Don’t be misled by the name. (“Market segment C” just doesn’t sound as catchy.) What defines Gen C is how they operate online – why they are online, how they use the Internet, and what they want from their online experience. Gen C people are joiners. They are online to connect with other people, not just to compare prices or get directions. They are looking to participate in virtual communities built around their interests. C stands for connected.
Understanding Gen C is going to be crucial for developing your digital marketing strategy for 2017. We’re bombarded by information online. No one can possibly read all of the things that might be interesting or useful for them. Good content that offers value to your audience is essential, but your content needs to do more. It needs to engage and spur discussion. Gen C does not just want to read something interesting and useful and then shut off their device. They want to discuss and debate it with like-minded souls.
One example of how Gen C functions are the popularity of online multiplayer games. While some people are happy to play solitaire on their computer, Gen C is not. Gen C wants to create user profiles and enjoy role-playing games with a virtual community. Gen C wants to go out hunting for Pokémon and share the fun with their friends online. Look at how groups have thrived on social media from Facebook to LinkedIn.
This community seeking is not just limited to fun and games, however. Gen C also wants to read reviews and discuss products and experiences. If you have a hotel, for example, they don’t just want to look at your website and see you say you are family-friendly or that you have great conference facilities. They want to ask specific questions and hear other’s people’s experiences.
Interactivity is an important part of user experience (UX) for Gen C. They want maps they can zoom in and out of with a route finder, not a simple, stagnant map graphic. They want online forums and lively comment sections. And they also want to know that they are interacting with real people, not a lot of spammers flooding the comments. What they really want is a human connection online. What are you giving them?
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By Irene Hislop
By Conor McCaffrey