Social media strategy has become key as the millennial generation emerges with distinctive patterns of connectivity, values and spending. While they are mobile-centric — according to Nielsen, 85 percent of them own a smartphone — and are connected 24/7, reaching them has perplexed retailers, who have found that millennials don't respond to traditional marketing methods.

How do you connect with the most connected generation in history? Social media is their entry to the Internet, and it leads search engines in terms of content discovery — which means you need to develop a relationship with them on social media. Here are five steps to take.

1. Find Out Where They Hang Out

Different social networks serve different functions. Mashable notes that a report from Frank N. Magid Associates Inc. shows that teen Facebook usage dropped from 95 percent in 2012 to 88 percent in 2014. Twitter, meanwhile, saw an increase in adult users in 2014, according to the Pew Research Center. Tumblr and Pinterest are popular with women, notes FinancesOnline, and Pew reports that college graduates and higher-income users are generally found on LinkedIn. Find out where your millennials hang out and engage them there.

Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of content marketers quite like Google algorithm updates. Ever since Panda changed the game back in February 2011, marketers have lived in perpetual fear that the next algorithm update will be the one to kill all their traffic and send their site into obscurity. However, while it's easy to fall into this way of thinking, these updates don't have to be so scary. Here are three essential tips that marketers can use to get through these updates with minimal traffic impact.

1. Get Out of Bad Habits

The biggest things that affect website traffic after Google algorithm updates are what could be considered "spammy" techniques that have historically given sites with poor content an advantage over sites with high-quality content. Because these updates target broad practices such as keyword stuffing and link manipulation, some legitimate sites get lumped in with the poor-quality ones. Perform a self-audit of your current SEO strategies and try to scale down on bad habits regarding linkage and keyword usage that could flag your site during an algorithm update.

When it comes to the social media universe, you know you can't be everywhere all the time. You've likely wondered if your social media marketing efforts are better spent on Google Plus or Facebook. Despite Google's massive reach, their three-year-old social networking site currently pales in comparison to Facebook's 1.3 billion users. But smart analysts everywhere predict that Google Plus has the potential to eclipse Facebook. So what are the differences between the two and which is better for your small business?

It's All About Affinity Data

There's no question that Google is the king of building databases based on consumer behavior. But the growth area now is in compiling consumer data based on likes, shares, visits and so on — building affinity data. What this means is that Google is extremely motivated to stay in this game, despite dire predictions to the contrary, notes TechCrunch. With Google's insights into where its users go (Maps), what videos they watch (YouTube) and what they talk about with friends (Gmail), they are uniquely positioned to build on their understanding and create truly meaningful affinity data. And thanks to the way it's built, Google Plus may be just where your small business can shine.

Facebook ads do not inherently add value without a strategy behind them. A successful Facebook ad campaign starts with defining your goals, and thus your audience. Thanks to new Facebook targeting tools, reaching that audience has gotten easier.

Not All Goals Are Created Equal

Companies often cite goals like "increase brand recognition," "increase sales and revenue" and "improve customer engagement." All of these advertising goals are terrific but lack quantifiable measurements. Brand identity is key. You wouldn't try to sell hair widgets using a bald spokesperson. Likewise, you want visuals and messaging to be consistent across platforms. Beyond that, you're going to need to get more specific. Make quantifiable and measurable deadlines — increase sales by 12 percent within the fiscal year, or increase positive customer feedback by 5 percent this quarter.

Monitor, Monitor, Monitor

Using the ads manager tab in Facebook, you can see exactly how well your ad is doing. You can also set up multiple campaigns and evaluate performance from a holistic approach. By evaluating performance metrics, you can determine whether to turn campaigns on or off at any time — this is the real money-saving feature of Facebook ads. You can adapt your strategy based on consumer behavior in real time.