Quitting Social Media: Is there a digital exodus?
Various news outlets have reported on the influx of younger people (Millennials and Gen Z) quitting social media. While it is true that many younger folks are aware of the pitfalls of too much screen time and the emotional strain associated with social media, it’s not as dire as marketers may believe.
The act of “quitting social media” can mean many things to younger people. For some, it means taking action to delete all accounts on every platform. For others, it could mean deleting accounts from specific platforms. Based on data compiled from the past few years, it appears that people tend to “come and go” from social media. For example, a person can come to the realization that they’re dedicating too much time to networking sites like Facebook or Twitter and back off for a month or two. Some may simply reduce their usage by turning off notifications and making a cognizant effort to check their social platforms on an infrequent basis, too.
Why are people quitting social media?
Based on surveys conducted by non-profits, social media platforms, and marketing agencies, there’s several reasons why people abandon social media. These reasons can include:
- Wanting to redirect attention to one’s career or allocate more time for family
- Desiring to improve one’s mental health—specifically to reduce anxiety or depression associated with negative interactions online or making comparisons to another user’s seemingly perfect life
- Fearing a loss of privacy
- Feeling overwhelmed by notifications, interactions with other users, and prolific advertisements
- Experiencing boredom with social media in a general sense
Demographics most likely to quit (or drastically reduce) social media use are Millennials and Gen Z. It makes sense that younger people, who have had access to social media for most of their lives, would crave a lifestyle less reliant on the internet for socializing.
What This Means for Marketers
Although people are certainly taking a hard assessment of how their time is spent online, the majority of people aren’t quitting social media en masse. In fact, tens of millions of people check various social platforms on a daily basis. Digital marketing is still an important component to consumer outreach. As we press on in the coming years, it will likely become apparent that digital marketing will need to focus on quality over quantity since digital fatigue is an issue. Digital marketing will need to center on thoughtful communication that is personalized and anticipates the needs/wants of an individual. Fortunately, advanced technology can make personalizing content and predicting consumer preferences much easier and more accurate.
Beyond digital outreach, it’s important for brands and businesses to look toward tried-and-true advertising methods like direct mail. Utilizing direct mail is a great way to make thoughtful contact with consumers while evoking feelings of trust and nostalgia for a simpler time. Another great selling point for direct mail is the fact that it provides a sensory experience that digital mediums cannot compete with. Like digital advertising, direct mail can be personalized for the consumer thanks to sophisticated software.
The printing experts at Pel Hughes can help you develop effective and personalized direct mail campaigns to engage with your ideal consumer. In addition to direct mail, we provide graphic design, cross media marketing, database services, campaign automation, and retargeting.
We serve businesses in an array of industries as well as non-profit organizations and educational institutions. You can request a quote online or call us at (504) 486-8646 to learn more.
