The Internet as a Medium for Communicating with Teenagers

Abstract

The current teenage generation has been dubbed the “Generation Y”, and being the first generation to grow up online is one of its defining characteristics. For them the Internet is increasingly the focus of their search for information on any topic and is an integral part of their leisure time and social life. This article investigates the opportunities provided by the Internet to communicate with teenagers within social marketing campaigns with a particular emphasis on health. In-depth interviews with United Kingdom teenagers explored their experience of the Internet and their opinions on its potential as a communication medium. In addition, an audit of Bolt.com , one of the most popular teen Websites, was conducted over a 19-month period to analyze and learn from its marketing strategy. The results suggest considerable synergy between the Internet as a medium and teenagers as an audience. For social marketers to take advantage of the communications opportunities that the Internet provides, they need to be aware of some specific challenges posed by Internet-based communication and to learn from the rapid evolution of commercial e-marketing.