Doing the research to find your target audience is invaluable time spent. And there are many factors involved in finding your target audience, but thinking of marketing in terms of generations can really boost your efforts. Below are some things to consider when marketing to your target audience by generation, so you’ll get an idea of how it can make a difference.
What’s the Difference Between Marketing to Your Audience by Generation Rather Than Age?
As we all know, age isn’t static, but generations are defined by when someone was born and the events that shaped them as they came of age. In other words, what 27 year-olds are interested in and the values they hold are going to be different today from those of 27 year-olds a decade ago.
Now I’m not saying everyone included in a certain generation is going to be a stereotype, but marketing to your target audience by generation, rather than an arbitrary age grouping, will be more nuanced and allow you to appeal to specific values and interests. Seems reasonable, right?
First, a Little Breakdown of the Generations
Boomers
Ah, Boomers. They’re a huge demographic. They have buying power and free time. According to a profile in Psychology Today, Boomers value connection over convenience. Born between 1946 and 1964, the Boomers didn’t grow up with technology and the internet, but that doesn’t mean they don’t use it. You can still count on them being online, but they’re less likely to make purchasing decisions there. Something to think about, right? They’re also traditionalists, trust the familiar, and are coming into retirement. All this affects their interests and their modes of purchase.
Gen X
Born between 1965 and 1980, they’re the coolest generation—and I’m not just saying that because this is my generation. Okay, maybe I am. But Gen X is credited as the first generation to value a work-life balance, they are independent and more likely to have a DIY ideology than their predecessors. Which is due in part to their upbringing. Unlike the generation that followed them, they had childhoods free from the tethers of technology and constant observation. They value authenticity and innovation. They also currently hold the biggest chunk of purchasing power.
Millennials
Millennials are those born from 1980 to around 2000. Which means they are fully-fledged adults, not kids, contrary to popular belief. They’re often thought of as being spoiled and narcissistic, but that’s not the case entirely. Because this generation has had to deal with a lot of economic insecurity, they value experience over things. They were also the first generation to grow up at the dawn of the internet. They use technology for connection. They’re more likely to live their lives online and make purchases that way too.
Gen Z
Generation Z are not Millennials. They’re those who were born starting around 2000 until just a few years ago. They may be the youngest group of people coming of age on the planet, but many of them are just now in a stage where they’re making a lot of their own purchasing decisions with their own money. Gen Z also has their own values and interests, separate from other generations. This generation gets their information, makes purchases, and socializes online. They’re also highly informed, highly skeptical, and the biggest influencers of marketing practices.
What All Generations Have in Common
Nostalgia appeals to us all. We tend to love to romanticize the times we grew up in, or even the times before we were born. We also all demand transparency, value, and we’re all loyal to that which is familiar.
Here’s something else to keep in mind when you’re promoting yourself or your book: No one wants to be sold something with slick talk and no substance. But more than ever, the youngest generations expect to identify with you and your message, demand sincerity, and rely on the opinions of their peers to form their opinions.
How This Will Affect Marketing to Your Target Audience by Generation
Different generations tend to make different purchasing decisions and for different reasons. Maybe it’s convenience. Perhaps it’s identifying with a message. But different types of messaging appeals to different generations.
How this fits in with your messaging and voice:
Older generations, like Boomers, are going to want hard facts, and to feel a sense of trust. They also may be more interested in subjects that are relevant to their current lives. Like retirement, health, aging, and hobbies.
On the other hand, Generation Z are more likely to seek out opinions of their peers, strive for knowledge, and of course, be interested in current topics that they identify with or that may affect their futures.
Generation X and Millennials are going to be a bit of a mix of those things in terms of how they like to be advertised to. They also are the biggest on nostalgia. There’s a reason why you’ve probably noticed that a lot of entertainment is focused on the ’80s and ’90s lately.
Here’s an example:
Say you write YA novels. Your first inclination may be to target your books and promotions towards Gen Z. But consider that their parents are likely Gen X. If your book is set in the 1980s or ’90s consider making that a focus in your promos. Gen X loves nostalgia and as a bonus, so does Gen Z! Both of those audiences will respond and maybe even want to read it. You can try this even if the setting isn’t something that you see as that integral.
And if you write Children’s books, you’ll want to target their parents too—Millennials, in other words.
The Type of Promo You Use Will Matter When Marketing to Your Target Audience by Generation
Boomers
They are the generation least likely to rely on referrals or reviews. Boomers are also less likely to purchase online. So a promo targeted at Boomers can be online, but you may want to mention the brick-and-mortar store where your book can be purchased and rely on stating the bare facts about your book over reviews.
Thus it follows that you can probably skip promos like referring a friend, or tagging a friend, to enter to win prizes—like a copy of your book or a free class.
Generation X
Email is big for this generation, so this is the group that responds best to email campaigns. They’re also less likely to care about online engagement, and prize uniqueness and quality. As far as selling them your book, they respond well to direct incentives and won’t overlook a discount.
Millennials and Gen Z
Though Generation X does their research online, these two younger generations also purchase heavily online. They also rely on proof—those reviews and recommendations are what compels them to purchase. So your promos should feature testimonials, reviews, and purchasing should be as simple as one click.
Are you starting to see why marketing to your target audience by generation rather than age group can be beneficial? It gives you a deeper insight into how your target audience’s minds may work and what they may respond to positively, or on the other hand, negatively.
How you present yourself and your brand online, what you focus on, how much you engage or don’t engage on a personal level will appeal to different generations.
So, does your online messaging and branding match up with the values of your target audience? Are you spending your money on promotions and ads and getting the most out of them? If not, now is the time to change it up and see the difference marketing to your target audience by generation can make!
Let me know what you think in the comment section below. If you are reading this in an email, click this link to comment.
