As we continue to move through this increasingly digital era, people are becoming more conscious of how marketing influences our behaviors and habits. More and more people feel targeted by advertisers with the ever-increasing use of technology that track every facet of your life.

This is especially true for the “Generation Z” or “Millennial” demographic, which makes up one third of all consumers under 30 years old. With almost half of all teens owning smartphones now, it is virtually impossible to avoid advertising at least once per day.

Gen Ys have come together in a powerful movement against consumerism, and they have a very clear message for business owners – stop spending money! If you're reading this article, then you've probably already seen some signs of this growing discontent.

But what can you do as an entrepreneur to remain neutral while these protesters take direct action? The best response comes from understanding Generation Y and their psychology, so let's dive in.

How can marketers market to gen y?

As we have seen, there is no one definitive generation of people that defines what it means to be young now. There are however, some traits that all members of Generation Y share. They are connected through technology, rely heavily on social media for knowledge, and expect fast answers to questions via their phones or laptops.

As marketing professionals, how well you cater to this audience depends on which generation you belong to. If you are part of the baby boomer generation, you may need to make changes to your approach if you want to reach younger generations.

If you are in the millennials’ era, then you already know what needs to be done! You just need to do it more effectively than they would!

The older generations often think about changing something before the next big thing comes along. This isn’t always the case with tech. Technology shifts so quickly that new innovations are easily overlooked.

Some things simply fade away while others find success in different markets.

What are tips for marketing to gen y?

As we mentioned, this group of people is not as invested in brands as older generations. They grow up with technology and access to vast amounts of information, making it hard for them to believe that something is worth buying unless there is an incredible deal or no competition.

They also expect fast, efficient service, which may mean leaving one company and going straight to another without giving both time to feel comfortable.

And while they appreciate good services, they want them at cost-effective prices too. Technically savvy, these individuals use social media, apps, and websites efficiently so they do not spend much money on advertising.

When seeking out advertisements, however, you must remember that your advertisement does not have to be flashy or expensive to reach your target audience. Tools such as YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat can all give you free exposure.

Create a brand people can relate to

As we mentioned before, marketing to Generation Y doesn’t mean advertising to them using terms that are clearly not relatable or targeted towards their audience. It means creating content and messages that they feel connected to and that resonate with who they are as individuals.

This is why companies still use things like “self-improvement” or “how to be happier” as slogans even though no one really believes in that anymore!

By staying within our generation’s parameters (whatever those may be), we create content people want to read, watch, listen to, etc. of their own choice.

That is what successful marketers do – get users to choose how to spend their time for you.

And because this generation values authenticity more than any other, they will reward you when you provide it by spending your money at these brands and sites.

Make marketing personal

As I mentioned earlier, creating engaging experiences for your audience is one of the most important parts of marketing. But what makes an experience unique and special to you as a person is how you apply that principle to your field.

What types of content you create, what messages you convey, and how you position yourself in relation to your market all contribute heavily to making your brand special.

Your style, tone, and approach to business can influence how people perceive you or your company. If you’re trying to reach others, then why not emphasize qualities such as kindness, empathy, and understanding?

Likewise, if you’re aiming to make money, then why not be clear about it? An easy way to do this is by defining success according to your own standards and beliefs.

Your opinions are just as valid as anyone else’s, which may go against the common belief system in your market. By having different perspectives, you open up opportunities to connect with other people.

Gen Y marketers don’t have to worry about being too flashy with their products and services, because they're designed with practicality in mind. They focus more on usability than anything else.

Provide a service the customer wants

As mentioned earlier, marketing to Generation Y is about providing them with services they want or need. Companies that thrive do so because of their product or service. But what kind of company are we talking about here? I would suggest you look at some big name companies like Google or Amazon – both great examples of how business operates in the digital era!

They provide valuable products and services to people, and get rich off of it. They’re not alone in this theory either; there are many other successful businesses that rely on offering quality goods and services to customers.

What makes these brands special is that they understand what types of things appeal to Generation Y. They know what features are important to young consumers and make sure those features are present in their products and services.

This article will talk more about some ways that generation-focused corporations stay competitive, as well as some tips for creating your own gen y marketing strategy.

Appeal to your audience’s values

As we mentioned before, understanding your audience's needs is an integral part of marketing. But what are they looking for? What do they value? How do they want to be interacted with?

This is also referred to as engagement or interactive marketing – creating experiences for your followers that connect them with you or your product.

Value-based marketing focuses on educating and inspiring your followers by emphasizing their shared beliefs and concepts. This is how most great marketers operate - offering information and tools that aid in achieving their goal (i.e. improving their life).

By incorporating value into your marketing, you help spread the word about who you are and what you offer while promoting self-growth.

Target your audience

As we mentioned before, there is no one “gen y” marketer or brand. This can be both a strength and a weakness for marketers trying to appeal to this new generation. With so many different brands and companies targeting young people, it may be difficult to know which ones are going after the right things and promoting lifestyle choices that influence positive social changes.

The biggest challenge for most marketing teams is figuring out who their target audience really is. Are they looking to make a quick profit, gain followers on Instagram, or just enjoy content? Or all of the above?

As you read earlier in this article, gen ys show very little interest in traditional media like TV and newspapers. They instead turn to apps, websites, and other digital platforms to find information and connect with others. Because of this, digital advertisers try to focus on encouraging online shopping, self-care activities (e.g., yoga classes), and seeking out knowledge and education. All of these things help promote social change.

Digital advertising is also quite expensive, which is why most businesses do not have a budget to spend on advertisements. Many small business owners feel that spending money to grow their company is a waste because they believe their competitors will not invest in such resources.

Gen Y is digital native

Digital natives are individuals who were raised with technology as part of their upbringing. These people are intuitively technological, they grow up interacting with technology and software applications constantly.
As we know, millennials make up the largest proportion of our society today. According to some sources, 80 percent of all smartphone users and 50 percent of online shoppers are made up of members of this generation.

What does this mean for you? As an entrepreneur or business owner, you need to understand how these tech savvy individuals think in order to effectively market your product or service.

By understanding what makes someone like the one mentioned above (the young millennial) rely on technology, you can use that knowledge to advertise your products or services.
You see, there’s a term referred to as generational shifts. This refers to when older generations slowly give way to younger ones in terms of technology and how it impacts daily life.

In fact, studies show that more than half of all workers over the age of 35 were not technologically literate two decades ago!

So what happens then? Companies begin offering training in computer programs and apps so those without such expertise can operate them.