Marketers are leaving behind the traditional advertising methods in favor of cross-channel approaches that appeal to today's consumers.

More than half of Americans are smartphone owners and at least one-third have tablets, but a new study from eMarketer finds Millennial males, in particular, are digitally inclined. Marketers must begin building relationships with this core consumer group if they haven’t already because Millennials are quickly becoming the largest cross-section of U.S. buyers are. They’re also developing a taste for the convenience of ecommerce.

The report found the key demographic of men between the ages of 18 and 34 are active across channels and turn to online content when it’s time to buy. More than 91 percent consider themselves internet users, 78 percent are on social networks, 70 percent have smartphones and nearly 50 percent own tablets.

Millennial males are certainly digital technology adopters, but they are also opportunists in the way they use new devices to make daily tasks easier. Around 40 percent of men in this age group say they would ideally do all of their purchasing online (presumably to save the trip to physical stores and the time spent browsing products in person). Alternately, just one-third of females in the same age group would like to complete all of their transactions on the web.

40 percent of men in this age group say they would ideally do all of their purchasing online.

This data affirms that online shopping is not to be seen as a flash in the pan. Brands that provide their customers easy ways to discover and purchase products will benefit from this trend, while dissenters will fall behind. Brafton previously reported that B2C companies with robust online presences are pushing ahead already. During the first half of 2013, companies included in a MarketLive Performance Index report saw organic search traffic increase 31 percent, conversions rise 1.9 percent and revenue grow 14.8 percent.

We face a future where empowered customers can find products, research prices and read reviews at the touch of a button. Brands must actively create custom content that streamlines the sales process will win over tech-savvy customers who crave painless buying experiences.

Lauren Kaye is a Marketing Editor at Brafton Inc. She studied creative and technical writing at Virginia Tech before pursuing the digital frontier and finding content marketing was the best place to put her passions to work. Lauren also writes creative short fiction, hikes in New England and appreciates a good book recommendation.