Marketing to teens online can be challenging. After all, they’re used to getting whatever they want, when they want it, and they might not always be open to new ideas.

But, with the right strategy, marketing to teens online can be highly effective. In fact, recent study from HubSpot reveal that teens value quality content highly and will often skip past less effective marketing if the content is of lower quality.

So, if you’re looking to engage with, and target, this demographic, read on for some key ideas on how to make your marketing to teens online a success.

Focus On Content That The Teens Value

It’s important to know what your audience wants and values above all else. After all, consumers’ habits and demographics vary and, for some products, specifically, teens may prefer completely different options to the rest of the population.

For example, while the mainstream may prefer their music on streaming services, having a physical album in their hand, or being able to go into a record store and choose what they want, might mean a lot to a teen. This is particularly important when you’re marketing to a demographic who is very used to getting what they want and have little patience for poorly executed marketing. In this case, you might want to consider going the extra mile and creating a custom album specifically for this audience, featuring songs they’ll enjoy and value.

Use Video To Grab Attention

With the rise of TikTok — and other platforms like it — video content is more important than ever to grab attention and keep it. Why? It’s simple. Teens love video content. They use it on a daily basis and consider it to be a valuable tool in their toolkit. Additionally, videos allow you to connect with your audience in a much more personal, authentic, and, sometimes, funny way.

According to HubSpot Blogs research, respondents said that “being able to see how someone interacts with a product” was the most useful function of video content. They also valued highly the ability to “hear directly from a brand or celebrity.” So, if you’re looking to attract, engage, and retain teens with your marketing efforts, video content is a great place to start.

Now, not all video content is created equal. In order to succeed with video marketing, you need to focus on specific methods for each platform.

YouTube For Short-Form Content

If you’re looking to reach and engage with teens on YouTube, where else can you go? Well, if you want to keep it short and sweet, the best place to be is probably TikTok, where there’s often less than a minute’s worth of content.

In these short video briefs, often called “snippets” on TikTok, users are often encouraged to keep it light-hearted or even funny. While this can be a great way to draw in viewers and encourage them to come back for more, keep in mind that a lot of marketing research has shown that, in general, users tend to be more receptive to serious messages in short-form content. So, if you’re looking to bring in new subscribers and engage with existing ones, keep your strategies light-hearted but not entirely facetious. After all, your product might not be the one for them.

On the other end of the spectrum, users on TikTok value long-form content, like blogs and websites. Why? It’s probably because they’ve got so much time on their hands. With no pre-roll or commercial breakspecks to get in the way, users can sit back and enjoy the content as it flows. So, if you’ve got a blog or website that you think is worth a read, create some short-form content to attract and engage with users on TikTok. But, if you really want to impress and grow your audience, consider creating a full-length blog post or website piece that they can enjoy in full.

Vimeo For Long-Form Content

If you’re looking to reach and engage with teens on Vimeo, the options are a lot more limited. Not only does Vimeo have a “no entertainment” policy, so you can’t just post funny videos, but the platform is completely focused on video content, not text-based content like blogs and websites. Additionally, Vimeo is completely ad-supported, which means that, if you want to keep your content free, you’re going to have to rely on ads to do so.

This doesn’t mean that ads on Vimeo are always an unwanted distraction. In fact, according to a study from BrightEdge, respondents cited videos that featured embedded advertising as one of the most useful functions of the platform.

So, if you’ve got a blog or website that you think is worth a read, create some short-form content to attract and engage with users on Vimeo. But if you really want to impress and grow your audience, consider creating a full-length blog post or website piece that they can enjoy in full.

Instagram For Product Reviews And Product Photos

Instagram is another platform where users value honesty and transparency above all else, according to HubSpot Blogs research. Essentially, this is the same as YouTube for short-form content and Vimeo for long-form content, but with less competition, as Instagram doesn’t have a policy against entertainment content. However, just like YouTube, Instagram is predominantly used to share short-form content.

So, if you’ve got a product you think is worth reviewing or showcasing, create a short video showcasing the product, featuring its features and how they work. Or, if you’ve got a longer product review that you think is worth reading, consider creating an Instagram account to share it with your followers. As long as you’re not violating Instagram’s community guidelines, your content will likely be acceptable to the platform’s administrators.

Blogs For Opinions And Events

Opinions and events are also valuable to teens, according to HubSpot Blogs research. While they might appreciate a humorous take on an opinion topic or events that they’re interested in, they also want to read or hear about the subject or related events from someone they respect.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to attract teens with your marketing efforts, consider creating a blog. In these blogs, you can write about, well, whatever you’d like. But, keep in mind that when you write about a topic you’re an expert on, you’re automatically granting the platform credibility, so make sure that everything you post relates to your chosen niche.

Social Media Is Changing How We Think About Marketing

Let’s be honest. Social media grew up with teens and young adults in mind, so it’s no surprise that they value the content and functionality these platforms provide. Marketers shouldn’t ignore social media channels because it’s the “future of marketing” just as much as email marketing was in the past. In fact, according to HubSpot Blogs research, respondents said that “being able to see how others are interacting with a product or service” was the most useful function of social media.

Additionally, a third of respondents (33%) said that “being able to connect with other people” was the most useful function of social media, highlighting the importance of connecting with your audience, whether that’s a teen or an adult.

So, if you’ve got an audience of one, why not try and grow it? Create content that will engage and captivate your followership, then, when you get a huge Facebook following, you can market to teens with confidence.

Local Events And Activities

Lastly, let’s not forget about the value that local events and activities can have in bringing in new subscribers and engaging with existing ones. According to HubSpot Blogs research, respondents said that “being able to participate in an activity or event that is relevant to my interests” was the most useful function of social media.

From concerts to sporting events, locals are often keen to show off their city and share events that they can enjoy. If you can connect an event or activity to an audience that would value it, consider creating a Twitter account to share these events and encourage them to come along.

So, what do you think? What works and what doesn’t with marketing to teens online? Please feel free to share your insights in the comments section below.