Marketing to Gen Z: A How-To Guide
Nowadays, it is hard to imagine a world without the internet. It is even harder to imagine for those born between 1997-2012, whose entire upbringings have coincided with the digital world’s rise to prominence. Now officially known as ‘Gen Z’, or colloquially as ‘zoomers’, we represent the generation that comes before ‘Alpha’ (that’s right, I said “we”). For us “digital natives”, who came of age in the 2010s, the ‘Web 2.0’ revolution has come to define our teenage years. It was a time that saw many of today’s primary social media platforms really begin to establish themselves.
There can be no doubt that the internet has moulded Gen Z into a generation that is altogether different to those that have come before. Because of their lifelong exposure to the web, they are less inclined to respond to ‘traditional’ digital marketing techniques. Or, data shows, online advertising in general. So in order to reach them effectively, you have to go above-and-beyond if you are to appeal to this particular market.
Here are a few tips on how you can go about doing exactly that:
1. Experiment With More Than Just Twitter, Instagram and Facebook
There can be no denying that Generation Z spends a LOT of time on social. But the question for digital marketers, is which platforms they are spending their time on. That is where it gets interesting. According to data from Statista, none of the three aforementioned ‘primary’ social media platforms feature in UK-based Gen Z-ers’ top-five social platforms.
In fact, the five are:
TikTok
Snapchat
Depop
Reddit
Twitch
Now, this data does not suggest that the more established platforms are to be ignored. Far from it. A recent study from Twitter showed that in the period between May 2020 and May 2021, nearly half of all tweets posted were from users aged 16-24. So it’s clear that younger audiences still make up a huge presence on domains like Twitter, but if you are looking to reach this audience, why not go to sites where they make up a vast majority? The platforms above provide the perfect examples on which to deploy your messaging.
2. Convey Your Brand’s Personality
If there’s one thing that’s for sure, is that corporate talk will not rub off onto Gen Z. There are reams of examples to show that companies that show a sense of humour, that have a little bit of fun online, are hits amongst younger audiences.
We’ve seen major brands like McDonalds, Innocent Drinks, Domino’s Pizza and Specsavers really nail their colours to the mast in this regard. Their feeds are awash with memes, trending puns and a ‘low-effort’ way of posting (McDonalds in particular). It sounds like every major company’s worst nightmare – but it works. Younger audiences find a break from the norm to be refreshing, novel and above all else, really quite funny.
Now, we’re not saying you should through your content strategy (and your caps lock key, by the looks of it) out of the window, but don’t be afraid to show your company’s personality online. It’s a great way to get younger generations sharing and talking about your brand’s social media strategy.
3. Ensure Your Company is Socially Aware
A 2020 study by Marketing Dive found that 72% of Gen Z-ers said they’re more likely to buy from a company that contributes to social causes. It is incredibly important to the youth of today (and the wider public, moreso than ever) that the brands they’re interacting with are ethically sound.
Championing equality and diversity, publicly endorsing a range of communities and celebrating different campaigns is no longer considered ‘out there’. As Sprout Social put it so aptly, “brands taking bold stances is becoming more of an expectation rather than an exception to the rule”.
Gen Z cares deeply about matters such as metal health and climate change, for example. So showing that your brand does too can never be a bad thing. Whilst the presenting and expressing of such beliefs on more tentative matters needs to be done correctly and with care, nowadays, it is important for any brand that they are active on key issues within society.
4. Make Content – Not Ads
Gen Z are more determined than any other generation come to their own decision when choosing from a range of companies to purchase from, or simply engage with. As stated at the top of the piece, they are almost immune nowadays to traditional forms of online advertising. So get creative!
Previously, we’ve discussed the concept of influencers and how they can be leveraged. They are an entire working industry that has been born of the Gen Z era. They represent exactly what the younger market wants from modern-day advertising – a more natural, personable approach to product endorsement.
Typically, influencer content comes in video format. Video is also a must when it comes to targeting the youth, who, on average, watch an estimated 68 videos every day. Making content that puts a face to a brand, that’s fun, that’s engaging and eye-catching is exactly what is needed to get your company’s message across to digital natives. Data shows that 81% of Gen Z say Instagram and YouTube are their preferred social networks of choice. This goes hand-in-hand with today’s desire for more visually-striking content.
Don’t be afraid to be brave. Chances are, it’ll make you stand out and endear you to a younger audience.
5. Engage With Your Audience
Admittedly, this is nothing exclusive. Responding to and engaging with followers isn’t just key when appealing to Gen Z, but to any market. It shows that a brand’s social media isn’t just run by a robot, but by a human face that appreciates their engagement.
But where this becomes a little more important, when it comes to marketing to younger users, is facilitating a community. By embracing responses – the good and the bad – a brand can create meaningful, two-way interactions that encourage others to do the same. It feels authentic.
There are plenty of statistics that show that a positive relationship with younger communities can be incredibly fruitful for any company. For instance:
76% of Gen Z-ers view a brand more positively if they respond to voices and feedback.
44% of Gen Z-ers, if given the chance, would submit ideas for product designs.
On average, Gen Z-ers share twice as much positive feedback to brands as they share negative feedback.
Many brands have taken note of this particular trend. But they aren’t necessarily doing it well. The same data source reports 47% of Gen Z-ers who engaged with a brand feel dissatisfied or neutral about that brand’s response. So whilst you won’t be the only company interacting with their followers, get it right, and you may well be setting yourself apart.
I maintain that many of these ‘tips’ are not just essential when marketing to Generation Z. They are good practise for most online organisations. Connecting with younger audiences is not a minefield. Authenticity is at the heart of every campaign’s success, from the way that you advertise your products, to the way that you engage with followers. Convey a human side, a personable nature and a fun, engaging content strategy and the hard part is done.
From there, the social media-savvy youth will do the rest.
For more information, email info@uni4mbrand.com or WhatsApp us on +447555892554.