What is the best way to reach the teen market online?

[Jonathan J]

Teen consumers seem to be all over the place online. Is there any particular tactic that would be most effective?

[?]

Free X

[loudhorse892]

With 20+ million American teens online, I can see how this might be a tempting market for you. Other estimates peg teen consumer spending at $170 million a year. Either way, Jonathan, you can see the sales potential. Problem is, it's far from an undiscovered market. According to some estimates, kids (including teens) are exposed to roughly 5,000 ad impressions each day. Breaking through that clutter is tough work.

Where to start? First, there has been some great research into teen consumerism, from this smart piece on teenaged psychology http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/ar...p/3611761)

Beyond that, as the father of two teenagers, I can tell you a bit about what motivates my kids and their friends when they buy online:

-- Brand. From clothing to bags, they want a brand they can proudly flaunt. Nothing says "pack mentality" like teenagers, who demand acceptance.

-- Authenticity. Ah, marketers say, they're just kids, we can fool em. Sorry, that's not true. My kids and their friends not only see through marketing babble, they mock it, post about it, write about it on Facebook, tell their friends about it. Kids have grown up with the Internet and it's their medium of conversation. If you pollute it with inauthentic blather, be prepared for them to call you on it.

-- Speed over value. Teens don't price shop nearly as much as adults do. They tend to like products they can get now, instead of ones that are a super discount. This could give you a bit more price flexibility.

The good thing about selling to teens is that they're perfectly willing to help you sell if they like what you're doing. The flip side is also true; mess with them at your own risk.