Reaching teens through Social Media recaps some statistics about the teen demographic and social media, share the "10 Truths about Millennials" and finishes up with "10 Rules on Engaging Teens".

1. Reaching Teensthrough Social Media Annual Meeting & Professional Development Workshop Corning Country Club October 14, 2011

2. Introduction This PowerPoint Presentation will be available at Cornerstone Solutions Websitewww.CornerstoneSolutionsofNY.com

3. Agenda What is Social Media and Why is it important Defining the Teen (Millennials) Reaching the Teen Final Thoughts Questions

4. What is Social Media? Wikipedia: “Social Media are media for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable communication techniques. Social media is the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into interactive dialogue.” “US teenagers and young adults spend almost 17 hours a week on the Internet, six times the national Average.” McKinsey Quarterly, “Marketing to Teens Online”

5. Why You Should Care Quick 2 minute video May 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwmJ9CFBIks

6. The Social Web

7. A Very Different Generation Teens spend 60% less time watching TV and 600% more time on the Internet than their parents. They watch an average of 60+ YouTube videos a month (3:06). They spend an average of 1:35 a day sending or receiving texts. 73% have at least one SNS (Social Networking Site) profile.

8. Some Online Activities 94% go online to do research for school assignments; 48% do so on a typical day. 81% go to websites about movies, TV shows, music groups, or sports stars 57% have watched a video on a video-sharing site like YouTube 55% go online to get information about a college, university or other school that they are thinking about attending. 48% have bought something online like books, clothes or music May 2010 8

9. And it’s growing 93% of teens ages 12-17 use the internet up from 73% in 2000 (87% of parents of teens go online)

10. Change in internet use by age, 2000-2009

11. Texting takes off, others stable

12. Texts and Teens

13. Teen’s activities on Social Networking Sites

14. Millennials Upbeat But Nervous Nearly half of Millennials say their stress level is “very high” or “high.” They feel the world is getting more complicated. But they’re optimistic; 71 percent believe they can personally achieve the American Dream Half define the American Dream as “Simply being happy, no matter what I do.” 30% expect to own a business one day. They name their computer as the #1 product they cannot live without.

15. 10 Truths About Millennials 1. Continually connected 2. Speak their own language 3. Skeptical of authority 4. Influenced by peers 5. Seek recognition and fame 6. Enjoy absurdity and odd humor 7. Embrace a variety of subcultures 8. Skim text and information quickly 9. Easily bored 10. Expressive and digitally creative Source: Forrester Research

16. 10 rules on engaging teens Get creative Entertain them Don’t try to be something you are not Put them in control – Let them play Reset your risk tolerance Start conversations Reinforce Relationships Cultivate semi-public spaces Use growing Social Consciousness Leverage the power of your network

17. #1 Get Creative 64% of online teens are content creators Teens have embraced the new web Blogging Remixing Sharing Teens have extra free time to play around with these new tools, adults need to make time to learn the tools.

18. #2 Entertain Them One of the top things that makes someone “cool” to youth is a sense of humor. So be funny. Don’t take yourself or your message too seriously. Make it worth THEIR time. You will be fighting for their attention in a world of distractions.

19. #3 Don’t try to be something you are not Youth crave authenticity…in fact, they demand it. Be a cultural anthropologist and learn THEIR world. With niche being the new mass, you have to invest time in their communities. You cannot just shove your way in line. Remember, most of them think they can do better “marketing” than you anyways. Share your experience, not your expertise.

20. #4 Put them in control – Let them play Give them the tools to embrace your message. They are going to take your message and shape in ways you never imagined. Let them! Engage them. Enroll them. Befriend them. Encourage them. Draft them. Never make the mistake of forgetting them or talking down to them.

21. #5 Reset your risk tolerance When teens get involved, they will take you out of your comfort zone. Be ready. Be willing to try new and crazy ideas. Keep in mind not all ideas will work, but you WILL get feedback from even failed efforts. Getting in this mindset requires you to recognize that by the time you see an opportunity, it is almost too late. Take the opportunity anyway. It will be a learning experience. If you use a lawyer, find a liberal one. Be prepared for success.

22. #6 Start conversations Content creators almost always want feedback. Ask for feedback. GIVE feedback. Help shape the conversation. Read what others are saying. This allows you to be relevant.

23. #7 Reinforce Relationships 91% of social networking teens use the SNS sites to stay in touch with offline friends. Social media works best when it reinforces existing relationships, not replace them. Support your online activities with offline, face to face events & programs.

24. #8 Cultivate semi-public spaces Teens create their own social spaces where they feel comfortable sharing ideas and expressing themselves. Semi-public spaces like social networking groups offer participants a forum to ask questions and share ideas. Create your own groups, places, discussion rooms. Ask questions. Be almost an invisible ‘moderator.’ Let the teens answer the questions as much as possible.

25. #9 Use Growing Social Consciousness Teens WANT to make a difference. 69% of young people believe that corporations can make a bigger difference in the world than politicians can. 53% of teen trendsetters bought a product that donated money to a cause. Tie programs into tangible results. (i.e. Plant a tree.) This gives teens a feeling of control and shows immediate results.

26. #10 Leverage the Power of Your/Their Network Get out there and physically meet with the teens. Never underestimate the power of someone saying “You know, you should really meet…” Encourge “Pay it forward” and help people out. Help the teen see the big picture. Somedays, they are the giver, and somedays they are the receiver. The world is all about connections. Have the teens share their connections. . . And the message.

28. It requires a strategy fully integrated with your goals, including planning, implementation, ongoing maintenance, monitoring, analyzing metrics & repeat.

29. Make your resources infinitely shareable.

30. Connecting with people you don’t know is not as important as connecting with people you NEED to know.

31. Create opportunities for the teens to collaborate. Collaborate with other agencies.“Once you start down this path, forever will it dominate your destiny.”

32. Social Media Resources What is Blogging? What is Twitter? What is YouTube? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddO9idmax0o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2I1pWXjXI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2PbdIzAVKs

33. Mark Twain Quote “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” -Mark Twain

34. Thank You & Questions Tom Brown Social Media Specialist