Millennial, Metrics and the New Media – John Della Volpe (@dellavolpe)
Millenials are a Big Deal
- Millenials = 13 to 30 year olds, they are the largest generation in human history and they have a significant impact on the economy
- This generation has trust issues – especially with traditional media and old institutions and they are not afraid to let you know it.
- They trust a recommendation from a friend 4x as much as TV and email.
- Connecting online was not a fluke, millennial’ brains are wired differently.
- Gen X (latch key kids) – first generation where both parents are working. TV was the primary entertainer
- Millennial (also latch key kids) – now the internet is the primary entertainer and they interact socially on the web
- if not for Millennials, Hilary Clinton would be the president of the USA and not Barak Obama (e.g. Millenials voted for Obama 57% to 11% in Iowa) – Obama campaign targeted Millenials, Clinton did not
What are Millenials Thinking about today
- Politics and Government (latest Harvard IOP Survey)
- Obama’s job performance stable
- Republicans eyeing midterm elections
- US Military most trusted institutions surveyed
- Economy
- economic anxiety is palpable
- majority concerned about keeping head above water
- half of students concerned about staying in college
- Service
- millennials remain committed to community service
Stats on concern about keeping head above water 45% stay in college, 46% ability to live in the city they want, 56% afford health care, 58% affort a place to liver, 60% ability to pay bills
“The Facebook” and Social Media
- Facebook is the 3rd largest country by population, China, India, Facebook, USA …
- by next Jan 2011, there will be more people 50+ yo on facebook than <30 yo
- http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/facebook.com for stats
- Facebook is mainstream while Twitter skews younger
Mapping Your SocialSphere
- ORBIT Map http://socialsphere.com
- 4 categories of sites on the Internet – General News (traditional), Industry News, Social Frameworks (Networks), Blogs and Communities – target type graphic for College Applicants and their interaction with the 4 types
What has Changed in the Last 18 Months
- College Confidential, College Prowler, Zinch – social ranking sites
- YouTube is starting to become more relevant and influential – video is really taking off
- good Facebook site are becoming the ‘state of practice”
We need to see more effort connecting parents of millennials
- parents are seeking much more information than ever before
- social software can help deliver information and messages to parents
- at BCIT, we talk about “Helicopter Parents” – “they are always hovering around”
