94% of parents take into account the opinion of their children before a purchase. 69% include them directly in product searches in stores, 67% in online searches. 56% of parents even go so far as to encourage their children to add items to a wish list or shopping cart.
Dear brands, you will understand. To increase your sales, you must rely on these kids. So how do you win the hearts of the youngest children? We tell you everything!
1. Use storytelling
Storytelling allows you to share a marketing message through a beautiful story. That’s good, children love fairy tales, legends and everything that is imaginary!
To succeed in the art of storytelling for children, here are our tips:
- Use a superhero as the main character: the best thing is to have a license to use a hero or heroine they know well (Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Wonder-Woman…). If so, you can imagine your own super-powered meta-human!
- Create a “conflict”: this helps to capture the curiosity of children.
- Find a supervillain that the hero can fight (through your products and services).
- Create a colorful universe.
2. Create a mobile game
If children love stories, they love to put themselves in the hero’s shoes even more. So, start a mobile game! According to a study by the American Psychological Association , children up to the age of 8 cannot tell the difference between an advertisement and a game.
In addition, 36% of 7 to 12 year olds have their own tablet. Go back to your storytelling script and let the child play the role of the hero.
To ensure your success with parents, bring an educational touch to the entertainment. Let the application stimulate the imagination of the little ones, develop their skills and allow them to learn new things.
Also add auto-shutoff features to reassure parents of addiction risks.
3. Focus on influencer marketing for kids
79% of children aged 13 to 19 have an account on YouTube and 77% use Facebook. They spend more than 15 hours on the Internet each week. Among the content they consult? The channels and blogs of influencers of their age!
Indeed, there are young vloggers who produce (sponsored) content for a strongly engaged community on social networks. However, the power of recommendation of these little prodigies of influence is very strong.
If you can place your product, brand or services on one of the popular Youtube Kids channels , then you will capture the attention of a whole new audience.
4. Run a TV ad
Think TV is an outdated channel? Not at all ! 84% of children watch it at least once a week and 68% every day.
Advertising works very well with these young minds. Between the ages of 7 and 11, they are able to remember messages contained in advertisements. The key ? Target times when children are more likely to be in front of screens: in the morning before going to school, in the afternoon around 4-5 p.m. and during school holidays.
Be creative! As with storytelling, your ad should use child-specific terms and codes.
5. Communicate on Snapchat and TikTok
Over 90% of under-13s use Snapchat in France. On TikTok, they are more than 45% . To win their hearts, your business must communicate on these new platforms.
On Snapchat, for example, open a professional account and use snapcodes (QR codes) on your products and marketing tools. This allows your brand to be discovered and offers a multi-channel experience to your audience. Don’t forget filters and effects based on Augmented Reality.
Use TikTok for brand challenges, share funny videos about your industry, and collaborate with young influencers.
6. Adapt your content marketing to children
Your content must adapt to children… and parents! What needs do you meet? Do the kids search for your products themselves or do you have to talk directly to moms and dads?
Answering these questions will allow you to define an efficient content strategy. If possible, think of articles, videos or tutorials that are aimed at young and old alike. Be playful, creative, while focusing on emotional levers : children remain very sensitive and compassionate beings.
In addition to influencing decisions in their family, children are future consumers. By winning their hearts at a young age, you win customers in the long run!
