The digital era is well under way, and it’s now up to you to
keep up with it! Every day we are introduced to new marketing statistics and
data that show us just how significant social networking has become. Many of our students are Millennial’s- products
of the baby boom also known as “Gen Y’s” and this puts them at the center of
this new trend in technology. The
internet has become the center of most media consumption for the Millennial age
group and this presents significant opportunities for us as marketers.
A snip from a demographic profile released by the eMarketer in March suggests that over 90% of this age group is online and almost as many of them are using social networking sites. If you haven’t seen the info you can check it out here @ http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008382.
So what does this mean for the digital era, and how significant
really is this information? The increases
in social media consumption are clear to me as I sit in the middle of this age
group. But while many are actively part
of this social networking trend, there are still plenty that have accounts that
remain dormant and unused. While older
generations remain skeptical to the security and privacy of social media- younger
millennial’s tend to embrace the concept, using the networks to share tastes
and preferences and furthermore as a platform for opportunities.
Businesses are still learning how to use social media in a
way that can create opportunities and boost credibility- many have done well,
some have failed miserably, and others are just not there yet. This is where we
see the shift in digital marketing beginning, as certain businesses solidify
their presence in online and digital marketing others find themselves becoming
left behind. An interesting question
arises, what will happen when one the most powerful cities in the world goes
digital and according to a new TechCrunch article- New York City is looking to
be that city sooner than later. Check
out the post here @ http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/16/ny-digital-city-road-map-2011/.
Interestingly enough, there is one social networking site
that has however had an impact on older generations. LinkedIn has produced several studies that
show that older generations (like boomer’s) have found benefit in the LinkedIn
network as a place to both find opportunities and showcase their achievements. A recently published infographic suggests that
the demographic on LinkedIn is dominated by the age groups of 25-34 and 35-54; a
likely result of the professional image of the network. The data also suggests that the major
industries on LinkedIn are in Tech, finance and manufacturing- check it out
below or @ http://www.vincos.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/state-of-linkedin-0311.png
