Research reveals 5 strategies to engage youth audiences in a shifting media landscape

This highly valuable audience is a treasure trove waiting to be unlocked. They are highly influential on purchase decisions (almost 80% of purchased items within the household are influenced by youth) and highly engaged with digital mediums. Showing up in the right way, at the right place and right time will deliver brand growth now and into the future.

TotallyAwesome’s Youth-first Digital Insights study has been exploring the youth audience in Asia Pacific for over eight years, focusing on four to 24-year-olds and their parents. In that time, we have seen a shift in their media consumption behaviors and an increase in the role of digital. This generation are born into ‘tech’; it’s how they discover and research brands, it’s how they consume content, it’s how they connect with the world.

So, what does this mean for brands wanting to reach a youth audience? Here are five strategies to engage youth audiences and unlock brand growth.

1. Be in, around and beyond gaming

Gaming is the superpower for brands. According to our research, nine out of 10 youths are gaming. Gaming is a positive part of their digital world. The number one reason is that gaming is fun, with 63% of youths identifying this as a motivation for gaming.

Interestingly, there has been a rise in the role gaming plays with youth mental health. Across Asia Pacific, 39% state that gaming helps with stress and anxiety and 39% feel that gaming makes them feel better about themselves. Gaming is a social connector, a learning environment and a place to explore self-expression.

For brands, being a part of gaming builds positive associations with your brand and engages with youths in an environment where they are more receptive to your messages. Gaming ads are effective and drive conversions. TotallyAwesome’s insights show youths are more likely to act after seeing a sponsored ad in gaming environment. In-game ads online promote product discovery, influence and trigger purchase decisions both online and offline.

Gaming is more than gaming. It’s their new social.

2. Utilize influencer marketing

Influencers are influencing youth. Brands need to consider relevant influencers to deliver brand messages and achieve brand affinity. 94% of youths are watching and engaging in influencer content. Content from gaming to food, to lifestyle and entertainment resonates and is popular with this audience.

TotallyAwesome’s insights identified that influencer content is how youth discover new brands from fashion (23%) to health and beauty (20%), to toys (17%). Once they discover a brand, a quarter of youth are purchasing because of influencer endorsement.

Partnering with influencers is an integral part of a youth engagement strategy. It builds trust and desirability among young audiences and achieves overall brand awareness and relevancy.

3. Implement campaigns that integrate multiple platforms and mediums

Media synergy is key. Integrated campaigns that utilize digital mediums such as gaming are the starting point for reaching youth. Including gaming alone into your TV mix can increase your reach by 23%.

Youths are discovering brands across multiple media platforms from YouTube (38%) to TV (30%) to TikTok (22%) and Instagram (18%). As they move through to purchase, digital stays front and center with 55% shopping online. E-commerce needs to maintain a connection and engagement with this audience. Youth need to be well informed and confident in their purchase decisions.

4. Develop content for mobile

Mobile ready content wins with youth. Brands must ensure content is optimised for mobile. Our study showed that 65% of youths have a smartphone and 45% have a tablet. 75% are on a smartphone daily and spending an average of almost three hours a day. 64% rate smartphones / tablets as the preferred device for watching influencer content.

Mobile is where they discover, research and purchase brands.

5. Align brand values with youth values

This is a generation with strong values. Purpose driven, contextual marketing matters. They care about what brands stand for and brands that align with their core values will benefit. Values such as reliability (46%), sustainability (33%), community care (22%) and embracing diversity and equality (45%) resonate strongly with this audience.

With recent cost of living impacts, affordability has grown in importance and is a key value youth are looking for (46%). Brands need to generate value and affordability with this audience. Youth make emotion-driven and functional purchases, so brands need to meet both these needs.

Reaching this highly valuable audience requires brands to be brave. Brands must step into their world and show up in a way that is relevant and responsible. Youth audiences are reachable. Youth audiences are the future for brands. Youth audiences are wanting brands to engage with them in their world, a digital world.

For more insights and information on how to reach a youth audience, please contact TotallyAwesome at info@totallyawesome.tv. We provide white papers and custom reports for brands wanting to understand a youth audience.