Did you know 64% of Instagram users are 18-29 years old? If that’s your target market, you’re going to want to read the rest of this blog.

Millennials (people born between 1981-1996) are a massive target market. If you haven’t been taking them seriously, it may be time to open your eyes to how much they inject into the economy – globally.

It is estimated that millennials are spending more than $600 billion annually in the US.

If you’re not tapping into this market, you’re truly missing out.

What do Millennials spend on?

Here’s what Forbes had to say:

“Millennials place more value on experiences than material possessions. [Baby] Boomers and Gen X-ers took great pride in ownership of big-ticket items like homes, cars, investment properties, stocks etc.

… 57% of millennials agree that ease of access and frugality now replace the prestige of ownership.”

This article was written in 2017 – something marketers has been seeing, studying and utilising.

Is it time to re-evaluate your business model to take it to the next level?

What is now considered “generic” and “curated”

• Aesthetic grids – picture perfect posts, colour coordinated, pink
• Avocado toast
• Beach
• Perfect if not face-tuned selfies
• Colour coordinated walls, items, props, food
• Posing in front of a pretty wall

There are millions of Instagram accounts and businesses that focus too much on “staying on brand” and posting the above list.

It’s become too common and too impersonal. Remember, people connect with people. They want to see the human behind the account as who they are and not their fake façade.

What do people want to see now?

Something real & authentic. Posts that are getting better engagement are ones that are truly in the moment, and reflective of the person’s true personality – imperfect and raw.

Here’s what they are double-tapping on:

• Candid shots – caught in the moment and not posing
• Unfiltered & low-production photos
• Mirror selfies – unstaged
• Pictures of them relaxing
• Doesn’t matter if a post makes the feed/grid imperfect
• Long captions
• Memes
• Natural, no-make up selfies
• Random posts on animals / something completely unrelated to your ‘brand’

People are looking to relate and connect with other people, not a perfected curated photo.

If you’ve been wondering why you’re dropping in followers and engagement levels, this is probably why!