Millennials are now one of the most commercially influential consumer groups in the UK. As they move into senior roles, parenthood, and peak earning years, their buying power and decision-making influence continue to grow. Recent analysis shows that millennials now make up almost a fifth of the UK population, with spending power accelerating as older generations exit the workforce and millennials shape demand across categories — from finance and retail to travel, technology, and healthcare.
For market researchers, this shift isn’t just demographic — it’s strategic. Understanding how millennials think, decide, and engage is now critical to producing insight that actually reflects today’s market reality.
At the same time, millennial behaviour has changed. While they were once early adopters of open social platforms, many millennials are now more selective about where they engage online. They are increasingly conscious of noise, privacy, and time — and less inclined to share thoughtful opinions in public spaces. This presents a challenge for researchers relying solely on traditional social or one-off digital methods.
That’s where Market Research Online Communities (MROCs) come into their own. Online communities offer a structured, private, and purpose-led environment that aligns far more closely with how millennials prefer to engage today. For insight teams looking to explore this demographic in depth — not just reach them, but truly understand them — MROCs provide a powerful way to capture considered, high-quality insight over time.
In this article, we explore who millennials are, why they are such an important audience for market research, and why online research communities remain one of the most effective ways to engage them.
What is a Millennial?
The term “millennial” was first coined in the late 1980s by William Strauss and Neil Howe to describe the generation reaching adulthood around the year 2000. While definitions vary, millennials are most commonly understood as those born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s.
As with other generational labels — such as Baby Boomers or Generation X — “millennial” describes more than a date of birth. It reflects a set of shared experiences shaped by the social, economic, and technological environment in which this group grew up.
Millennials are no longer an “emerging” audience. They are parents, professionals, homeowners, and key household decision-makers. Their digital behaviour has matured too: rather than adopting every new platform, millennials are now more selective, more privacy-aware, and more purposeful in how and where they engage online.
For market researchers, this behavioural context matters. It directly influences how millennials respond to research requests, which platforms they trust, and the formats they are most likely to engage with.
Core Characteristics That Influence Millennial Research Behaviour
Strauss and Howe originally identified a number of traits commonly associated with millennials, many of which remain relevant for market research today:
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Sense of self-worth: Millennials are more likely to believe their opinions matter and expect their voices to be heard.
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Team-oriented: They are comfortable collaborating, sharing ideas, and contributing within group settings.
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Purpose-driven: Millennials respond better when they understand why something matters and how their input will be used.
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Digitally fluent: Having grown up alongside the internet and mobile technology, they are confident navigating digital platforms.
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Achievement-focused: They like to feel their time is well spent and their contribution has value.
These traits shape how millennials engage with research — and help explain why certain methodologies work better than others.
Why are Millennials important to Market Research?
Even using conservative definitions, millennials represent one of the largest consumer cohorts globally. They now make up a substantial share of the workforce and influence spending decisions across categories ranging from FMCG and finance to travel, technology, and healthcare.
Beyond their size, millennials’ digital behaviour is what makes them particularly valuable to researchers. They are comfortable sharing opinions online, engaging in discussion, and providing feedback across multiple touchpoints — provided the experience feels relevant, respectful, and worthwhile.
This is where the connection between millennials, social media, and online research communities becomes especially important.
How Millennials Use Social Media — and Why Online Communities Work
Millennials were the first generation to adopt social media at scale, but their relationship with it has changed. Many millennials are:
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More cautious about public posting
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Less interested in performative engagement
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More likely to favour smaller, private, or purpose-led digital spaces
While social media remains central to millennial life, it’s no longer the place where they want to share everything — particularly nuanced opinions or considered feedback.
Market Research Online Communities tap into this shift. They offer a controlled, private environment where millennials can contribute meaningfully without the noise, judgement, or distraction of open social platforms. Rather than broadcasting opinions, participants can reflect, discuss, and build on ideas over time.
This makes MROCs particularly well suited to millennial audiences.
Millennials and Market Research Online Communities: A Strong Match
Market Research Online Communities provide researchers with speed, depth, and flexibility — all while aligning well with millennial expectations. Key reasons this methodology works so effectively include:
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Platform familiarity: Many MROCs mirror the interaction styles millennials already know from digital platforms, reducing barriers to entry.
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Digital confidence: Millennials are comfortable completing tasks, responding to prompts, and engaging in multimedia activities online, improving data quality.
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Community participation: As natural collaborators, millennials value being part of a group where ideas can be shared and developed.
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Purposeful contribution: Online communities allow participants to see how their feedback fits into a wider conversation, increasing motivation and engagement.
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Mobile-first access: MROCs fit easily into busy lifestyles, allowing millennials to participate on their own schedule, often via mobile devices.
Rather than replacing social media, online research communities provide a more focused alternative — one that respects millennial preferences while delivering high-quality insight.
How to Engage Millennials in Online Research Communities
Recruiting and retaining millennials within an online research community requires thoughtful design. Based on experience, the most effective approaches include:
Relevance
Millennials are quick to disengage from anything that feels outdated or generic. Platforms, tasks, and topics must feel current and aligned with how they already interact online.
Community
Millennials value discussion and shared perspectives. Successful communities encourage interaction, not just one-way data collection, enabling participants to build on each other’s ideas.
Purpose and Transparency
Millennials are more likely to stay engaged when they understand the purpose of the research and how their input will be used. Clear objectives, honest communication, and visible outcomes help build trust.
Long-Term Relationships
Millennial opinions evolve alongside life stages. Maintaining longer-term engagement allows researchers to track changing behaviours and uncover deeper insight over time.
Mobility and Flexibility
Participation should be easy, mobile-friendly, and asynchronous. Millennials expect to contribute in short bursts, at times that suit them.
Millennials: Central to Effective Online Research Communities
As social media becomes noisier and less reliable for in-depth insight, Market Research Online Communities offer a powerful way to engage millennial audiences in a more meaningful, structured way.
By designing communities that reflect how millennials actually behave online — selective, purposeful, and community-oriented — market researchers can unlock richer insight and build more sustainable engagement.
We provide high-quality participant recruitment and expert community management to support successful Market Research Online Communities.
Download our guide to MROCs to learn more about how to plan, recruit, and manage online communities effectively.
