Highlights - At this time, digital natives represent more than half of the total internet market and make up more than a quarter of the global population in 2020. Besides, these people have a higher purchasing power than any other generation making them an important target market for businesses. In order to successfully market to digital natives, brands need to learn about and embrace digital transformation.
Digital transformation is the process of adapting to and using digital technologies to change how a business operates. This includes automating processes, creating new customer experiences, and developing new products and services.
Digital natives are the generation of people who have grown up using digital technologies.
They are comfortable using the internet, social media, and mobile devices to communicate with friends to buy products. They are the people born between the mid-1980s and the late 1990s and are considered the first generation to grow up with and use computers, the internet, smartphones, etc.
There are several ways for brands to embrace digital transformation to better reach and connect with digital natives, and some of them include.
Creating a Seamless Experience
Digital natives are used to getting what they want when they want it. They are used to having information at their fingertips and being able to purchase items with a few clicks. Brands need to provide digital natives with a seamless experience that meets their expectations. One way is to focus on creating an omnichannel customer experience. This means providing customers with a consistent experience interacting with your brand online, in-store, or through social media.
Using Data for Personalization
Remember that digital natives are used to being bombarded with marketing messages. In order to stand out, brands need to focus on creating relevant and personalized content that speaks to the customer in a way that is interesting and useful to them. This can be done by using data such as customer location, demographics, past purchasing behavior, and more to create targeted content and ads. You can further optimize it using data and analytics to understand behavior and preferences.
Focusing on Mobile
Digital natives are always connected, and they are used to getting their information on the go. In fact, more than half of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices. This means that brands need to have a strong mobile presence to reach digital natives. This includes having a responsive website, active social media accounts, and creating mobile-friendly content such as videos, infographics, and blog posts.
Go for Freemium
Freemium is a business model that offers a basic product or service for free with the option of upgrading to a premium version for a fee. Many digital native-focused businesses, such as Spotify and Dropbox, have used this model to great success. Freemium technology, especially for social media platforms, accelerates the pace at which people adopt new ideas, technologies, and lifestyles. If you have a successful freemium model, it’s likely that your customers are going to adapt your technology, products, or services quicker than would otherwise be the case.
Engaging with New Formats
Digital natives are used to consuming content in new and innovative ways. This means that brands need to be open to experimenting with new formats such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and 360-degree videos. These formats provide a more immersive experience that can help capture the attention of digital natives. Besides, you can explore YouTube shorts, Instagram stories and Reels, Snapchat Lenses, and more to better engage with digital natives.
Conclusion
Digital transformation is inevitable for businesses today, and those who don’t embrace it will be left behind. To reach digital natives, brands need to meet them where they are by creating a seamless experience, using data for personalization, focusing on mobile, and going for a freemium model.