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The study suggests that only 22% of Millennials use Twitter, the real-time microblogging site that allows posts of up to 140 characters. Of those young people who use Twitter, 85% said they follow friends, 54% follow celebrities, 29% follow family, and 29% follow companies. That's not great news for marketers and companies trying to reach this demographic through the site.
"Twitter has a problem on their hands if they want to become a long-term viable player," says Michael Della Penna, PMN co-founder and executive chairman. "Part of that communication of value must speak to Gen Y and show them the benefit of using Twitter."
Some might suggest that Millennials aren't the only ones who don't see the value in Twitter.
When asked about social networks, nearly all who participated in the survey revealed having an active profile on at least one site. Eighty-nine percent have downloaded an application to their profile page; 89%, photos; 53%, games; 51%, entertainment; 32%, news; and 29%, weather.
Mobile social networking is heating up for Millennials, too. Thirty-eight percent have an iPhone or iPod Touch. More than 50% have downloaded games; 35%, entertainment; 31%, lifestyle; 28% have downloaded free financial applications, and 7% have paid financial applications. More than one-quarter -- 26 percent -- indicated that they have not downloaded any.
PMN conducted the study in May 2009 with its research partner, the Lubin School of Business' Interactive and Direct Marketing (IDM) Lab at Pace University, by questioning 200 PMN panel members and consumers between the ages of 18-24.
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@dmgerbino
I watch my kids ( millennials) play with the tools they have. They have integrated Myspace, Facebook and Mobile connection devices naturally. If "They" are not present on Twitter, I would suggest developing a relationship with them- WHERE THEY ARE.
The Millenials who aren't using Twitter possibly just see more "value" in the interaction that's taking place in real-time on Facebook, which they can also access via mobile phones.
Why should they Twitter when Facebook immediately (or at least as fast as Twitter) notifies their mobile device when someone has made a comment on THEIR comment or post?
Individuality and perspective tend to get lost in the traffic. Attuned to the minutia of existence, we tend not just to see the forest for the trees, but to have our gaze trained compulsively on each blade of grass.
Our worldview does not expand, but instead, shrinks under the steady pedestrian tromp of group think bromides and what I did yesterday, or 20 minutes ago micronarratives.
Following someone on Twitter through all the tweety little hiccups of life is like watching a reality show without the drama, silliness and sexual hyperbole. It's just plain dull. Which, of course, is the one thing millenials cannot abide. As Kurt Cobain so aptly articulated in his millenial mantra, "Here we are, entertain us."
So, it's actually encouraging that the millenials see little value in Twitter. Maybe they'll ultimately end up becoming the vanguard of a new, technology-constrained social order. Maybe they'll take up the mantra of their grandparents and turn off all the electronic devices, go outside, hit a baseball, ride a bike, picnic in the park, or just plain take a walk outside and look up at an un-Photoshopped sky.
Because, at the end of the day, that's what life really looks like on the "big screen."
Christopher Payne-Taylor | Andover, MA
As the referenced survey indicates, they have created their own virtual enclaves and gated communities to filter out these advertising and marketing assaults into an on-demand (if necessary) category (as stated by Michael Gruen).
Unlike the generations prior, Millennials don't view networking as a "what can you do for me" game. Rather, they use tools like Twitter to build relationships, share resources, and update their network on recent news (of all types).
The issue in merging social media with Gen Y is challenge of changing the way information (value) is exchanged and viewed. Unlike anything of the past, social media provides content with no strings attached and with expectation of reciprocity and engagement.
Occasionally, I fly jetBlue-- I'm glad they have a twitter presence and will interact with me on that medium, but I don't need to follow them in order to make that happen. They're only relevant to me a couple of days a year-- why make a persistent commitment to follow them and allow them to market to me?
In short, using 'follow' as a metric, suggesting non-appreciation, is flawed.