Millennial Men are Enthusiastic about Advertising.

Evolve Media’s CraveOnline Media announced results from a comScore study titled, “The Male Millennial Influencer Study.” According to the study, one in seven millennial men self-identify as an influencer. With the purpose of learning more about the subset of those 18-34 year old men that influence purchase behaviors, CraveOnline collaborated with comScore to survey over 2,000 millennial men, and take a deeper look into a key group of millennials that seem to influence others.

Identifying the Influential Millennial Male and Their Importance:

For the purposes of the study, comScore and CraveOnline focused on Millennial Men who are both the first to own new products and frequently advise others on their purchases. The research revealed that these influencers are three times more likely to share content with others, and are three times more likely to be self-proclaimed “tech geeks.” Because they earn more money, they spend 2 to 5 times more on their favorite brands—making them brand advocates.

Where They Can Be Found:

Results show that influencers can be found in concentrated numbers consuming enthusiast topics online. In fact, they’re three times more likely to be on enthusiast sites (those that focus on a single topic or passion point and often have an engaged community) than non-enthusiast sites (those that cover a variety of subjects or activities). They are also three to five times more likely to access content about events they are passionate about. Overall, influencers spend twice the time consuming content online, across every device, including PC/laptop, smart phone, and tablet.

How to Connect with Them:

As it stands, 89% of influencers recall online marketing, and they are two times more likely to be influenced by these advertisements. Moreover, influencers take action: they are three times more likely to complete a follow-up action versus non-influencers. To fully engage this group, findings show that marketers must leverage the fact that millennial influencers are more aware and receptive to online advertising, especially campaigns that are funny, informative, or interactive. Beyond that, brands are wise to sponsor content around key enthusiast events (ComicCon, UFC, Coachella, E3, etc.) and support topics that influencers are passionate about.

“As the #1 male lifestyle destination, CraveOnline’s entire publishing model is based on engaging the millennial male,” said Brian Fitzgerald, President and Co-Founder of Evolve Media, parent company of CraveOnline Media. “Naturally, it made sense for us to collaborate with comScore to explore influencers and how their actions impact purchasing behavior. This valuable data will ultimately help us better connect our advertisers with this highly sought-after group of men.”

“This study provides unique insights for marketers who aim to connect with the influential millennial male,” said Justin Roy, comScore representative. “These individuals may be discerning when it comes to the sites they visit and the ads they respond to, but once they are engaged they are extremely valuable to marketers. Not only are the likely to exhibit loyalty and advocacy for the brands they like, but they also open their wallets.”