Internet Content for Different Generations

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.

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.