Millennials aren’t quick to put their trust in the government, politicians, corporations or other institutions, but 82 percent said they would have more trust in a company or institution if it were doing one simple thing: engaging in social media, according to an annual survey by global public relations firm Edelman.
That means companies that want to connect with Millennials as prospective employees or customers need to get serious about using social media — and using it well.
Here’s why:
Millennials Need Transparency
For Millennials, trust starts with transparency. When a company puts itself out there on social media in a conversation with the public, it’s opening itself up to feedback — both positive and negative. In doing so, it positions itself as a company that believes in its product or service and isn’t afraid of what people may say.
If your company is still unsure about using social media, it’s time to stop thinking and start doing. The technology is well established and an important part of connecting with customers and other members of the public. From LinkedIn to Facebook to Tumblr to Pinterest to YouTube, you can find a site that appropriately aligns with your organization’s mission and brand.
If your company continues to shy away from social media, Millennials may feel like you’re hiding something or you’re afraid of interaction. It’s similar to showing up at an event where a group of politicians are schmoozing with the public, and one decides to stay inside and avoid the crowd. If that happened, you’d wonder what she was hiding and get suspicious fast.
I’m the chairwoman for Cosmopolitan magazine’s Millennial Advisory Board and have seen the magazine’s team go to great lengths to be transparent with their readers. For example, Cosmopolitan editors live-stream their editorial meetings so readers can listen in and observe how staff members select what goes into the magazine.
That’s the level of access and transparency Millennials want from the companies they buy from. They want to co-create with the brands they love and they want to be part of the decision-making process. Millennials want to know there’s a seat at the table for them with their favorite brands.
As an employer, you can bring this type of transparency to your company by starting a Millennial committee or inviting your Millennial employees to sit in on important meetings. If they get a seat at the table, they’ll trust their employers more (and they may just offer up some great ideas, too).
Millennials Trust their Own
In a Time article titled “Millennials: Trust No One But Twitter,” research psychologist Peggy Drexler said “Millennials buy ideas, beliefs and products from people, not corporations.” And she’s right. Just as many Baby Boomers resolved not to “trust anyone over 30” in the 1960s, there’s no one Millennials trust more than a fellow Millennial who is engaged with a product, doesn’t work the company who produced it and is still saying great things about the product. They pay attention to reviews on sites like Amazon, Yelp, Glassdoor and Wall Street Oasis and they expect you’ll be aware of what is posted there and respond when appropriate.
You Can Take Advantage of Millennials as Advocates
Millennials use social media as a way to express themselves, their opinions, their likes and dislikes about all aspects of their personal and professional lives. Millennials have no problem speaking up and speaking out.
For companies trying to reach new customers, social media provides a huge opportunity to identify and build Millennial brand advocates. Having your company’s biggest fans speak on your behalf is one of the best ways to market your company and its products today. And being engaged in social media makes it easy for you to identify your advocates.
For example, I have Google and Twitter alerts set up so I know whenever anyone mentions me or my books online because I want to thank them and build a relationship. This is how I use social media to create a personalized interaction with my customers and hopefully build loyal brand advocates.
How are you building trust with your Millennial employees and customers? Please share in the comments!
