Each social media platform, along with its capabilities and its continually shifting algorithm, undergoes constant changes. So in the pursuit of success when using social media to market your products or services, recognizing how diverse audiences use social media and engage with content becomes essential.
But why is understanding how audiences, particularly multicultural millennials, utilize social media important? Why should your company prioritize staying informed about the prevalent cultural trends within social media content? The answer is straightforward: you must be where your audience is, and it’s crucial to comprehend the reasons behind their presence.
Cultural Trends
A recently published report via Sprout Social indicated that 72% of millennial respondents stated social media is essential to their lives. This insight opens the door to a series of possibilities for companies that are wise enough to embrace social media.
The same report also disclosed additional insights about millennials and their connection with social media, specifically how this audience uses social media to:
- Communicate with family, friends, and acquaintances
- Pass free time
- Learn about new trends
- Get breaking news
At Blavity Inc., these insights guide our approach to shaping campaigns for clients. We understand what millennials seek when engaging with brands on social media. Hence, a crucial element of our client support involves crafting campaigns that prioritize authenticity in integrating cultural trends for the young multicultural audience. Our focus extends beyond conforming to the norm. Instead, we concentrate on steering the conversation and creating experiences that genuinely resonate with the intended audience.
To achieve success with this approach, take into account the below.
Data Is Power
To better understand the dynamic nature of social media and cultural trends, consider the timeless adage “here today, gone tomorrow.” Multicultural Millennials, alongside other generations on social platforms, actively seek and showcase a diverse array of perspectives through original content. Thus, cultivating a world fueled by creativity and continuous evolution.
Effectively tapping into cultural trends means acknowledging the richness of diverse voices and understanding their impact on consumed and created content. Achieving this requires a perpetual curiosity about what influences engagement and, ultimately, virality.
Today, social media platforms foster curiosity by providing users with access to key insights and analytics about their audience. Meta, for instance, offers an analytics dashboard enabling users to gain a better understanding of key insights. And this includes their audience demographics and content performance.
Companies aspiring to thrive on social media comprehend the necessity of analyzing and interpreting this data. They recognize its role in informing future decisions and shaping the direction of their strategies.
In a recent Forbes interview, Jamie Gilpin, Chief Marketing Officer of Sprout Social, highlighted that 90% of business leaders recognize their company’s success hinges on adeptly using social media data to inform business strategy.
The competitive landscape of social media demands innovative thinking, particularly for businesses targeting millennials, a generation immersed in daily content. Staying vigilant in tracking cultural trends and leveraging social media data is essential for success.
Authentic Storytelling Matters
Social media platforms empower content creators, especially millennials, to create and share their personal thoughts, beliefs, and interests in a way that is both creative and unique.
In this open market of diverse content, it’s the authenticity of the voices creating this content that is most important. When the goal is to attract the attention of the multicultural millennial consumer, brands must aim to tell stories that resonate as authentic. Additionally, they must take into consideration subject matter that is not only pertinent but also engaging to its audience—particularly this influential demographic.
Understanding the cultural nuances and trending topics that matter most to this audience ensures that brands become a genuine part of the conversation. It means forging meaningful connections that extend beyond mere content consumption.
At Blavity Inc., we make authentic storytelling a top priority, reflecting the diverse identities of our audience. We excel in seamlessly integrating cultural trends into our content, ensuring alignment with the authentic voice of our audience and staying attuned to what resonates most with our target demographic.
In a recent instance of our commitment to authentic storytelling, we executed a Nike x 21 Ninety campaign. This collaboration aimed to spotlight Nike’s latest running shoe, the InfinityRN 4. Beyond emphasizing the shoe’s superior support and design features, Nike sought to convey a broader message—that support extends beyond the shoe to the surrounding environment. Through custom-branded videos, we integrated Nike’s product into a narrative centered around family support and encouragement, illustrating the driving force that propels us forward and keeps us running.
Beyond Virality
Competition for the attention of millennial users remains fierce. Therefore, understanding the anatomy of high-performing content is essential for companies looking to make a lasting impact.
This involves deeply understanding what resonates with users and remaining flexible and open to pivoting in alignment with your audience’s needs and interests. To create meaningful and memorable content, you must understand the elements that drive engagement and the nuances of virality on social media.
Warner Bros. showcased mastery in achieving virality with the promotion of the Barbie film this year. The initial teaser trailer, released over a year before the movie’s launch, amassed approximately four million social media engagements. However, the second trailer quickly soared to #28 on YouTube’s Trending Videos within 24 hours, garnering an impressive 18 million engagements.
Capitalizing on this momentum, the Barbie marketing team introduced a free AI-powered selfie-generator tool resulting in users crafting personalized movie poster versions. By encouraging users to share these creations on social media, the tool facilitated organic word-of-mouth marketing, providing the studio with influencer-like promotion without added effort.
Crafting authentic and shareable content is no simple task; it demands meticulous consideration of various factors, including but not limited to:
- Crafting content with inherent shareability
- Facilitating and encouraging the creation of user-generated content
- Embracing strategies that harness the inherent power of influencers
- Paying careful attention to the timing of your campaign elements
At Blavity Inc., we recognize that these factors are pivotal in crafting successful campaigns. Our approach ensures that each campaign reflects authenticity and resonates with its intended audience.
The Future of Social Media
In the coming years, social media will continue to evolve, and so will cultural trends. Blavity Inc. stands at the forefront, not just as spectators but as architects of this evolution. By staying true to our commitment to diverse voices and authentic representation, we navigate the currents of cultural trends, shaping a social media landscape that reflects the true diversity of our world.
To learn how we can collaborate on crafting a successful campaign that seamlessly integrates relevant cultural trends, contact us today.