I'm a millennial.
Every time I think about making a big purchase, want to learn about new Twitter or Facebook updates, or even plan a trip, I do research. And I always take the same first step: I read a blog post I find on social media.
You may run a blog that's struggling to gain millennial readers. Your problem might not be the content you're posting, but how you're executing and promoting that content.
For instance, when you write product roundups, are you including all of the necessary information? Are you writing technology demos for an audience that most likely grew up with technology?
Understanding millennial behavior is the key to learning how to cater to millennials blog readers. I use blogs for research, so I'd gravitate towards a blog that provides ample information in their product reviews and posts.
When writing for millennials, are you thinking about how your blog will benefit them? If not, we've collected some important stats about millennial blog readers that can help. Every audience is different. Here's what to know about yours:
1. Millennials and ecommerce statistics
Ecommerce is a way to sell goods and services online. Millennials are engaged in ecommerce heavily, as shown by the statistics below. This is good for bloggers who post a lot of roundups or "Best of" content — your blog could be the place millennials turn to before they begin their buyer's journey, so it's important to remember to include the necessary information they need, such as price and links to purchase. Here are some statistics to support the case for ecommerce:
1. Millennials make up to 85% of online shoppers. (Source: Statista)
Takeaway: More than half of millennials are making purchases online, so make sure, when blogging for millennials, that you keep in mind that ecommerce posts or roundup posts are going to be most beneficial if they include links to purchase.
2. Over 70% of millennials and Generation Z are members of loyalty programs (Source: Oracle)
Takeaway: One way to drive millennials to your blog is to turn blog newsletters into loyalty rewards programs that give subscribers access to exclusive posts or content in exchange for signing up. That would entice a millennial to check out your content.
2. Millennials and technology statistics
Most millennials grew up with technology and know how to use it. This also goes for social media tools — 90% of millennials use social media.
For example, you can probably skip a full-page explanation of what an Instagram Story is. A one-to-two paragraph explanation would suffice.
1. 90% of millennials have a smartphone — 93% of whom use it to access the internet — and 53% own tablets. (Source: Pew Research)
Takeaway: Most millennials have a smartphone and probably use it to read your blog content. To make sure their experience is enjoyable make sure your blogs are optimized for desktop and mobile.
2. 75% of millennials watch video on social media daily. (Source: HubSpot)
Takeaway: If three-quarters of millennials love video content, and watching it on social media, there's a fun post idea for you; Round-up funny or impactful videos you see on social media. The angle can be anything from "Videos on Facebook to Waste Time" or "Short Videos About Marketing Every Millennial Can Enjoy".
You can also think about how to incorporate more of a tech focus in your blogs. Millennials are surrounded by technology and are quick to adapt to its advancements.
If you've been avoiding diversifying content, maybe that's something that will pull millennial readers in. Maybe a thought leadership piece about your blog's industry and its role in the tech industry is the home-run post you need to attract millennial readers.
3. Millennials and social media statistics
As marketers, we know the importance of social media as a business tool, but a large reason why it's so successful as a business tool is how millennials have shaped the ecosystem to make social media part of their lifestyle.
If you're blogging for millennials, you know they're going to be on social media. Promoting the blogs across platforms could bring you a big boost in readership.
1. 90% of millennials can be found on Facebook. Source: HubSpot)
Takeaway: Millennials are obviously on social media, most notably Facebook. If you want more readers, consider creating a Facebook Business page and use their tools to increase readership.
2. 80% of millennial Pinterest users say that the platform helps them decide what they should buy. (Source: HubSpot)
Takeaway: Are your blog posts pinnable? Pinterest is a social media app that helps its users save and organize internet content they want to remember. Making posts that are pinnable exposes your content across more than one front, and keeps the name of your site in the minds of potential buyers.
4. Millennial web behavior statistics
Earlier, we talked about how millennials love to shop online. They also love to do research before committing to a purchase. One way you can leverage this in blogging is by giving them all the information they need to make that purchase.
1. Social media is the most popular form of entertainment for millennials, who spend an average of over two hours a day social networking. (Source: GlobalWebIndex)
Takeaway: To find entertainment, millennials go online. If you want your blog to engage millennials, don't hesitate to add some fun into the mix. Meme roundups, a funny video, or personality quizzes add diversity to content, and, if posted on social media, have a better chance of catching the eye of a young adult.
2. 36% of millennials don’t trust social media advertising. (Source: Statista)
Takeaway: Millennials are skeptical of ads on social media websites, so to bring millennial readership to your blog, keep in mind that a percentage of your target audience is likely to not engage or trust a paid ad.
3. 78% of millennials trust online reviews for brands or products. (Source: Morning Consult)
Takeaway: If you're posting a lot of thought leadership content, think about interviewing an industry professional advanced in their career or reach out for a guest post. Millennials would probably be drawn to reading about a product from a senior product designer rather than someone on the advertising team.
Millennials conduct extensive research online as part of the shopping process. From dresses to apartments, millennials stray away from traditional advertisements and instead look to friends, peers, and websites they deem credible. Becoming one of those credible blogs that offers millennials specs, functions, prices, and demos will earn you millennial fans.
5. Millennial lifestyle statistics
It's important to think about how millennials live their lives, not just how they interact online. By knowing how their routines fit in with your blog, you can better optimize your content to make the millennial experience on your website one that's more engaging for them.
1. 61% of Millennials are more likely to share brands they identify with on social media. (Morning Consult)
Takeaway: Think about how you can create an experience for millennial readers that connects them to your brand. How can you make a blog more visually engaging? Have you made it shareable?
Thinking about and implementing these elements in your blog will improve the readability for millennials, and word-of-mouth will probably earn you more millennial readers — especially if your blog has social media sharing buttons.
2. Millennial consumers show the strongest preference for video content from brands. (Source: HubSpot)
Takeaway: Videos capture the attention of browsers, and are more engaging than just text. Though blogs are usually long-form written pieces, you can break up the text by including video, or even shooting a few of your own videos to take the place of or enhance the body of a blog post.
Blogs have some characteristics that millennials are drawn to, like serving as a reference for future purchases, researching brands, or learning something new. If you are looking to gain millennial readership, think about the way they behave online, and if the posts you're creating cater to the millennial audience.