Millennials are the first generation of digital natives. A rare honor, indeed.
But for some, this title can be intimidating. How do you connect with a generation that grew with up the internet, social media, and electric cars?
They’re smart, technical, and see through most of the marketing tactics you’ve tried to use on them.
But let’s get one thing straight. Millennials aren’t as jaded as some might think. They’re just like any other generation.
Of course, they have ideals and expectations that differ from other generations. So if you’re planning to write for millennials any time soon, here are some things you should keep in mind.
Be Down to Earth
Millennials don’t only respond to cool gifs and tweets. Contrary to popular belief, they actually read more than previous generations. They consume all kinds of media, which means they have higher expectations. What they do decide to read should be well-written. Time is of the essence, after all.
Most millennials have a wide array of interests. Their ability to instantly search for and learn about anything means they are voracious consumers of media. Ergo, they can understand complex concepts easily. Avoid watering down your content. Millennials will pick up on that and head in the other direction.
Something that really catches millennials’ attention is honesty. It seems too easy a strategy, but it works.
The first-person experience is ubiquitous. Millennials want to relate. Bare your soul, and you’ll find that your readers will respond.
Stay in the Know
Keeping up with what’s happening in the news will not only ensure that your content is current, it will improve it. Millennials are forward-thinking. They acknowledge the past but look towards the future. Fighting for change is a common trend. Show them that you are paying attention to the ebb and flow.
Topics like the environment, human rights, and politics are big for millennials, too. However, that’s not to say that these areas won’t change. Do your research. Your work will benefit from having on-trend content. Also, millennials appreciate brands that have a responsible air about them.
“Bear in mind, there is a difference between a trend and a fad. Learning to differentiate these is essential. Writing about fads can cause an adverse effect. Like doing a flash mob months after they went out of fashion, avoid looking ridiculous and stay away from fads. You’ll be happy you did.” That’s good advice from Jennifer Watts, a writer at Studicus.com.
Get to the Point
Unlike previous generations who loved a Dickensian page-long description of a chair, millennials won’t put up that. They have DMs to read, articles to scan, and podcasts to listen to.
Millennials don’t have time to read flowery prose. Unless it’s for an assignment, that is. Spare them the trouble.
The common internet acronym TL;DR: (too long; didn’t read:) is a sign of the times. It’s best to dive right in. Don’t try to show off your fantastic vocabulary. Go straight for the good bits. Otherwise, your readers might swipe to the next article.
In terms of structure, keep it simple. Focus on using shorter sentence structures. Less really is more in this case. Avoid superfluous language whenever possible. Allow your ideas to shine through.
Work your Aesthetics
With as many free design applications as there are, there is no more mercy for ugly web pages. Millennials won’t put up with poorly designed things. They want something with great visuals that is streamlined and easy to use.
It’s quality over quantity for them. Furthermore, it’s great to take into account what exactly millennials find visually appealing when setting up a page with them in mind.
If you’re not a designer, fear not…
StudioPress themes are easy to use and offer customizable, stylish templates.
DesignEvo helps you create unique logos.
And Visme is a great tool for creating professional infographics and visuals.
Content is king. Raise your bar. Make sure everything you put out is top-notch. Once you get accustomed to curating your aesthetic, it will seem effortless. Readers will remember your style and come back for more.
Organization is Key
Organizing your writing is an easy way to keep millennials interested. Pieces that follow an outline do well. Bullet points and headlines help these readers know what they’re in for. If they scan through and see something interesting, they’ll keep reading. It’s as simple as that.
When you organize your writing, you can find your keywords. Depending on what platform you are using, you can use keywords differently. Perhaps, a hashtag is enough. In most cases, your keywords will be directly tied to your SEO. Strive for unique keywords. These will keep your work from getting lost in the sea of zeros and ones.
Search Engine Optimization is necessary in our world of information overload. There’s no more natural way to allow people to find your content. Find your own unique keywords, based on your writing. Use them to help readers find you.
Make it Shareable
Once readers have found you, you want to make it easier for them to tell others. Millennials are known for sharing their experiences online. If they read something they loved, they are likely to share on social.
Enable social media sharing. Include all appropriate social media icons to give readers options. Whether it’s Pinterest or Facebook, your views will soar. Be sure to review your analytics, if you can. This will allow you to determine which sites are boosting your readership.
Last but not least, simplify your URLs. This will make it easier for readers to find you. Going back to aesthetics, try to include thumbnail images. When readers do share your work, a nice image on social will help draw in new readers. Not to mention, having a polished page is never a bad idea.
Conclusion
Here’s the takeaway. Millennials want the full package. They’re spoiled for choice. Who can blame them? They will only dedicate their time to pieces they deem truly worth it.
Show your worthiness. Remember to serve up good content, good design and optimize your outreach. With all of this in mind, you are sure to improve your millennial readership. Also, a funny meme or two can’t hurt!
About the Author: Linda Grandes is a full-time blogger at Studyton.com interested in a variety of topics, from education to modern art. Linda has vast experience in editing texts and knows all the angles of academic and professional writing thanks to her productive cooperation with WoWGrade.com. Linda is a passionate traveler and she is eager to learn new things and meet new people.
