Traditional advertising is experiencing a changing of the guard, and with the increase of privacy concerns and the rise of ad blockers, digital media could be next.
Across industries, traditional advertising is being called into question, pressuring brands to serve audiences more authentic content. In the midst of this change, social media has emerged as a new champion for consumers, drastically impacting how they interact with their favorite brands -- and each other. And this isn’t a passing fad. Rather, it’s a sea change in the way every demographic is creating and consuming content. While Gen Y is often considered as digital natives, recent data from Olapic found that millennials aren’t the only social animals -- baby boomers are hot on their tails.
While young shoppers are the most active on social media, older generations are taking legacy networks by storm. In fact, more than half of consumers over the age of 50 are on Facebook. With boomers and millennials both more inclined to trust user-generated content over branded materials, this migration is game-changing for marketers. However, while user-generated content is a valuable platform for brands, it comes with its share of obstacles, from vetting submissions to eliciting strong calls-to-action.
This difficulty is further heightened when considering the nuances of how millennials and boomers consume and share social content. Understanding their distinct patterns of engagement -- and where they’re poised to head next -- presents brands with an invaluable toolbox to harness consumer trust across demographics and encourage an ongoing dialogue at all phases of the purchasing cycle.
Social Media Arms Race
With more than 95 million pieces of content uploaded to Instagram each day, the social media world moves fast. Although boomers have made their preference for Facebook clear, they are also slowly adopting emerging networks like Snapchat, once dominated almost exclusively by millennials. Fourteen percent of U.S. smartphone owners over 35 years old are now using the messaging app, demonstrating the increasing role social media is playing in the lives of older consumers.
Snapchat isn’t the only platform to experience a change. In the last few years, a flurry of new networks have entered the social landscape, tempting users with their diverse features. In response, many older platforms are beginning to beef up their offerings to re-engage millennials, often the first demographic to serve as early adopters.
Instagram recently added a number of new features, including 'Stories' and live video and, most notably, its 'Shop Now' feature, marking the platform’s foray into social commerce. Many of these new additions speak directly to the preferences of millennial users, who have been seeking a way to shop directly on Instagram for some time. In this ever-changing social landscape, the platforms that innovate for users’ specific wants, needs and behaviors will be the ones that emerge as successful.
Facebook is Ground Zero
For users across generations, Facebook often serves as the entry point to social media; the adoption patterns of boomers on Facebook mirror those of millennials in the platform’s earliest days. However,
while 90 percent of boomers have an overwhelming preference for Facebook, millennial loyalties are divided, diverting their attention to newer networks like Instagram, Snapchat and Pinterest.
While 85 percent of shoppers ages 25 and older are more likely to turn to Facebook to view visual content, this number lowers to 69 percent among those 16-24. The most social-savvy generation, many millennials grew up using Facebook and are now eager to explore newer niche networks while their parents and grandparents get caught up to speed.
Despite this migration, brands certainly shouldn’t count Facebook out. With the recent burst of native video content and emergence of Facebook Live, brands have an opportunity to approach advertising in a way that’s personalized, engaging and highly collaborative. Additionally, video represents a great way to reach boomers, who prefer the format more than any other demographic.
Social Media: The Ultimate Taste Maker, The Ultimate Money Maker
As consumers rally against photoshopped ads, demanding natural beauty and more diverse representation, the need for authenticity is more important than ever. Increasingly, consumers have turned against rigid stock images and celebrity influencers, instead seeking recommendations from peers. Millennials, in particular, have emerged as champions for consumer-generated content, with 75 percent craving authentic content when making purchases. As such, consumer-generated content is playing a growing role within the path to purchase, with millennials leading the charge.
Millennials view consumer-generated content 5.6 times per week on average. This cohort also longs to serve as influencers, with 54 percent using branded hashtags to share purchases with their networks. For fashion purchases, in particular, 84 percent are most likely to check on social media prior to buying a product. Comparatively, boomers view user-content 3.6 times a week, which still demonstrates the active role UGC is playing within the path to purchase even across generations.
Whether in retail, automotive, fashion or beauty, consumers across demographics have seen the benefits of user-generated content. With everyday consumers serving as advocates, brands are equipped with an unprecedented authenticity, allowing them to forge stronger bonds with new and returning customers. Traditional advertising may be changing, but the next iteration of two-way engagement is only just beginning.
For further insights, please download Olapic’s full report: “User-Generated Content: Everyone Is Doing It (Differently).”