Katherine Taken Smith, (2012) "Longitudinal study of digital marketing strategies targeting Millennials"

From Digital Culture & Society

Contents 1 Article Title: 1.1 Find article: 1.1.1 Context: 1.1.2 Overview: 1.1.3 Research design and Hypothesis 1.1.4 Strengths and weakness: 1.1.5 Assessment and final Thoughts:

[edit] Article Title:

Longitudinal study of digital marketing strategies targeting Millennials -Katherine Taken Smith, (2012)

[edit] Find article:

DOI: 10.1108/07363761211206339

1. REDIRECT https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/07363761211206339

[edit] Context:

This article focuses specifically on two factors- Social media, and Millennials who are inherently the most active users of social media. The purpose of this study is to determine which digital marketing strategies are preferred by Millennials and are effective in influencing their behavior. The article highlights the potential growth and value of newly emerging digital marketing strategies aimed at millennials otherwise known as the ‘online generation’. Looking closely at this generation this article attempts to examine how Millennials respond to various online marketing strategies. The articles aim and methodology is to deconstruct data collected over a three-year period (2009 to 2011) surveying Millennials at a prominent southwest US university. The findings will be discussed in further detail in the ‘overview’ section- but in plain it was found that millennials have a definite preference for certain forms of online advertising and there are certain digital marketing strategies that are considerably more effective in grabbing the interest of Millennials. Furthermore the author of the study makes recommendations regarding select types of online advertising to use, how companies should design their web sites, how to motivate repeat visits to web sites, and how to encourage Millennials to write online reviews. The overall underlying message of the study is to exemplify not only the power that digital marketing strategies can have on potential customers, but the potential for growth online- as only a small percentage of total advertising expenditures are currently being devoted to the internet.

[edit] Overview:

This article, before jumping into the study first gives a summary of the current relationship millennials have with online platforms through a brief overview of this ‘online generation’. “Millennials are the biggest generational group since the baby boomers. Their hefty size and buying power are making them attractive targets for many consumer industries. Having grown up socializing and making purchases online, this generation’s usage of e-commerce will continue to grow along with their discretionary income. Millennials have been identified as a driving force behind online shopping.”(p.86)The synopsis of the millennial generation sets up a base knowledge of the group of individuals included in the study. Since this article is primarily a social study there were four main questions that the researchers intend to answer (1) What forms of online advertising do Millennials prefer? (2) Which web site features grab the attention of Millennials? (3) How can marketers prompt Millennials to repeatedly visit a web site? (4) What motivates Millennials to write online reviews?

[edit] Research design and Hypothesis

The study was set up in order to gain primary data of the target millennial group over the span of three years; years included 2009, 2010, and 2011. The respondents were students between the ages of 19 and 23. For each year, males accounted for 43 to 45 percent of the respondents, while females accounted for 55 to 57 percent. The exact number of respondents for each year was 571 in 2009, 586 in 2010, and 227 in 2011. Once data from those three years was analyzed four main hypothesis where proposed to answer the four main questions the study had proposed .H1. Millennials will increasingly prefer coupons as a mode of online advertising. H2. Personalization will be the most successful web site feature for grabbing the attention of Millennials. H3. Competitive pricing will be a strong incentive for Millennials to repeatedly visit a web site. H4. Millennials are motivated to write online reviews if there is a personal benefit involved. *Further explanation of the hypothesis can be found in the article.

[edit] Strengths and weakness:

Starting with the strengths of this article, fist and for most the study offered a good use of primary data from an appropriate audience. Over the three years the study included an adequate number of participants, interviewing upwards of 1400 students over this time allowed for a great volume of data that was subject to changing over the years as millennial consumer trends change. The statistics used in the form of tables throughout this paper also helped with clarity of the findings, translating the statistics into hypothesis happened seamlessly and easily communicates the main points of interest to the reader. Another strength of the study was in the ways that the author was able to make further recommendations for managers in a position to engage the digital marketplace. The study clearly states the importance of targeting millenials online, making clear suggestions such as ‘Spend the extra money to have superb graphics on a company web site. Graphics are the one feature that overwhelmingly catches the eyes of Millennials.’ Or ‘There is already too much “clutter” on the internet. Personalize the web site. This generation likes the personal touch and the chance to network with the marketer.’ These examples give one an idea of how simplified these notions are, when in fact this knowledge came as a result of meticulous research. Some of the weaknesses found throughout the study could be a short number of things, starting with the dates as ideally this study would have been done closer to the current date as this information may no longer be completely relevant. As well the study sample is only taken from one University rather than several, possibly limiting the scope of the research.

[edit] Assessment and final Thoughts:

In conclusion this article was able to effectively summarise and make sense of the millennial generation, and their natural affinity for online commerce. This study completed their goal in answering four main questions (1) What forms of online advertising do Millennials prefer? (2) Which web site features grab the attention of Millennials? (3) How can marketers prompt Millennials to repeatedly visit a web site? (4) What motivates Millennials to write online reviews? By answering these questions in depth the reader is truly immersed in both the question and the answer. Overall this paper was an enjoyable read that offered many insights into the digital world of online marketing, specifically looking at the millennial generation. The use of appropriate study methods and statistically supported claims makes this study a valuable one, for anyone seeking a base understanding of the phenomena’s of online commerce.