Introduction
Recently, generational marketing has become the norm in customer acquisition. But it can be tricky. For example, how do you market a product to digital natives like Gen Z alongside digital immigrants like Baby Boomers?
In this infographic, we:
- Provide insight into the four largest generations of our time.
- Illustrate how these generations respond to digital marketing.
- Propose a customer acquisition solution that can be used across all four generations.
Social Media Engagement by Generation
It’s a common misconception among digital marketers that only younger audiences engage with a brand online. However, it turns out that 82% of Baby Boomers have social media accounts and are using them quite actively.
While social engagement may vary among generations, marketers should take heed: no matter the generation, social media is an important tool for customer acquisition.
Let’s Go (Online) Shopping!
Do decent numbers on social media equate to dollar signs? Some may dismiss social engagement as “vanity metrics,” but even so—60% of people (regardless of generation) who follow a brand will buy from them.
And it isn’t just focused on the younger generations. Up to 85% of Boomers will research products via the web, and 66% of them regularly make purchases online. According to one source, Gen Xers made 20% more online purchases than Millennials in 2017.
Those likes on social media aren’t all bogus—clearly, it has an impact on people’s purchasing choices. In fact, a recent survey found that 65% of teens believe that Instagram is the best way to market to them. More interesting still is that when brands invest in their social media and create positive interactions, followers will be 70% more likely to purchase.
A New Customer Acquisition Strategy
Using social to promote deals may be one of the best ways to capture your audience. Millennials alone may spend an average of three minutes surfing for discounts on a product before buying. And yes, 66% of Millennials will abandon a brand if a competitor offers a better discount.
So how do you stand out in a sea of marketers using social media as a customer acquisition platform?
Make your promotions more personalized. Create an opt-in offer for a specific segment (like students, teachers, or the military), and “gate” it using digital verification. Digital verification uses authoritative sources to confirm a consumer’s eligibility with basic information, like their full name and email address. This opt-in approach helps build trust with consumers by minimizing the personal information they need to share.
Similarly, a digital verification system from a third-party expert helps dissuade fraudsters from taking advantage of your promotion by adding an additional verification step, such as a document review.
Customer Acquisition across Generations Made Simple
Marketing across generations doesn’t have to be rocket science. Social media is one of the biggest channels you can use for customer acquisition, whether you are reaching out to one generation or all of them. And no matter which generation you’re trying to reach, providing a personalized, engaging social experience (along with a gated offer) is what drives consumers to hit the thumbs up.
Discover how personalized promotions can boost your customer acquisition strategy—Contact Us to learn more.
