The outcome of the EU Referendum was a surprise for many, with young people most shocked by the result. We’ve heard plenty of 18-24 year olds claiming that the older generation has 'ruined' the futures of their younger counterparts. However, it has been estimated that actually, only 36% of people in the 18-24 year category voted on the 23rd June.
Whilst this debate could roll on, the decision is final, and instead government departments and councils should be looking to learn from this low turnout and work out how to engage young people.
In our recent survey, 53% of young people said they would be more likely to vote in future referendums and elections if they could vote digitally.
Young people are digital natives, raised on a diet of apps and mobile devices. Government departments need to realise the importance of this and act in order to engage them. So what should local councils consider when implanting a digital strategy aimed at younger citizens?
1. There’s no point reinventing the wheel
There are so many brands, channels and media out there that have developed a millennial following and these platforms should be leveraged to get your own message out. For example, this audience accounts for more than seven in ten Snapchat users, meaning a partnership with the social platform could potentially open the door to the youth audience for local councils. Follow the herd, rather than try and segment yourself.
2. Strength in numbers
The public sector has traditionally failed to use the right digital tools to try and reach ‘the youth’. A few Facebook adverts simply won’t cut it. Look at what Obama did in the US with a team leveraging multiple channels: this developed an organic, groundswell of support that ‘went viral’ - do it well and it becomes a self-perpetuating thing.
3. Time is of the essence
Young people are the on-demand generation; our research suggests that they want to be able to vote digitally from anywhere, and they expect services that work straight off the bat. They have the same expectations about ease of experience when using public sector services as they do using Deliveroo or Uber. It has to be simple and deliver what they want quickly.
4. Deliver on your promise
The service you’re advertising has to provide the experience the user expects. The youth audience is particularly challenging to impress. For example, mobile advertising has failed to engage this demographic as they’re more likely to use ad blocking software. If a service doesn’t cut it, young people will find an alternative solution so it’s important to provide user experiences that hit the mark. It’s imperative that you create services for the user, not for your government.
5. Apply common sense marketing practices
Ultimately, if government builds a great service, this youth audience will come. However, you must be able to clearly define who will use the service, how it needs to be transformed from its existing state in order to make it appeal to that audience, and how you can promote it to ensure it’s going to be used. The worst case scenario is investing in a digital version of an existing service that doesn’t improve the user experience. It means that the user will go back to using the original service anyway and the investment will have been wasted.
Local councils must realise the importance of digital to young people, otherwise they will see engagement levels dip even lower. Whether it’s making sure that young people in your council are able to register for a parking permit easily, or access and use the library, if they apply this thinking to their planning and strategies, they have the recipe for success for engaging young people with digital.
Stephen Morgan is co-founder of digital transformation business, Squiz.
