Millennials Buy What They Share On Social Media

A number of marketers are still trying to find that key element when it comes to drawing in a millennial audience for their products, as some advertising simply doesn’t “stick” with millennials. However, a new report from ShareThis indicates that a new trend could very well lie in an element that’s already at play: social media.

The report suggests that brands can actually utilize social media to their advantage, as most millennials actually base their purchases around what they talk about through social media channels.

Observing more than 58 million people in the 18-to-34 year old market in the United States over a period of four months, ShareThis observed 3.1 million sites and apps, and came up with findings that indicate that 25 percent of those surveyed share online content through their social networks, including Twitter and Facebook. Following that share, 56 percent of those surveyed click on said content. The sharing is 3.6 times more than the usual average, while the clicking is a bit less with 2.3 times average.

“Millennials grew up being advertised at, so of course they’ll be harder to reach if one’s definition of reach is conversion rate,” says Kurt Abrahamson, chief executive (CEO) of ShareThis. “As we’ve found, sharing and social conversations are better overall indicators of purchase intent than ad impressions.”

Out of those surveyed, 70 percent of the millennial group believes that they are more likely to make a purchase based on their friends’ social media posts, rather than general purchases.

As you can see from the chart above, those purchases can increase based on shares. Food and drink, for example, showed nearly double the rise in clicks from social media sharing, while personal care, household supplies and children’s products showed more than double the interest with said links.

This could open the door for brands to find a better way to advertise to a millennial audience. “For one, it means that these brands can reach Millennials at the height of engagement and interest by focusing their media delivery on family and politics content,” said Abrahamson. “It also provides advertisers with a chance to tailor their messaging based on the interests and passion points of sharers.”

Particular brands like packaged goods should “closely monitor social conversations to identify family influencers,” thus creating content that would appeal to said audience, according to Abrahamson.