Get in while it’s still hot
So you’re looking to reach a younger crowd? You want to be in with the cool kids? You want to keep up with the youth and speak to them on their level? Then look no further than Instagram.
This year, the social media giant reported that they have nearly 500 million users worldwide, of which 59 percent use the app every single day. Moreover, Global Web Index reported that two-thirds of those users are under 35 years old, making Instagram the perfect playground for companies marketing to a younger demographic.
Why the shift?
As more parents take a liking to Facebook and the newsfeed starts resembling the back page of a Penny Saver magazine, IG has become the go-to app for visual storytelling. All you see as you scroll through are photos and videos, which eliminates the clutter of endless links, ads, and rants from random high school classmates that you would otherwise have no contact with.
Like Snapchat, Instagram has continued to appeal to a younger demographic, even adding features like Instagram Stories to keep users engaged.
For companies, IG is a more conversational approach to marketing, and serves as a place to interact with your target demographic. In addition to the immense amount of young people using the app, there are a few other statistics to keep in mind when looking to up your marketing game on Instagram:
Stats to keep in mind
More women use Instagram than men. According to Pew Research, out of all internet users, around 31 percent of women use Instagram compared to 24 percent of men.
You can reach an international audience: 80 percent of Instagram users live outside of the US.
IG is more popular in cities than rural areas. Most users report living in urban and suburban areas, with only 18% living in rural areas.
When looking to appeal to the younger generation, it may be well worth your time to create a marketing strategy that includes interaction on IG. As the user base continues to increase, marketers have continued to take notice of the powerful tool IG has become to shape their social media campaigns.
#IGyouth
Natalie is a Staff Writer at The Real Daily and co-founded an Austin creative magazine called Almost Real Things. When she is not writing, she spends her time making art, teaching painting classes and confusing people. In addition to pursuing a writing career, Natalie plans on getting her MFA to become a Professor of Fine Art.
