4 Tips for Marketers on How to Engage with Gen z

Every generation brings a paradigm shift — a collective rethinking of how we engage with the world. For modern marketers and business leaders, Gen Z is that shift. They are rewriting the rules, shaking up traditional models, and challenging long-held marketing strategies:

1. Gen Z is becoming a powerful buying force, driving marketers to adapt their communication strategies to meet their preferences.
2. They independently navigates 60% of their buying journey before engaging with a sales representative, redefining traditional sales interactions ( Hootsuite ).
3. 64% of Gen Z discovers products and services through social media, making platforms like Instagram and TikTok critical for engagement ( HubSpot ).
4. 55% of Gen Z makes purchase decisions influenced by opinion leaders, emphasizing the importance of influencer marketing.

This transformation isn’t coming; it’s already here. So it’s time to rethink, reimagine and evolve.

Here are four tips for adapting to this new reality:

Adapt to the New Customer Journey Model

Gen Z reshapes marketing by controlling their buying journey. They complete more than half of their decisions before ever interacting with a sales rep. This generation thrives on independence, transparency and autonomy, turning traditional push-marketing strategies on their head.

For instance, businesses need to pivot from aggressive outreach methods to prioritizing customer empowerment. Instead of pushing messages based on user activity, the focus should shift to providing helpful, data-driven insights where customers naturally seek them.

Transparency plays a key role here. Explaining why a certain recommendation or feature is valuable (backed by tangible data or examples) builds trust and strengthens customer relationships.

Actionable Takeaway: Invest in tools and resources that allow Gen Z to self-educate and make informed decisions. Empower them with clear, transparent information and let them take the lead in their buying journey.

Provide Value

Marketing to Gen Z requires a fundamental shift from pitching to providing value. This generation is tired of constant commercial interactions and prefers genuine engagement over hard-sell tactics. “Give to take” approach means offering consistent value before asking for something in return. It can be education, entertainment, special benefits or meaningful conversations — all that can be useful for your audience.

For social platforms, this could mean:

• Sharing helpful resources tailored to their needs.
• Engaging in authentic, two-way conversations.
• Listening to their feedback and implementing it meaningfully.
• Hyperpersonalization as a main trend.
• Active demonstrating brand values and social initiatives.

Think of it as building a relationship over time. You wouldn’t ask someone for a favor the moment you meet them; instead, you’d take the time to establish trust and rapport first. The same principle applies to marketing.

Actionable Takeaway: Audit your current marketing strategy. Are you providing real value to your audience? Focus on delivering insights, solving problems and creating content that resonates before making an ask.

Leverage Generative AI Potential

The potential of GenAI in marketing and sales is undeniable, and it’s key to effectively engaging Gen Z. Businesses should explore campaigns that encourage user-generated content powered by AI. Brands should foster deeper engagement while simultaneously increasing their reach by embracing the latest trends, such as video dominance or hyper-personalization.

Actionable Takeaway: Develop campaigns that integrate genAI tools to inspire user-generated content. Align the campaign with the platforms Gen Z loves and ensure it encourages creativity, authenticity, and interaction.

Avoid Building “Faceless” Brands

Gen Z’s demand for authenticity extends beyond marketing to the workplace. They expect organizations to align their actions with their stated values, and they are quick to call out any disconnect. One of the most significant changes this generation is driving is the rise of employee branding, EGC and backstage content.

Employees can share their perspectives on company culture and products and become influential voices for their brands. To make the most of this trend, organizations must invest in their employees and foster a culture where they feel valued, empowered and proud to represent the brand. A workforce that genuinely believes in the mission of the organization becomes one of its most powerful marketing assets.

Actionable Takeaway: Encourage employees to share authentic stories about their experiences. Provide them with the tools and platforms they need to amplify their voices. A strong internal culture will naturally translate into an authentic external brand presence.

Gen Z is not just another demographic to target. Understanding their values and preferences helps to craft strategies that resonate deeply and build lasting relationships.

To conclude:

1. Empower Gen Z with transparency and autonomy.
2. Focus on giving value before asking for something in return.
3. Integrate technologies like genAI into marketing strategy.
4. Invest in employees to unlock authentic advocacy.

Adapt, evolve and you’ll thrive in this new era of marketing!