A new study is shedding light on the digital habits of millennials, revealing that the generation (defined as those born between 1977 and 1995) spends approximately 18 hours of their day engaged with media, and about five of those hours are spent with media created and curated by their peers, otherwise known as user-generated content (UGC).
In fact, the Ipsos and Crowdtap study suggests that social networks are driving the UGC craze, with 71 percent of millennials checking social media at least once per day. The study also notes that 68 percent of millennials trust peer reviews while just 64 percent trust professional reviews. Moreover, UGC is among the top influencers when it comes to conversions, with 20 percent of millennials stating that UGC is more influential than any other media types, and 59 percent leveraging UGC to help them make a purchasing decision when it comes to major electronics, 54 percent when it comes to cars and 45 percent when it comes to hotel choice.
The study notes that brands targeting the millennial audience can capitalize on the UGC with a variety of strategies. For starters, brands can take a "top down" approach, which includes leveraging expert bloggers, or "professional influencers," to drive social influence to consumers. Conversely, brands can take a "bottom up" approach by creating a campaign that empowers fans to share their brand experiences across social media.
Discover more insights from the study by checking out the infographic below: