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Amol Ghemud Published: August 14, 2018
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If you ask any millennial what life was like before Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram and they probably will struggle to tell you exactly. Indeed, social media, blogging, and digital content consumption have become very common amongst the population as a whole, but perhaps most markedly, within the millennial population.
Marketing to millennials can be tricky business
The goal of any marketing strategy is to connect through thoughtful content which is usually directed using segmentation and targeting strategy. Online marketing is on the cusp of a major transition. Merely pushing content out on the internet is no longer productive, rather, quality is preferred over the quantity of content.
Teenagers and young adults respond positively to funny, inspirational, and thought-provoking content far more than direct or traditional advertising tactics. On the heels of these preferences has developed “in-feed advertising” in which ads are made to look like any other post within a user’s Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feed. Inbound marketing in 2018 to target millennials is gaining importance.
Besides knowing what to say to millennials, it’s important to know what devices they are using to access the internet and to optimize your marketing campaign according to that data. An Entrepreneur article stated:
“Brand marketers would be wise not to underestimate the importance of being in the right place at the right time with the right message to reach millennials. If your company is heavily targeting the group — like Converse or Red Bull — you already know that millennials are everywhere online today and they’re accessing and interacting with your corporate brand from countless devices.”
Want to use inbound marketing to boost your marketing efforts?
THE BROAD RANGE OF MILLENNIALS
But who are millennials in reality? They are about a twenty-year age range. In 2018, a Millennial could be anything from an 18-year-old college going boy still living with their parents, to a home-owning family man in their mid-30s. So inbound marketing in 2018 to target millennials must be cater to the above mentioned age group.
Many people feel it’s too broad – as there’s a huge amount of diversity among Millennials.
Millennials want to feel connected with the brands and involved with them when it comes to their purchase decisions, and traditional marketing does not encourage this moreover it’s a one-way traffic. Outbound marketing methods, like magazine ads, television ads and radio spots, do not impress Millennials. Seldom do they even subscribe to such magazines and emailers. Making of the best ads for millennials will not yield fruitful results.
For the young consumer, these campaigns are impersonal and company-focused, filled with logos and void of any real substance. This generation demands more customer-driven, personalized marketing efforts from the companies.
Here comes the role of inbound marketing. We need to understand one thing, millennials and brand loyalty do not intersect so easily. Brands that appeal to millennials are usually present on technology driven platforms and companies that target millennials need to be present there.
WHAT IS INBOUND MARKETING?
Inbound marketing is a marketing concept where marketers attempt to “pull” in potential customers with interesting content. Also called content marketing, it involves creating blog posts, social media, infographics, white papers, email newsletters, and other content that people actually want to read. Search engine optimization, paid discovery, and paid search help people find marketers’ content.
If it’s engaging enough, they interact with it, reading and sharing, and come away with a positive impression of the brand that influences later purchasing decisions.
Inbound marketing is very hands-off and indirect: there’s never a noticeable sales pitch. Inbound marketing nudges customers down the sales funnel by increasing their engagement with the brand. Here’s an illustration of how it works.
Inbound is designed to bring potential customers to your startup who are actively in the market. It’s about getting found when they’re looking, rather than forcing your message on people who may or may not be interested.
WHAT MAKES INBOUND THE BEST IN 2018?
One of the biggest strengths of inbound marketing is that it is focused on providing value to your prospects. It’s educational and often non-promotional.
Since inbound marketing aligns with the buyer’s psyche, it builds a relationship between your prospects and your brand. This also attracts prospects to your brand at the right time, as opposed to interrupting them at a time when they are NOT in the market for what you offer.
For this reason, buyers prefer inbound marketing over outbound marketing. Instead of being annoying, it helps them.
Generally speaking, inbound marketing requires a higher upfront investment and brings slower results for the first several months. However, those initial stages are necessary to build your digital marketing assets, increase your presence online, and rank higher in search engines.The other major strength of inbound marketing is the long-term ROI.
Over time, the value of those assets increases at a higher rate than they cost to maintain or improve. Digital assets like blog posts and premium offers can continue to generate leads years after they were originally created without costing an additional penny.
SO, WHAT ROLE DO MILLENNIALS PLAY IN INBOUND MARKETING?
Let’s think for a second about who in this world has the most digital fluency. Generally speaking, the answer is Millennials. With a little over 95 million people strong in USA alone, this generation can’t be overlooked. The number are far higher in India with a strong consumer base of 400 million millennials constituting one third population of India.
This staggering number increases even further if we consider the upcoming Generation Z summing it to total of 800 million plus.
Young adults practically live on their phones. They are obsessively browsing social media for hours and hours of the day. They favor inbound marketing because, naturally, they can relate and understand how it works. The current generation almost always goes straight to Google for answers to their questions. This means that there is constant subjection to digital media and the Internet.
Inbound marketing often comes into play during the Millennial buying process.
Millennials are thrifty and economical with their money, so rather than seeing an advertisement and running out to buy a product, they often prefer to research the web to determine the pros and cons of buying the product or service.
People don’t want to be interrupted with obnoxious ads while doing their morning scroll through. They would rather determine on their own time whether or not they are ready to make a purchase decision. People want to feel a personal connection during their purchase process. They seek to find great reviews and referrals.
They are not interested in the interruptive ad sent to their phone. In fact, they are probably more annoyed with it than anything.
Something else to consider is hiring Millennials to work with you as you practice inbound marketing. Millennials seem to grasp the concept much easier and are able to provide a unique perspective. A Millennial can easily identify with specific target audiences and is able to curate and brainstorm organic content and campaigns that would successfully illustrate a client’s product or service.
They can easily create relatable content, which means everything in the world of marketing.
1) Live by your MissionTAILOR STRATEGIES AND TACTICS ACCORDING TO MILLENIALS
One great way to appeal to millennials is to articulate your vision and your mission to elicit an emotional response to your brand or message. Millennials want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, so your marketing strategy should clearly show why you do what you do and why they should be a part of the cause as a consumer.
Ask the question in your company
what do millennials look for in brands?
2) New Social Networks – Add and Reap
As soon as a new social network or platform becomes popular with millennials, it’s important to quickly add it to your marketing strategy. This positions you as an early adopter of the network, while enabling you to target the millennial audience before a network or platform starts to get crowded. Stay on top of new platforms via tech or media blogs, and don’t hesitate to experiment when you join a new site.
3) Great Content Matters
Millennials are not into traditional advertisements. Instead of focusing marketing spend on ads, it’s great to focus on writing valuable content. Content that is informational and actionable is the key.
If you provide millennials with information that can help them, they are more likely to think positively about your brand. Outsource your efforts to a digital marketing agency, they can deliver great results with engaging content.
4) Value Offered is Value Created
Millennials, just like other generations, are always looking for value; they’re not always trying to get the best for less. They want to know that they’re part of an exclusive club and will readily support an underdog. Digital marketing agencies can create value for the millennials and in turn drive sales and results for your company.
5) Make It Good and Make It Easy
Capturing the hearts of the millennials is of prime importance. This means you need to connect with the millennials to drive meaningful sales from them.
Addition a social-impact element as part of the marketing initiatives can help this happen. Millennials gravitate towards companies that are doing good and want to get involved in their favorite brand’s “giving back” efforts. Also, make sure that “good” action is streamlined and easy!
6) Honesty in Content Drives Results
Millennials will find the money to buy something of value, but they don’t respond well to sales gimmicks or free offers. Investing in content and community building are important, but the company must also be vocal about the same. Company should seek millennials who are also remote consultants or company owners to know that most of the revenue goes to making our product better.
7) Focus on Convenience
Having grown up with on-demand entertainment, millennials crave convenience in any new product offerings. The success of companies such as Uber, Dropbox, and Airbnb have largely been built around convenience and ease of use, as opposed to breakthrough technologies.
8) Bring Key Influencers into Your Community
It’s not enough to just create a conversation around your brand. With millennials, you need to find the people they consider influential in your niche and specifically get them involved in the conversation. These influencers can tap their own networks and draw in more online participation, which is key for marketing to millennials because they want to be part of the creation process.
9) Empower Personal Expression
Millennials have always been known for valuing uniqueness and individuality. They want to be different from the masses. Embrace the trend of co-creation by giving users the option to customize their product and by giving them a sense of control over their experience.
10) Go Mobile First
If you aren’t thinking mobile first to reach millennials, you won’t be successful. This group is spending more time on their mobile devices than any other platform and are making their decisions utilizing their mobile devices.
11) Incorporate Video
Younger demographics gravitate more toward online videos than any other medium, and adding video opens up new SEO routes as an added bonus.
Want to use inbound marketing to boost your marketing efforts?
CONCLUSION
Millennials are wired to want authentic, content-driven, personalized, and above all HONEST experiences with the brands they interact with. Understanding this, and working it into your marketing, will be key to converting Gen Y customers and turning them into fans of your brand.
Understand that, and you should have success creating inbound campaigns and advertising to Millennials.
For Curious Minds
Inbound marketing succeeds with millennials by replacing intrusive sales pitches with valuable, engaging content that customers actively seek out. This 'pull' method builds trust because it is permissive and user-centric, directly contrasting with the company-focused, one-way communication of traditional outbound tactics. The strategy centers on creating content that aligns with millennial preferences for funny, inspirational, or thought-provoking material. This creates a positive brand association that influences purchasing decisions over time. You can implement this by:
Creating blog posts that solve a problem or answer a question.
Developing social media campaigns that entertain or inspire, rather than just sell.
Publishing white papers or infographics that establish your brand as a knowledgeable resource.
This approach nudges customers down the sales funnel by increasing engagement organically, making them feel connected to the brand. Mastering this indirect method is crucial for any company hoping to build lasting relationships with this discerning demographic, a topic the article explores in greater detail.
A single, unified message fails because the life stages, priorities, and digital habits within the millennial cohort are vastly different. Effective inbound marketing requires segmenting this audience based on psychographics and needs rather than just their birth year, allowing for more personalized and relevant content. A brand targeting this group must recognize that a message for a college student is irrelevant to a new parent. To address this diversity, you must create distinct content streams, such as targeted email newsletters, social media posts, and blog topics that speak to different segments. For example, a financial services company might create content about student loan management for younger millennials while offering mortgage advice to the older segment. This tailored approach demonstrates that your brand understands their specific challenges, which is essential for building the connection and loyalty this generation demands. The full article provides more context on why this nuanced segmentation is non-negotiable.
Inbound marketing's 'pull' dynamic is fundamentally more effective because it aligns with millennial media consumption habits and their aversion to being sold to. Unlike outbound's 'push' methods, which interrupt and are often ignored, inbound marketing provides value upfront, attracting an audience that is already interested. Millennials want to feel connected with and involved with brands, which traditional one-way advertising prevents. The key difference is the value exchange: a magazine ad takes attention without offering anything back, whereas a helpful blog post or an inspiring Instagram story gives the user something tangible. Inbound strategies foster loyalty by being customer-driven, hands-off, and present on the technology platforms where millennials spend their time. This builds a positive impression that influences later decisions, turning a passive audience into engaged followers. Deeper insights into this strategic shift are available in the complete analysis.
Brands like Converse and Red Bull excel by creating content that reflects a lifestyle and a set of values, rather than just promoting a product. Their success stems from producing funny, inspirational, and thought-provoking content that feels native to social media feeds, a strategy known as 'in-feed advertising'. This content resonates because it is not an interruption; it is part of the user's desired experience. They achieve this by:
Focusing on storytelling and user-generated content that makes the consumer the hero.
Sponsoring events and creating content around themes like extreme sports or music, aligning the brand with millennial passions.
Prioritizing high-quality, visually driven posts on platforms like Instagram that entertain rather than explicitly sell.
This approach avoids the impersonal, company-focused feel of traditional ads, which millennials often perceive as lacking substance. By integrating seamlessly into the user's feed, these brands foster a genuine connection and build a loyal community. Exploring these examples further can reveal a blueprint for your own content.
The statement from the Entrepreneur article is direct evidence that a mobile-first approach is non-negotiable for reaching millennials. This demographic primarily uses smartphones to consume digital content, from social media feeds to blogs and videos, making device optimization essential for campaign success. An inbound marketing strategy that is not optimized for mobile is effectively invisible to a huge portion of its target audience. For instance, a non-responsive website, slow-loading blog pages, or poorly formatted emails will lead to immediate disengagement and a negative brand perception. To succeed, your marketing efforts must ensure a seamless experience across all devices, recognizing that the right message at the right time is only effective if it is delivered on the right screen. Failing to adapt to these multi-device behaviors means missing the primary channel through which millennials interact with the digital world. The full article elaborates on how to build a technically sound, mobile-first strategy.
To successfully pivot to an inbound strategy for millennials, a consumer brand should focus on understanding its audience and creating value-driven content. This transition moves away from disruptive ads and toward building a genuine connection where your audience seeks you out. A practical three-step plan includes:
Define Your Niche Audience and Platforms: Instead of targeting all millennials, identify a specific sub-segment. Research where they spend their time online, whether it is Instagram, YouTube, or specific blogs, and concentrate your efforts there.
Develop a Content Calendar Based on Value: Brainstorm topics that are funny, inspirational, or educational for your niche. Plan a mix of blog posts, social media updates, and infographics that solve problems or entertain, rather than just showcase products.
Engage and Analyze: Deploy the content and actively engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages. Use analytics to track what resonates and refine your strategy based on performance data, focusing on engagement metrics over simple impressions.
This structured approach ensures your efforts are targeted, consistent, and adaptable, forming the foundation of a successful inbound program. This topic is explored with more actionable advice in the complete guide.
Traditional marketing often fails to build loyalty with millennials because it is impersonal, company-focused, and intrusive, creating a one-way dialogue that this generation rejects. Millennials crave a connection and a sense of involvement with brands, which outbound methods like TV commercials and magazine ads simply cannot provide. The core problem is a misalignment of values; traditional ads are built on interruption, while millennials value authenticity and permission. An inbound approach solves this by:
Fostering Connection: By creating useful or entertaining content, you start a relationship based on mutual interest, not a sales pitch.
Encouraging Involvement: Social media content, blogs, and newsletters invite interaction, making customers feel heard and part of a community.
Demonstrating Authenticity: Consistent, high-quality content shows you understand your audience's needs, building the trust that is foundational to loyalty.
By shifting from selling to helping and engaging, you create positive brand impressions that are far more likely to translate into lasting loyalty. Understanding this dynamic is key to winning over this challenging but valuable consumer group.
Brands that continue to prioritize outbound marketing face a future of diminishing returns and eroding market share among younger consumers. The long-term implication is a growing disconnect, as their impersonal, 'one-way traffic' messaging will be increasingly tuned out by a generation that values dialogue and personalization. Over the next decade, these brands will likely be perceived as outdated and out of touch. Their inability to foster a genuine connection will make them vulnerable to more agile competitors who use inbound marketing to build communities and brand advocates. As millennials' purchasing power grows, their preference for authentic, content-driven brands will reshape the market, rewarding companies that invest in relationships over interruptions. Adapting your strategy now is not just about growth; it is about survival in a changing consumer landscape. The full article discusses how to future-proof your marketing approach.
A B2C company can transition from broadcast ads to a content funnel by mapping its content to the customer journey and focusing on providing value at each stage. This 'hands-off' approach guides millennials without overt selling by building trust and demonstrating expertise. The key is to align content formats with the user's intent as they move closer to a purchase. A simple but effective funnel would include:
Top of Funnel (Awareness): Create engaging blog posts, infographics, and social media content that addresses broad interests related to your industry to 'pull' in potential customers.
Middle of Funnel (Consideration): Offer more detailed content like white papers or email newsletters that help users evaluate solutions, positioning your brand as a credible authority.
Bottom of Funnel (Decision): Use case studies, testimonials, or targeted offers to reinforce the value of your product for users who are ready to buy.
This process nurtures leads by consistently being helpful, which resonates far more effectively than a direct sales pitch. Discovering how to structure this funnel is a central theme of the broader discussion.
The rise of 'in-feed advertising' is blurring the lines between organic content and paid promotion, fundamentally changing the definition of an 'ad' for younger audiences. Instead of a disruptive commercial, an ad is now expected to be an entertaining or valuable piece of content that integrates seamlessly into a user's social feed. This trend implies that future creative strategies must prioritize authenticity and engagement over direct response. The most successful 'ads' will not look like ads at all; they will be beautiful images, funny videos, or inspiring stories that happen to feature a brand. This shift demands that marketing teams think more like content creators and publishers than traditional advertisers. Brands will need to invest more in high-quality creative that earns attention rather than just buys it, a strategic evolution that is critical for staying relevant. The full article provides more context on this important trend.
Companies often make this mistake because it is a holdover from traditional, outbound marketing, where brand visibility and repetition were paramount. They create company-focused campaigns because they are thinking about their own goals, not the customer's needs, resulting in content that feels impersonal and void of substance. The simple inbound principle to correct this is to 'teach, don't sell.' Instead of broadcasting why your company is great, create content that educates, entertains, or solves a problem for your target audience. This customer-driven approach immediately shifts the focus from your logo to the consumer's benefit. You can apply this by asking, 'What does my audience care about?' before creating any piece of content. This simple change in perspective is the foundation for building a content strategy that pulls customers in by offering real value, which is the only way to earn their attention and trust. For more on avoiding common pitfalls, the full article offers a deeper look.
Brands can use paid discovery and search to amplify inbound content by promoting the content itself, not the product. The key is to use paid channels to put valuable, non-commercial content in front of a wider yet targeted audience, staying true to the 'pull' philosophy. For example, instead of a search ad that says 'Buy Our Product,' the ad should lead to a helpful blog post titled 'Five Ways to Solve X Problem.' On platforms like YouTube or Instagram, this means boosting an inspirational video or a useful tutorial rather than a direct commercial. This approach works because it uses advertising to deliver value, not a sales pitch. It respects the user's desire for interesting content while still increasing brand visibility and driving traffic into the top of the marketing funnel. This method feels less intrusive and more like a helpful suggestion, aligning perfectly with the core tenets of inbound marketing. The complete post expands on how to integrate paid channels effectively.
Amol has helped catalyse business growth with his strategic & data-driven methodologies. With a decade of experience in the field of marketing, he has donned multiple hats, from channel optimization, data analytics and creative brand positioning to growth engineering and sales.
Growth Strategy and Planning
