media on the go, in between other activities and during downtime, so apps should be designed for short bursts of activity, with flexible content experiences conducive to both multitasking and in-depth consumption (like Apple’s News app). But even in small doses, Millennials had a much more mixed relationship with social media, as they are pretty wary of the social and emotional implications of spending too much time on such apps.
They don’t appreciate ads and glitches in their apps
Our discoveries about social media got us wondering: What keeps an app on Millennials’ and teens’ phones for the long run? Pokémon Go proved that it’s still possible to immediately capitalize on technological innovation and established appeal but its swift decline means that it takes more than hype to maintain users’ interests. Not surprisingly, the apps that earn a lasting place in the lives of Millennials are those that are easy to use, continually relevant and make their lives easier. The universality of Facebook and the organization of Pinterest were highly celebrated, as was the presence of interactive, user-supplied content, keeping the apps engaging and topical. Millennials also repeatedly expressed a desire for more apps that would help increase productivity and streamline daily activities, such as better planning apps or ones connected to other devices they use every day – without having to buy and learn a whole new operating system.
“I guess I’m kind of a forgetful person, so an app to turn up my air conditioning or down the heat, or turn off the lights, fans, TV, etc., would be very helpful in my daily life.”
– 34-year-old female, iPhone user, frequent in-app purchases
But the crucial factors when it comes to loving an app are the presentation of ads and the efficacy of the app. Apps that are complicated, have technical bugs and crashes or use too many of their phone’s resources are often targeted for deletion. And even though intrusive ads annoy Millennials, very few would pay to remove them, opting to just delete the app entirely. Ads that do not interfere with app function, or those linked to in-app rewards, were much better-tolerated than pop-ups, so apps looking to monetize digital behavior should be careful not to frustrate their users.
Basically, they’re usually the tech experts in the family
As our exploration of Millennial attitudes and habits with regards to social media and apps already revealed, Millennials are no strangers to technology. Not quite at the same level of digital native as their teenage counterparts, Millennials were still born into a time of pervasive, if not rapidly accelerating technological innovation. They are tech-savvy to say the least and maintain an open and adaptable approach to their swiftly changing personal and professional technologies. In fact, many Millennials believe themselves to be sort of tech “consultants” to their parents and elders, if not always by choice. Their knowledge is more often assumed than it is demonstrated or earned but Millennials find they are usually competent enough to resolve the issue at hand.
But the responsibilities of being the resident tech expert don’t end with minor troubleshooting and the inevitable restart. Millennials are often called upon to define and/or explain slang, memes and hashtags that confound older or less-familiar Internet users. And since trends in tech and the Web are often correlated with what is considered cool, we asked Millennials what they think is cool nowadays and found that most of them reject such forms of categorization, preferring variety without labels or stereotypes. They insist that cool is doing what you want to do without rubbing anyone’s face in it. Tolerance and freedom of expression are persistent themes for Millennials and brands looking to connect with them would do well to keep this in mind when developing shopper and product marketing strategies.
Millennials want freshness they can see at quick-service restaurants
With Americans spending more on dining out than they do on groceries, it’s no surprise that teens and Millennials are frequenting quick-service restaurants (QSRs) more than ever. In order to help QSRs capitalize on this trend, we sought to better understand current impressions and behaviors surrounding their business, as well as what conveys quality to their young customers. Turns out that taste, location and price drive most Millennials in their QSR choice, prioritizing cravings and freshness over overtly healthy options. Since it ranked so highly, we further investigated Millennial and Gen Z perceptions of freshness, revealing that in-view prep and ingredients that resemble what’s found in nature are what connote freshness.
“I associate fresh ingredients with food not previously made. Like a burger made with that bright red beef instead of a grey frozen patty. They slice the tomatoes, lettuce and pickles themselves and then assemble the burger.”
– 25-year-old male, Lawrenceville, Ga.
Millennials were also sensitive to messaging that helps contribute to perceptions of freshness, including terms like “crisp” and “just picked,” and they were particularly appreciative of a clean, friendly atmosphere. Advertisements and in-restaurant signage that reinforce this ambiance with bright colors and natural produce could help keep freshness top-of-mind, as well as align this impression with the QSR brand. It’s a fine line QSRs have to tread between speed and quality but making freshness visible to consumers will help QSRs, including chains, go far with Millennials.
They’re looking for a secure, convenient experience from banks
Digital banking is already a part of consumers’ lives, with many relying on such services to track day-to-day account activity, read statements and manage payments. But banks looking to expand into more advanced digital services, like mortgages and wealth management, must consider how they would be received by customers that span multiple generations. And when we asked both Millennials (ages 21-34) and non-Millennials (ages 35-55) if they’d be open to conducting these more-involved banking processes online, Millennials were receptive but concerned. Some were enthusiastic about the prospect, eager to perform any and all non-cash transactions digitally. At the same time, for many respondents, fraud and potential for security breaches were their main barriers to adoption, though many also lamented the personalized assistance and advice that digital banking lacks.
But overall, the convenience and accessibility of digital banking is enough to interest Millennials in more advanced services, citing the pushy sales techniques and long waits of in-person banking as particularly frustrating. They just want more customer service and data security. Many insisted that live help would be necessary for any advanced digital banking solution, as respondents were very wary of performing more complicated, often confusing banking functions on their own. A few respondents suggested that up-front policies on the part of banks concerning procedures put in place to handle compromised accounts could help make customers feel more confident banking digitally.
Give you the advantage
Though they often get a bad rap among marketers, Millennials aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Benchmarking your perceptions and taking note of consumer trends will help give you the advantage necessary to understand this ever-evolving segment.