Millennials: Are They Ruining Email? (And What To Do About It)

Although millennials are blamed for a number of other market woes, are they also responsible for bringing about the downfall of email? Here we break down millennial's relationship with social technology and how they can be effectively marketed to as a demographic.

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Guest post by Team Fanbridge on the Fanbridge BlogOh, millennials. Those Snapchatting, avocado toast-munching 20-somethings are single handedly “ruining” diamonds, the housing market and cable tv. But are millennials still paying attention to emails? Or is email marketing soon to be another victim to the “Me” generation?

What the heck’s a millennial?

Generally, millennials are used to describe younger demographics from anywhere between 20-somethings to tweens. But they’re usually classified as young adults born between the early 1980s to early 2000s. And with a projected $200 billion in spending power for 2017, they’re one of the most highly sought after demographics for marketers today. They’re not ruining email marketing, but they are giving marketers a run for their money.

Segment & Personalize

Much like the generations before them, it’s challenging to lump millennials into one simple audience profile. What may work for one group might be an absolute turn-off for another. Find out what kind of content your subscribers would prefer and/or how frequently they would like to receive emails and create sending groups based on this data. In doing so, you’ll give your subscribers more say in the content they receive while ensuring you’re effectively sending them the right message.

Email & Social

While social media has been touted as an “email killer” for as long as it’s been around, millennials are finding email to be their preferred channel for brand communication. For millennials, social media is where the relationship is created and fostered at first and email is used for communication once a sense of trust has developed between brand and buyer. A healthy mix of both email and social marketing is possible, if not highly suggested, but it’s important to know how your target audience responds on each channel.

Mobile-first

It’s a common stereotype that millennials are always glued to their phones. Though as lazy as the assumption may seem, it’s not entirely wrong. In fact, many young adults are checking their phones first thing in the morning, just before bed and even from the bathroom. And with 88% of millennials preferring to view emails on mobile devices, it’s a safe bet they’re checking their inboxes at these times. When targeting campaigns for millennials (or anyone, really), make sure your campaigns are visual-focused and optimized for mobile devices. Try experimenting with different sending times to find when your audience is checking their email most.Marketing to millennials doesn’t have to be as daunting as it may seem for some. If you ever find yourself intimidated by the thought of reaching millennials, just remember:

Don’t:

Lump your subscribers into one group: No two millennials are exactly alike. So don’t market to them as if they are! Segment your subscribers and tailor your content to meet their individual needs.Force slang/hashtags/memes into your content: If it naturally fits your brand voice, go for it. But it may be best to avoid usage if it’s not a good fit for you, no matter how “lit” it may seem.

Do:

Provide a healthy mix of social and email communication: Don’t be afraid of a little multi-channel communication. Take note of what your target audience responds best to on each channel and adjust your strategy accordingly.Optimize your emails for mobile devices: The “Me” generation is the mobile generation. Make sure your content is optimized to view on smaller screens before sending.