Millennials — they know what they want, especially when it comes to the stories they follow.
Nowadays, news found on the Internet doesn’t come in rigid and overly formal structures. News hubs strive to write in an authentic voice as part of a greater effort to cover topics related to race, feminism, politics, technology, and social justice in a better form.
Click-bait headlines like “Okay, These Toilet Paper Wedding Dresses are Pretty” pique reader interest and drive traffic. News continues to change and millennials are re-defining it.
Sexy, Sophisticated, Filled with GIFs
The Standard Examiner Advantage, a local online news hub, notes the popularity of millennial niche sites such as Buzzfeed and Vice. Starting out as entertainment platforms, these sites eventually grew its readership base, which resulted in expansion to the news.
Digital media is a breath of fresh air for news. And if you want millennials to read the news, the formula is simple: smart, sexy, and GIFable. Gen Y readers want more flavorful writing. The right kind of news, in their opinion, should have make-you-smile headlines and content that is unique and compelling.
The Fight for Readers
These “sexy” stories, however, result in a battle between news outlets, both veterans and rookies. Reaching millennials requires convenient and readable news accessible via whatever device they use. News publishers exert all efforts to fight for new readers, aka the millennials.
For example, news giants such as The New York Times aggressively pursue readers by reaching out through mobile and social media. They launched a free app, which attracts mobile readers instantly. It also shares stories on Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat (which shows Snap-happy people sharing their short stories).
Apart from print media, TV giants like ESPN and CNN are also following suit. They’re chasing after millennials by way of Snapchat and Instagram.
Millennials: a New Breed
Clearly, diversity is the preferred flavor for today’s news.
New media’s fusion shouldn’t focus on being hip and new; stories should speak to a broader audience. It remains a questionable approach, but it’s a definite eye-catcher and encourages new readers to take action.
So what’s the lesson? Millennials want good stories — convenient and easy-to-read-on-their-phone types of stories.
