Marketing to Generation Z

Gen Z have always had the internet as part of their lives, and, as a result of this, they are extremely tech savvy.

94% of Gen Z own laptops, and three out of four said spending time online was the primary activity they engage in during their free time, with smartphones as their device of choice. Seventy-five percent of Gen Zers say that they receive most of their information on social media, and that they follow at least one brand on social media.

Generation Z also tends to be brand loyal as long as the brand’s mission, product quality, and service continue to meet their high expectations.

Some effective ways to communicate with Gen Z are

• Building a Community

Encourage consumers to interact with your brand by creating fun brand hashtags and asking people to tag your brand in posts about their products. Featuring user-generated content on your site is a strategy rising in popularity. Other ways to create a brand community include asking questions on Instagram stories, going live on TikTok, asking for feedback or ideas from consumers, posting polls on social media (i.e. what upcoming product are you most excited about?), and hosting giveaways.

• Leverage Influencer Marketing

Generation Z likes to be engaged by “real people”—celebrity endorsements are not as convincing. Gen Zers are more likely to be swayed by influencers on social media, Partnering with influencers can increase brand awareness dramatically

• Emphasize on Visual Content

The top 3 social media platforms among Gen Z are YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. What do these all have in common? They emphasize visuals. Gen Z consumers want short, snappy videos and eye-catching graphics. If you try to attract them with large blocks of text, they’re likely to just scroll past. When engaging this audience, it’s worth it to invest in quality visuals and content that boils down the essentials.?

• Personalize Content

To achieve the level of personalization young consumers want, brands need to use segmented marketing to really drill down into their specific audience. Data enrichment can help you fill out consumer profiles so you can offer more individualized campaigns, while retargeting campaigns help retain customers with personalized content.?

• Acknowledge Mistakes

Gen Z cares a lot about their values, and they are unafraid to call out brands that don’t live up to their expectations. And with the sharing power of social media at their fingertips, one blunder from a brand can quickly become viral, leading to a massive loss in customers. The best way to combat this is being honest and open.