Social Media is very popular among Millennials. People in their 20’s use platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and others to obtain their news and communicate with others.
In an article by the American Press Institute, “Younger Millennials are even more likely to use a mix of social networks for news than older members of this generation.”
This age group turns to more than one platform to get news. Using multiple platforms can be a great way of receiving different angles of news stories.
These platforms may not have started as news platforms but now they are a central place and source for millennials to get their news and stay up to date on what is occurring around them.
Users of Facebook for example, use the platform not only to check out news but comment, post, like and create their own news on the site. According to the American Press Institute, Users are participating in “news in ways they that are not entirely possible in more traditional platforms.”
While flocking to social media platforms is a way to get news, users still use them mainly for social reasons. They want to see what other users and their friends are doing and talking about. They also use social media as a way to entertain themselves and find their interests through “funny lists, articles, or videos.”(American Press Institute)
Millennials are also a target group for politicians and elections. Politicians try to appeal to a younger demographic by having a presence on social media. They believe that it is important to reach the younger population and their votes are the most important.
Since people get a lot of their news on social media, Politicians have created accounts and handles so they can be spotted and talked about by users of such platforms.
Different political parties have stronger presences on different social media platforms.
Facebook was “the only site studied where Republicans and independents were both more-represented than Democrats” according to an article on eMarketer.com.
The article on eMarketer also says that, “Facebook is the place to reach millennials of all political persuasions.”
Millennials are turning to social media every day, multiple times a day to get their news, entertainment and to stay in touch and in tune with what is occurring around them and in their own world.