The social side of Gen Y

I am a member of the famed Generation Y…the generation of babies born with cell phones attached to their diapers, that use the word “google” as a synonym for “search” and haven’t the slightest clue how anyone ever kept track of ALL their friends without Facebook.  We are described as extremely expressive, confident and connected*.

*FYI: We’re only as connected as our cell phone towers and Wi-Fi networks are reliable.

Along with most generations these days, we dig the social media craze. It’s another way for us to stay connected and have something to do (peace and quiet is not an option.)

Lately, I’ve been interested in understanding social media for Gen Y. I mean, I know I am supposedly a part of it, but I’m hardly as vocal as many of my counterparts. I’m especially interested in the millennials born in the 90’s (ah, the days of scrunchies and caboodles!) still in high school or fresh out. In my mind it’s that group that is incredibly vocal and free of inhibition (although I know my mom, would classify my status updates with weekend plans and photo albums as completely risky.) So…what are teens doing on social networks? Here are some new trends I’ve noticed.

SOCIAL NETWORKING AKA TALKING ABOUT ME, ME, ME…

They’re on Facebook updating their statuses and interacting with friends (that’s what Facebook is all about, right?) They tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves walls and they love apps based on quizzes and surveys like Friends Exposed.  Since it’s all about interacting with friends and expressing yourself, formspring.me (another platform that allows you to ask your friends questions on their own sites) has gained some nice momentum of late.

LOCATION BASED SOCIAL NETWORKING AKA GEOTAGGING

“Checking in” has become a buzz word as big markets (and now smaller markets) have adopted the geotagging trend popularized by sites such as Foursquare. You basically let people know where you are by “checking in"-to locations. Social networking for Gen Y is all about tearing down the boundaries. Our parents were taught to keep their business private…we’ve been trained to share it with the world.

VIDEO SHARING

This is not a trend. Repeat: this is not a trend. For most Gen Yers, YouTube is YouTube…how else do people find videos?

CAUSE RELATED SOCIAL NETWORKING/ACTIVISM

It’s been a decade of going GREEN, rocking the vote and popularizing the $5 donation. The youth are being empowered and there are countless networks online that continue to enable and activate the troops! SocialVibe, Kiva, Facebook Causes, the Good Guide iPhone app, the list goes on…

THE RANDOM

Finally there are the networks that are random and (sometimes unfortunately) exciting. Take Chatroulette for example (it’s a website that helps you randomly connect with strangers...with web cams.) It sounds like trouble to me, but I do recall the excitement of talking to strangers on AIM in middle school. Anyone remember what a/s/l means? I don’t endorse this behavior, but at the time it was about as thrilling as the 6th grade gets.

So, what do you think? Any major Gen Y trends I’m missing? I know some will come to me later in those middle of the night “a-ha!” moments, but this is what I’m seeing today. Hopefully some insight for businesses attempting to reach this demographic!

Oh and found this quiz from the Pew Research Center that might entertain: HOW MILLENIAL ARE YOU? I got an 83!

-Erin

A new spin on PR

Spreading the word and implementing public relations campaigns is a tricky game (even more so now that we've got a slew of social networks that divert the consumer's eye from your basic evening news and local paper).

In the past year we've hosted several events, produced the Cobra Polo Classic and written our share of press releases. So, take a look at some promotion tips from the turtle for events, big news or whatever timely information you've got to share:

1. Devise a press release and disseminate it online

Be sure to contact your local media, hand deliver press kits and utilize your personal networks to get the word out. But why stop there? Get your release on your website, blog and on social networking sites such as digg, Technorati and reddit.

4 tips for the online press release:

1. Use keywords and simple phrases in your release to make it search engine friendly.

2. Find the best search terms. Try out Google Trends to compare various search terms so that you use the most effective ones.

3. Hyperlink key words in your release to your website or other sites that apply.

4. Include photos and logos to make it easier for the newsies and friends to pass the word along in a creative way!

2. Promote on social networks

Promote your events or news where your consumers are. If they're on Facebook, create a Facebook event and if they're on Twitter send updates and let your friends know by sending (via the handy @____ function) the 140 character news. Don't forget to use tinyurl or bit.ly to shorten your url!

3. YouTube it

When you have the story/event and the means, create a video on YouTube or Vimeo to tell it. A great way to spice up your press release is to send it via video. Just make sure quality control is maintained! No cheesy cell phone videos, please.

4. Contact bloggers to spread the word

If you've got something that a particular blogger might want to cover on their blog...send the love along! Many bloggers have e-mail addresses or some way to contact them. Make sure to send information that is relevant to the blog or blogger...don't ask a foodie blogger to cover your company's acquisition. That's just silly.

5. Don't over do it!

With all the clutter out there make sure that you aren't adding to the garbage. Send out releases when there is BIG news. Invite friends to events, but not lunch at P.F. Changs. Send bloggers periodic information that is of value to them. If you become the number one contributor to online "trash" (you know those people who send too many e-newsletters and too many tweets) when you do have something to say, your friends and followers may not be interested in listening. Same moral as The Boy Who Cried Wolf...and we all know that ending...

360-degree personalities

Just read an Ad Age article with some great take home messages for businesses today. Manage your 360-degree personality in every outlet! Today we have so many outlets to promote our businesses; it really is the full 360 degrees. You've got networking events, websites, advertising, social media, sales promotions, guerilla marketing, and the list goes on. Yet all too often businesses forget to manage these outlets and end up sending a chaotic, confusing message to the consumer.

Take social networking. Every day we are bombarded with Facebook Business Page invites from the local drycleaner and a host of Twitter followers with the suffixes "llc" and "inc." There's nothing wrong with these friends and followers...except when it comes to the point where you have to ask...what are you talking about? The restaurant downtown's cousin (can a restaurant have a cousin?) is going to Mexico tomorrow and that same restaurant is "sooo ready for the weekend." Uh, WHAT?! Well I'm not referring to an actual restaurant, but these kinds of updates are reminiscent of some of the chatter on our favorite social networks. Businesses are entering the social media stream, but don't have a true campaign to back their activity.

Rather than treating the online presence of your business like you would your own personal online presence, it's important to outline a specific campaign and strategy. Social networks are a great way to get into the heart and the mind of the consumer; however they must always fit into your consistent, fully integrated branding campaign. This means that everything from your website to your employees to your tweets should be integrated. No more random status updates or irrelevant information. If you're a restaurant--stick to what you know...food, dining, the experience! Social media is an amazing outlet, but make sure that it is always speaking for your business.

Our goal at TPT is to create and promote consistent, yet powerful brands. We are constantly trying to enhance our client's 360-degree personalities through social media campaigns, fully branded events, web design and development, logo design, video production, etc. We love working with clients on the big picture, but it's crucial to remember to research and develop specific and strategic campaigns before diving in. So, take a look in the 360-degree mirror and make sure you are in the right position...or you may want to take a step back and visit the drawing board!

360 degree photo from--eHow