A study of 2,000 consumers across generations, from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, finds 74 percent of millennials (20-39) and Gen Z (16-19) object to being targeted by brands in their social media feeds. In fact, 56 percent of these digital natives report cutting back or actually stopping use of social media sites entirely due to advertisements in their news feed. [click to Tweet]

Brands are eagerly trying to build trust and loyalty with consumers in the U.S. through social media, but it appears many may be missing the mark according to a new Harris Poll conducted on behalf of Lithium Technologies. Results reveal that direct targeting on social via ads can actually lose you customers, and that a far more effective method of reaching today’s digital generations is to be present on the channels they frequent, and let them seek you out. An infographic highlighting the study findings is here:http://www.lithium.com/pdfs/infographic/lithium_extreme_expectations_study.pdf

“Pushing out ads on social media is the surest way for brands to alienate consumers, especially the younger generations who make up more than 50 percent of the population,” said Rob Tarkoff, President and CEO of Lithium Technologies. “That’s a lot of purchasing power, and it’s only going to grow as these generations reach their prime spending years. The promise of social technologies has always been about connecting people, not shouting at them, and the brands that don’t do this risk their very existence.”

“I go on social media to see and know what my friends are doing. I don’t want to see ads clutter my news feed. If I’m interested in a product or service, I know where to look,” said 23-year-old recent graduate, Mallory Benham. “Social media is a place for us to connect with our friends, not be attacked by advertisements.”

Today’s younger consumers, raised almost entirely in the digital era, are much more likely to trust information they seek out themselves – whether on blogs, websites or online communities. The survey indicates where younger and older generations place their trust in online sources.

Where’s the Trust?
Source	Younger Generations ( Gen Z and millennials)	Older Generations (Gen X and Baby Boomers)
Online sites with Product Reviews  (e.g., Amazon, Yelp)	85%	66%
Company/Manufacturer web sites	66%	44%
Communities of like-minded individuals (e.g., chat rooms, forums, user groups)	65%	44%
People they follow online	57%	31%
Social networks (e.g., Facebook, Twitter)	53%	29%
Celebrity endorsements	40%	28%

Trust in online sources is fairly strong across generations but the results show that the younger, digital natives tend to place more trust in them – something brands need to bear in mind as millennials and Gen Z mature.

Millennials and Gen Z comprise over 50 percent of the population (Goldman Sachsi), so meeting their expectations should be of utmost importance to brands. When millennials reach out online, 79 percent of them expect a response back within the same day, compared to only 73 percent for Gen X and 71 percent for Baby Boomers. Brands who are not actively responding, monitoring and engaging with their customers online stand to lose them and jeopardize brand loyalty.

“Social implies a two-way conversation and that means paying attention and participating,” said Tarkoff.  “Brands who break that contract are going to lose a generation of customers.”