Don't Ask Why. Ask Y.

In true Generation Y fashion, I decided to write a blog post totally dedicated to talking about myself. But to be totally honest, brands embarking on the social media journey should pay attention. Gen Y's were the early adopters of social technology, and I would dare to say that they are still the front-runners of this marketing revolution. It's true, we love to talk about ourselves. But if brands are smart, they'll listen.

What Social Media Means to Millenials

- Everything. We are the sharers (or braggers, depending on how you look at it). We crave attention and therefore want EVERY aspect of our lives on display. Facebook shows who we hang out with and where we go, Twitter shows our thoughts, LinkedIn shows our credentials, Pinterest shows our style (or what it would be if we could afford it), and our blogs are left to fill in the gaps (because each of us believes our life experiences should be published).

-We value thoughtful humor. Twitter wit earns you major cred.

- Snapchat was cool at first, because it made it acceptable to share pics that aren't actually worth sharing. Selfie Sunday! But then we realized that that meant other people would be sharing pics that aren't actually worth sharing. Thanks for the 10 second picture of your Chick-fil-A sandwich...

-If you can incorporate 90's nostalgia into your social strategy, you're golden.

That outfit, tho.

-Work hard, play hard is our mantra. But placing a high value on our work-life balance by no means makes us lazy. Traditionally, the amount of time you put into something has been thought to be equivalent to the amount of effort you put into it, but Gen Y's have perfected the art of multitasking. We can deposit a check, order a pizza, email a potential client, RSVP to an event, watch ESPN highlights, and blog about it all while sitting in Kinkos straight flippin copies. If we can finish a day's worth of work in half the day, why wouldn't we expect some free time?

-If your website isn't mobile compatible, it doesn't exist in our eyes.

-We are connected to multiple social channels at once, so we don't have patience for time wasted. If you can get your message across in a 6 second Vine, go for it. Don't write an entire article when a BuzzFeed list will suffice. Lists are more approachable than paragraphs anyway, ya feel me? Speaking of patience, ain't nobody got time for your GIF to load.

-Male or female, we love a good Mean Girls reference. #fetch #shedoesntevengohere #allcarbdiet #youcantsitwithus #grool #onwednesdayswewearpink #imamouseduh #october3rd #yougoGlennCoco