Although we’ve typically thought of them as ‘the younger generations’, millennials and Gen-Z are making up more and more of our adult population. With different communication and information-consumption habits than Gen-X and older generations, municipalities can often see millennials and Gen-Z as difficult to reach — but that doesn’t have to be the case!
As these groups increasingly represent a larger share of the voting and tax-paying population, municipalities that fail to adapt their approaches to engage residents risk losing a critical connection with their communities. Decreased civic participation is a detriment to any municipality and a lack of effort to communicate can erode trust and create a perceived lack of transparency.
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They Value Authenticity — Millennials and Gen-Z value truthfulness and social responsibility more than previous generations. They don’t expect any entity to be perfect, but they always expect them to be honest about shortcomings or mistakes. Owning these imperfections makes a municipal entity seem more relatable and reveals the humans behind the scenes working for their government, things these generations are likely to connect and feel kinship with.
They Are Digital Lifers — Millennials and Gen-Z have been part of the digital realm for the vast majority or all of their lives. Digital platforms are where they receive news, make plans, communicate with others, and live out large parts of their lives. If you want to successfully connect with them, meet them where they are rather than trying to force them elsewhere.
They Prefer Mobile-First Experiences — Further developing the previous point, those under 40 are most likely to use their smartphones to browse and interact with online platforms rather than their laptops or stationary computers. Keeping this in mind when developing websites is paramount.
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Prioritizing authenticity and digital, mobile-first spaces makes social media the perfect place to connect with this demographic.
Millennials and Gen-Z dominate the social media space. You don’t need to be active on every platform though, instead, choose those that fit your municipalities communication style. Instagram and TikTok for short, engaging video content, Facebook for more informative posts, and YouTube for longer-form videos are great places to start.
It’s important to try to create content that will resonate with your audience. Infographics, polls, and behind-the-scenes glimpses appeal to this demographic’s desire for digestible content, interactivity, and authenticity. By meeting them where they are, providing content they’re interested in, and by interacting such as through comments and Q&As you will build trust and rapport with millennials and Gen-Z.
Platforms like Google ads and social media ads not only provide incredible reach, but will also allow you to target your audiences very specifically based on factors such as interests, location, and online behavior. Because these platforms tend to be crowded spaces, focusing on eye-catching and thumb-stopping imagery and content optimized for mobile devices will increase your chance of success.
Not sure what to create ads about? Struggling to fit your message into a short, mobile-first format? Publishing content on your website is a great way to create more in-depth information that you can easily push audiences to through ads and social posts. This can be blog content, videos, and general updates, or more specific things such as job postings, sustainability initiatives, and information about upcoming events.
Millennials and Gen-Z are the future majority of engaged citizens. Don’t make the mistake of not adapting your communications to better target these groups. By connecting with them where they already are and doing so in an authentic way you have the opportunity to build trust and engagement with the future leaders of our communities.