Millennial generation: who are they and how are they like

What name would you give to the generation that lived through the birth and evolution of the digital era? What would you call those who saw the technological apogee and the Internet boom in all its splendor?

Well, media around the world have named this generation the millennial generation, also known as the Y generation.

This generation corresponds to the children of the baby boomers. In addition, its historical, political, cultural and global context makes it a unique generation. Not to mention that millennials are the most promising sector for your brand, regardless of your industry.

If you want to direct your marketing campaigns to this sector, your strategies have to be well adapted and personalized. Therefore, we will tell you who millennials are, how they differ from other generations and how to customize your marketing for this audience.

Who are millennials?

The Pew Research Center defines millennials as the population born between 1981 and 1996. However, the age of millennials is still a topic of discussion among experts, especially sociologists, politicians, journalists and, of course, marketers, among others.

This research center chose these dates because of key global, political and cultural events. For example, 9/11 and the explosion of the internet, among others.

According to MSCI, by 2020, millennials will represent 23% of the global population, equivalent to 1.8 billion people. Moreover, in the United States alone, millennials represent the generation with the highest income and the greatest media influence.

What does the millennial generation look like?

Millennials are also known as the generation of change. In other words, they are the protagonists of the digital era and the transition to today's technological advances.

It’s impossible to talk about the millennial generation without mentioning the Internet. The network alone marked a before and after in human history, taking our technologies and interconnection capabilities to mind-blowing levels.

However, the rise of the Internet is not the only historical event that characterizes millennials.

This generation was also marked by other global events, such as 9/11 and the 2008 economic crisis, among other events.

These events have given them other unique perspectives, characteristics, skills and aptitudes, especially in terms of technology and the economy. 

Characteristics of the millennial generation

Generation Y has a large number of differences compared to other generations. However, these are the top 5 characteristics of millennials:

1. Technological growth

In the 1980s, today's technologies were, for many, a science fiction dream. Today, they are a reality, one that goes far beyond what humanity could have imagined back then.

Except for millennials. 

This generation saw the birth of the digital age and witnessed the internet boom. They also saw firsthand the emergence of cell phones, computers, handheld devices, video game consoles, smart devices and more.

And of course, they also saw the rise of forums, digital media and, above all, social networks.

As a result, this generation is far more familiar with the devices and technological advances of the last few decades. It’s also the generation that has experienced the transition to today's new technologies with the greatest force.

Thus, this generation has many more digital skills than the baby boomers. And it’s much more familiar with the advances of the new millennium.

2. Education

Education has evolved along with the latest technological advances to mind-blowing levels. But also, thanks to the Internet boom, information is far more accessible than it has ever been. 

As a result, the millennial generation is much more informed, documented and updated than their predecessors. Also, this generation has experienced the integration of digital devices in education.

And of course, these devices have become indispensable resources for current generations at all educational levels. 

It doesn't matter if we are talking about homework, projects, exams or research, among other academic activities. Technology is present in all of them.

But that's not all. 

This generation has higher levels of academic training. And to prove it, let's take a look at the data below:

• According to the Pew Research Center, female millennials are four times more likely to be fully educated than the Silent Generation. 

• At the same time, 36% of millennial men have at least a bachelor's degree, almost twice as many as the silent generation. 

3. Personal decisions

We are talking about life decisions, such as getting married or having children.

Millennials, unlike baby boomers, have delayed the average age of marriage. For example, the average age for millennials in the European Union is now over 30 years old. This is a record high compared to past decades.

On the other hand, millennials have not had the birth rates that their predecessors, the baby boomers, had; neither in Europe nor in the United States. Not to mention that, today, there are other factors at play behind the declining birth rate.

4. Active population

Contrary to what some believe, the millennial population is more active than the previous generation. They also have more job opportunities and more freedom to choose where to work.

According to TeamStage, millennials represent 35% of the workforce in the United States. It’s also the generation with the largest working population in the world.

And according to this portal, by 2025, millennials will represent 75% of the workforce in the United States ALONE. This gives you an idea of the number of millennials working today.

5. Work Culture

Millennials' work culture is one of their biggest differences they have compared to all previous generations.

Today, millennials have higher standards and expectations in terms of the companies they want to work for. Likewise, in terms of the opportunities they seek to obtain.

This generation is no longer satisfied with a full-time job, and even less with jobs that do not offer opportunities for professional growth.

On the other hand, telecommuting has revolutionized work culture around the world. And millennials are the biggest players in this transition. In addition, millennials are much more inclined to become freelancers and entrepreneurs.

In addition, thanks to the enormous access to information of the present, and in contrast to the limited access of past decades, millennials have more information regarding what the best job opportunities are. 

Marketing for the millennial generation

The fundamental principles of marketing are still the fundamental basis for a myriad of strategies. 

However, millennials are more demanding when it comes to the advertising and content they consume.

Tactics and approaches have had to evolve to adapt to the new generations; as a result, what worked wonders in the 1980s may not have the same effectiveness in the present.

With that in mind, here are 5 key things to consider when looking to engage millennials:

1. Cell phones are indispensable

The millennial generation lives connected, much more so than previous generations. And now, with all the information you could want at your fingertips, cell phones are indispensable.

The millennial generation, along with generation Z, is the generation that uses mobile devices the most. Not to mention that they make up the majority of users on the web; and of course, a large portion of users on social networks.

For this reason, if you want to reach as many millennials as possible, you have to make the most of channels and applications for mobile devices. 

In this sense, mobile-optimized user experience is non-negotiable; it’s fundamental to all your marketing strategies.

Likewise, knowing the mobile apps most used by millennials will give you a great advantage when it comes to selling. And these are some of the networks and apps most used by Generation Y:

• Facebook.

• Instagram.

• SnapChat.

• TikTok.

• Twitter.

• Youtube.

2. Audiovisual content is king

Have you noticed that reels and shorts have conquered the networks?

Nowadays, users are more than used to short videos and precise and synthesized content. And that's why, today more than ever, you have to provide users with exactly what they are looking for in the shortest possible time.

With so much information at their fingertips, users, especially millennials, have become much more demanding about the content they consume.

Many traditional marketing tactics no longer have the same effectiveness they used to have, even though they are based on the same principles. So if you want to reach more millennials through your campaigns, visual content is a safe bet - not to mention a must-have resource. 

3. Experience is more important than ever

Experience has always played a vital role in marketing. But today, experience has become even more important, becoming one of the biggest differentiators for buyers.

It's no longer just about providing the best products and services. It's also about delivering unique and memorable experiences that DO have a positive impact on both shoppers and prospects.

For this reason, you need to focus on providing the best possible experience for your audience. It doesn't matter if we are talking about your business, website or app. A unique experience will always make a difference.

4. Inbound marketing is stronger than ever

Inbound marketing, contrary to what many believe, is not a recent strategy. However, it has become one of the most effective and successful approaches to digital marketing.

Positioning your brand using informational content is fundamental to attract all those customers at the top of the funnel. This is the best way to solve users' doubts and present your brand as a solution to their pain points.

Now, millennials consume digital content by the ton, both to be entertained and to study brands, products and services, among other reasons. Therefore, strategic content is a must to engage your target audience.

5. Influencers are vital

Okay, millennials are the protagonists of the digital age and are, along with generation Z, the ones who consume the most content through digital media...

Do you see the pattern here?

Influencers are booming thanks to the social media boom. As a result, influencer marketing has become one of the most effective and profitable alternatives, especially if we’re talking about the millennial generation.

The reason is quite simple: influencers already have a large audience in digital media. 

If you establish relationships with the right influencers, they will be in charge of putting your brand, as well as your products and services, in front of the right people.

Millennials are the protagonists of the digital age, and in many cases, they represent the most promising sector of the population when it comes to deploying your marketing campaigns.

Therefore, if you want to strengthen your marketing strategies towards millennials, focus on perfecting every aspect of your digital marketing.

Remember to strengthen your inbound strategies and prioritize your shoppers' experience to differentiate yourself from your competitors. At the same time, don't underestimate the reach of influencers as they represent excellent opportunities to reach your target audience.

Take into account all these factors that differentiate millennials from other generations when defining your ideal customer. This way, your marketing will be much more precise and well adapted and will have a better chance of generating the results you want. 

What do you think about the millennial generation? Are you part of this generation? How would you shape your strategies towards this audience?

Don't leave us with the intrigue and tell us all about it in the comments.