So we meet again 21st Century Kid.
Welcome back.
How have you been?
This week I am here to try to understand what I have been trying to do for the past 3 weeks. Complicated? Perhaps but let me take you through. I am here today to find the most suitable way to reach you. A way to try to understand you, to amuse you…to impress you.
But, firstly, who are you?
You are the ultimate digital native kid. Born after the 1980’s, you are the one who likes to receive information quickly and from multiple sources. Who loves multitasking and indeed have this incredible ability to process – in parallel – information quickly. Not much into reading, you dislike texts and are much more attracted to pictures, sounds and videos. You love hyperlinked sources and real time interaction, but above all things…you are drawn by instant, relevant and fun “learning”.
Ok, now how can I reach you? How to select the most appropriate channel to reach digital natives?
The answer to this is tricky. It is a two-way road: if on the one hand, it is easier to find digital channels that are more suitable for digital natives rather than immigrants; keeping their attention and interest is what is truly challenging.
Still, Don Tapscott in his book “Grow Up Digital” finds the perfect way to understand them and thus to find a way into digital natives’ hearts. According to him, in order to select an appropriate channel to reach them, one needs to keep in mind that digital native:
- Like freedom – freedom of choice, freedom of expression, any and all kinds of freedom.
“Choice is like oxygen to them”
- Like to make things, and everything, their own – customization and personalization is their primarily motto.
- “[A]re the new scrutinizers”.
- Like entertainment and have a playful mentality – digital natives would love to be able to play in their education, work and social life.
- Like to collaborate, discuss and share their thoughts.
- Like, and have the need for, speed – due to their shorter attention spam.
- And above all…they are the innovators.
So if a channel offers freedom of choice, has the option of being “personal”, is fun, interactive and innovative, it will most certainly be appealing to digital natives.
And examples of these are everywhere in today’s wide web. From Yahoo to YouTube, passing through Facebook, mobiles apps, twitter, messenger, Wikispaces and blogs – yes, me! – it is all around.
The truth, 21st Century Kid, is that the world is now your invention. You are the one who gives it a meaning; you make it beautiful; you…you cover it with color.
It is all….you!
So please keep improving it and do not forget to – as always – share your thoughts with me.
See you in the next journey.
1 Response to How to: select the most appropriate channel to reach digital natives?
Ohh... Nice finding and explanation of the Digital Native profile.
Anyway, I guess you could take your post a step further. Considering the points you raised, the best options for reaching out to the Natives is either to go on their playground (social media) or to create one for them by creating a fun, interactive website.
A good example would be the Orange Unlimited website... Unfortunately the website has been taken down but you can watch a (very) short video about it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-HyMIceLBk
It was fun (full of games), original (endless page - perfect for procrastinating if you ask me!) and people could actually contribute to it, with their drawing, songs, etc... It was as much a display of Orange's creativity as its users!
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