Memorial Day Weekend is equated with backyard barbeques, patriotic parades and it marks the highly anticipated start of summer. Summertime brings real and predictable changes in the human experience, particularly for college students. These behavioral differences are reflected in their online activity and purchasing patterns. Companies who are aware of this can plan, respond, and use it to their advantage when developing their marketing strategies. While the opportunities may not be completely universal, these inevitable changes present a powerful opportunity for many companies if the appropriate adjustments to messaging and approach are carried out.
Different patterns of both online and offline behaviors require a change in marketing plans and tactics. Consumers generally respond differently when their priorities, schedules, and activities shift. In turn, this will logically impact the kinds of messaging and promotions that drive consumer response. Patterns in site traffic and campaign responsiveness by channel and approach should be studied and taken into account, as well as evidence of competitive changes.
During summer vacation, the majority of college students will socialize, eat out, and travel more. They will spend less time in the library, and more time outdoors. College students will research flights, rent cars, check movie times, brows e-book selections, download movies, stream music, and share photos. There will be tons of searches for local restaurants, activities, and destinations. Many of these searches will take place on mobile devices. In addition, students will be looking for reviews and recommendations from their social media networks, friends, and classmates. These accelerated daily activities present a multitude of possible new digital connections with additional ad inventory and placement.
Overall, college students react to the summer season in predictable ways that can be leveraged by companies who are aware of their changes in behavior. It’s key to tune into the dominant seasonal and leisure behaviors of students during these hot summer months and think about how these behavioral changes impact digital points of connection.
