Millennials and Gen Z are the first generations to be constantly connected, and their lifestyle is driven by staying on top of the latest social trends. Companies that want to make a meaningful connection with the younger generations need to have a comprehensive understanding of what's in and what's not with young consumers. An easy way to do this is to read blogs dedicated to the mindset of today's youth.
However, that does not mean finding just any blog written by a teenager. Companies should seek out blogs written by young people, but that nevertheless contain credible, well-researched content. Here are the top 10 publications dedicated to youthful content that everybody who deals with youth audiences should look into:
1. YouthLogix
YouthLogix, the vibrant new online publication founded by 17 year old entrepreneurs Deep Patel and Connor Blakley, explores and dissects the mind of young consumers. The publication is written by young, highly qualified staff members. YouthLogix reports on almost every trend, strategy, and development of the next generation of consumers. Luminaries such as Jay Abraham, Daymond John, Adam Toren, Brian Solis and Cameron Herold have praised YouthLogix, bolstering the publication's credibility.
2. YPulse
YPulse is a well established publication, having begun its operation in 2004. Run by president Dan Coates and COO Tracy Tomasso, YPulse prides itself on presenting highquality content with verifiable data that accredits their material. Their intricate survey network produces genuine responses and explanations. While much of the content is free, YPulse operates on a "subscribe for content" strategy, so a subscription is necessary to view the best content.
3. Youth Marketing Connection
Youth Marketing Connection is a youth marketing and content agency that connects companies with student influencers to better represent a brand. YMC is not strictly a content provider, though their blog offers insights on how to connect with young consumers. YMC primarily focuses on building relationships between influencers and businesses to convey a company's brand in the most effective way. With its highly valued campus relationships, YMC has a large pool of potential influencer partners.
4. Voxburner
Voxburner is a classic content provider with deep insights into youth marketing. Its mission is to maintain awareness for young consumers. Much of the staff is comprised of students and young thinkers, and the site is rather loosely structured. It has a more laidback tone than those mentioned above. Voxburner offers reports on statistical behaviors of youth consumers, which businesses can purchase to study the behaviors of today's youth.
5. Millennial Marketing
Millennial Marketing, the publication powered by Futurecast, is another upbeat content provider. They experiment with format quite a bit, and have set up several web series to give readers insight into the mindset of young consumers. Millennial Marketing sets itself apart with a vast amount of downloadable content. The articles and blog posts are insightful, but the reports they offer may be the most valuable to businesses.
6. Immersive Youth Marketing
Immersive Youth Marketing participates in almost every facet of marketing to connect businesses with the next generation. What sets the company apart is Youthvine, its proprietary online community. Youthvine is a forum driven by young administrators. It is coordinated to allow owners to communicate with nextgeneration buyers. IYM's agency establishes the relationships, but Youthvine creates a unique experience to engage the new age.
7. Total Youth Research
Total Youth Research, a publication run by veteran marketer Graham Brown, takes a classroom approach to educating its viewers. Brown has an instructional setup, offering purchasable ebooks, ecourses and a specialized "Academy." Though TYR hosts blog content, the most unique aspect of the site is the learning opportunities it offers. TYR has one of the most informative platforms on youth marketing, and if you want access to experienced professionals in the business, it should be first on your list.
8. The Influential Marketing Group
The Influential Marketing Group is a brand consultancy agency run by Rohit Bhargava, an experienced brand manager. IMG is Bhargava's personal website, specializing in concierge marketing, which is more practical than regular consulting. It produces exceptional amounts of content. Bhargava's site conveys a professional image dedicated to the understanding of consumer behavior. IMG provides viewers with the opportunity to invite Bhargava to speak at events. Alternatively, he can coach branches on brand management and trend research.
9. Millennial Branding
Millennial Branding specializes in providing relevant research and insights for marketing to Millennials. Founded and operated by Dan Schawbel, Millennial Marketing focuses most of its efforts on consulting and informing businesses rather than publishing content. Millennial Marketing separates itself from the pack with sponsored research and case studies designed to aid readers in understanding their interactions with Millennial consumers.
10. YouthBeat
YouthBeat focuses its attention on Generation Z. The company explores the minds of young teens, but also has a section called YouthBeatJr that is devoted to understanding the mindset of today's toddlers. Like YPulse, Youthbeat requires a subscription for access to the best content. It may be worth the expense, however, as the content is some of the most genuine you will find, with information based on surveys from over 5,000 young consumers.
What youth marketing blogs do you follow?
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
Source: Top 10 Youth Marketing Blogs to Follow in 2016
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