Why is it that every generation consumes digital content
differently? Whether it is due to the
way each generation was raised, the information we are interested in, or the
accessibility of this information each of us have, every generation has a
different way of approaching internet content and of using this information.
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| http://info.buzzstream.com/content-generation-research |
Recently, Factl and Buzzstream surveyed over 1,200 people to
complete a study titled The Generational
Content Gap. This interesting study
explains how different generations consume digital information differently;
from the devices each group uses to review this information, to the platforms
and sources they trust for their content.
The relevancy of this study lies in the fact that as a
company or brand, content creators need to understand their market in order to
reach them. The days of traditional
marketing are long gone, where print and TV advertisements reach the mass public
in hopes of encouraging purchases from consumers. With the rise of digital media, social media
marketing, and content marketing, brands now can target their specific markets
in tailor-made ways that were not possible some years ago. The content that will reach these markets is
created for them and with their likes and dislikes in mind. This
is now the key to maximizing and taking advantage of marketing efforts.
Factl and Buzztream’s study separates their market sample in
three groups in order to understand their content consumption habits better. Millennials (born from 1977 to 1995),
Generation Xers (born from 1965 to 1976), and Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964.)
These groups were asked the same questions ranging from their device
preferences, long-term versus short-term content, trustworthiness of a source,
and what grabs their attention when they are browsing digital content. The results provided very interesting
similarities and clear differences in the way each group faces digital content.
The study explains how different generations access content
at different times of the day and even different days of the week. It is very interesting to see how Baby
Boomers prefer to consume content during the morning hours (around 5:00am to
noon), while Millennials and GenXers access content later during the night
(from 8:00pm to midnight). Baby Boomers
would also rather access content on weekdays, whereas Millennials access more
digital content during the weekend. This
helps content creators share their information at the best time possible, in
order to reach their consumers when they are online.
All three groups also presented some similarities when it
came to digital content and what calls their attention online. When asked about headlines and what
indicators they need to determine whether an article is worth reading or not,
all three groups agreed that it is a mix of three factors: the headline, the
main topic, and the main image presented in the article.
Factl and Buzztream’s study points to many other interesting
similarities and different between these groups and presents them in great
infographics. Check it out to see how it
can help you, to sign up to receive the study guide, click here.
