Brands may face challenges in their social efforts with Britons over age 24

Only the younger, “Facebook generation” routinely uses social media like Facebook to share information with brands, says a survey.

While four out of five UK residents are willing to share information with marketers, the type of channel they use depends on their age.

Apparently 24% of 18-24 year olds like communicating with brands on Facebook or Twitter, compared with 13% of 35-44 year olds and only 4% of 45-54 year olds.

The survey tested how likely consumers were to share home address, email details, income, mobile number, and marital status across six channels – email, post, phone, text and social networks, Facebook, and Twitter.

Brands need to understand that different age groups want to interact with them using different channels.

A poll of 2,000 UK residents done by YouGov for Experian Marketing Services suggest that marketers face a challenge in targeting their social media efforts at the right age groups.

The latter two demographics have more disposable income, of course, but the younger demographic is more affected by branding messages in general, according to an earlier Experian report on Banking on the Facebook Generation.

The Facebook generation (teens through under-24s are used to everything being rateable, from their teachers, to clothes to hotels.

How easy a brand is to rate, and where that rating takes place, are critical determinants of how much this age group will engage with the brand. If they re not rating you on your platform, they are rating you somewhere else.

Check out this infographic.

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