Just like every other aspect of the performing arts, theatre audiences are evolving, too. Longtime patrons are still vital to the success of your theatre, of course, but a new wave of potential patrons – who are now able to purchase tickets for themselves – is emerging. Millennial and Gen Z ticketbuyers are, unlike their predecessors, far more comfortable with the digital world when it comes to finding entertainment options. Indeed, you’ll likely find these folks searching the web when deciding where to spend their free time — and their hard-earned cash.

That said, this evolution of theatre audiences means you, as a theatre maker, should be evolving your business model. In short, your marketing must adapt to reach them. To meet these younger audiences where they are and to keep them truly engaged with your work, you must leverage digital touchpoints effectively. If you aren’t sure what, exactly, digital touchpoints are – and how to use them – On The Stage can help. 

Using Digital Touchpoints to Entice Younger Audiences

What Are Digital Touchpoints? 

In the simplest of terms, a ‘digital touchpoint’ is any moment of interaction your theatre has with your audiences in the digital sphere. These touchpoints collectively shape how people perceive your theatre, how they engage with your content, and, ultimately, whether they buy tickets to your next show. Some common digital touchpoints to focus on include:

  • Social media posts, whether these posts are promoting shows, providing behind-the-scenes content, or offering a deeper dive into your cast and crew 
  • Email newsletters sent to patrons, with ticket offers, promo codes, or show updates
  • Digital event pages where audiences can find pertinent show details, browse performance photos, or be redirected to purchase tickets
  • Mobile-optimized ticketing platforms, a.k.a. your digital box office, where patrons can not only purchase tickets, but make donations, too 
  • Follow-up communications after a performance, whether it’s through social media, post-show surveys, or emails  

For young audiences, these digital touchpoints are expected and, quite frankly, necessary when making lasting connections. Skipping out on these touchpoints risks losing potential younger patrons before they even consider stepping into your theatre.

Why Young Audiences Expect Digital Engagement

As we stated, digital engagement is necessary for connecting with and securing patrons under 40. Why? This demographic of potential patrons grew up online. Millennials learned about social media as tweens (or younger) and adopted it quickly, and Gen Z and younger have only known a world where social media is their go-to communication method. If you aren’t sold, here are a few reasons why digital engagement matters so much to younger audiences:

  • All their research happens online – Barring word-of-mouth interactions, most young audiences hear about upcoming events through social media and search engines. That said, if your theatre isn’t working diligently to curate a strong digital presence, you will practically be invisible to them.
  • They need things to be easy – Ease of access for younger generations is paramount to their follow-through. That means your website can’t be clunky, your ticketing platform can’t have glitches, and the entire ticket-buying process should take under 5 minutes. More bluntly, if they can’t quickly buy a ticket on their phone, they’ll move on.
  • They value authenticity – In a world where much of the social media space is dominated by carefully curated imagery that doesn’t mirror reality, younger demographics are hungrily searching for genuine voices. They want to see theatres that share authentic stories online, showcase diverse perspectives, and engage with them in real time. 

Key Digital Touchpoints to Leverage

So, now we know that digital touchpoints are necessary in drawing in younger patrons. If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few touchpoints to leverage:

Social Media

I’m sure we don’t need to tell you, but just in case you forgot: Social media is one of the most powerful ways to connect with younger audiences. After all, platforms like Instagram and TikTok are where many Gen Z and Millennials spend their free time. If you’re looking to maximize engagement on social media, try the following: 

  • Highlight behind-the-scenes content. Younger folks love seeing the creative process – everything from rehearsal clips to costume sneak peeks, actor social media takeaways, or cast and crew Q&As.
  • Leverage short-form video. Attention spans are waning – which means you’ve got to meet folks where they are. This means posting a 15-second snippet of a big musical number as opposed to a four-minute long-form video of an entire number. If your audiences want more, they’ll just have to come to your show to see! 
  • Encourage user-generated content. Social media should be a place where you actually hear from your patrons. You can create hashtags and share them, alongside encouraging people to tag you in their selfies and incentivizing them to write reviews. 
  • Respond in real-time. Your social media pages should be as active as you are. That said, make sure you’re liking and commenting on posts from your audiences and responding to comments as authentically and quickly as possible.

Email Campaigns

Don’t underestimate the power of email marketing! In fact, younger audiences tend to check their email daily as opposed to the older generations — especially for transactional messages like ticket confirmations or exclusive offers. A few ways to maximize the effectiveness of email campaigns are to:

  • Utilize a drip marketing campaign, with well-timed emails throughout the ticket-buying period, to enhance engagement without spamming your patrons 
  • Send out personalized show reminders to ticket-buyers 
  • Offer exclusive previews or discounts for your subscriber list
  • Enact post-show surveys that invite feedback and foster loyalty 
  • Use punchy subject lines with a clear call-to-action to grab attention 
  • Keep your email content short, skimmable, and visually appealing

Post-Show Engagement

Once your production is over, you may want to hang your hat up, grab a drink, and take a breather. However, the engagement journey shouldn’t end when the show closes. In fact, post-show digital touchpoints can turn a first-time attendee into a lifelong patron with the right effort. Consider the following post-show engagement digital touchpoints: 

  • Thank-you emails within 24 hours of the show to show appreciation and encourage repeat attendance 
  • Photo galleries or video highlights that attendees can share on social media 
  • Invitations to upcoming productions tailored to their interests (via audience segmentation)
  • Social media shoutouts to audience members who tagged your theatre in their posts
  • Post-show surveys to see where you went right, where you went wrong, and how to improve the patron experience moving forward 

Event Pages

An event page or show website is often the first impression any audience member has of your theatre. It’s where they can learn about your show and theatre at large, decide whether your production is worth attending, and purchase tickets if they’re impressed enough. To make your events page truly effective: 

  • Include clear, visible, and concise show details – like the date, time, location, ticket price, runtime, and age appropriateness
  • Add engaging visuals like high-quality production photos or teaser videos
  • Optimize everything for mobile. After all, a large percentage of younger audiences will view your event page on a phone – so make sure the website looks great even on a smaller screen. 
  • Simplify the buying process. The fewer clicks it takes to buy a ticket, the better. Also, consider adding easy-to-enact bundles or bonus items, too, to increase your Average Order Value.

Mobile-Optimized Ticketing

Nothing turns off a young audience member faster than a clunky ticketing system. These individuals primarily purchase everything online – from concert tickets to flights to deposits for upscale dinner reservations. That said, mobile-optimized ticketing should:

  • Allow ticket purchases in just a few taps with very little navigation 
  • Accept a spectrum of payment methods (Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal)
  • Deliver digital tickets that can be easily stored in a mobile wallet and scanned on their phone
  • Send reminders leading up to the event to ensure no one misses the show night 

How On The Stage Can Help

Engaging young audiences isn’t about reinventing your entire marketing strategy. Instead, it’s about extending that marketing magic into the digital spheres your younger patrons already inhabit. By leveraging the power of social media and email campaigns, focusing on post-show engagement, perfecting your event pages, and optimizing your ticketing platform for mobile devices, theatres like yours can ensure they’re building connections that last well beyond opening night.

Any major marketing overhaul seems stressful – but On The Stage is built to help theatres of all kinds take advantage of the digital touchpoints we’ve discussed. From mobile-first ticketing and customizable event pages to built-in marketing tools and post-show communication, our platform makes digital engagement simple, effective, and scalable to your program – whether you’re involved with educational theatre, community theatre, or professional non-equity offerings. 

If you’re looking for even more advice, check out On The Stage’s resource guide: Marketing Strategies That Steal the Show. After all, with the right tools, your theatre won’t just attract young audiences – they’ll become your newest and most loyal patron base yet.