We hear these terms thrown around all of the time. “Boomers,” “Gen X,” “Millennials,” and “Gen Z.” After marketing experts have spent years trying to figure out the best way to effectively market to millennials, the primary goal for many as we begin 2023 is how to reach the new content-hungry generation of consumers known as Gen Z.
What Is Generation Z?
Gen Z is defined as the collective of people born between 1997 and 2012. This means an age range from about 10 to 25. The biggest difference in marketing to Gen Z vs. Millennials and what makes this generation so interesting and difficult to market to is they have never experienced life without the internet. Gen Z also has the advantage of new unique ways to earn significant money and gain spending power at a younger age than previous generations.
This generation has been online since childhood and has been using the internet, phones, and social media from an early age. Gen Z is the most tech-savvy generation yet, and familiar with digital trends and doing their own research and data collection. Studies show that the most important thing to Gen Z is finding the truth. They can search for information and cross-reference multiple sources on their own, which means marketers have to understand that when producing content.
Strategies for Marketing to Gen Z
Despite what some people may think, research shows that Gen Z’ers are incredibly loyal to brands that they connect with. They also pose a big influence on their whole family, as a majority of this younger generation still lives at home. There are a lot of differences to understand when marketing to Gen Z vs. Millennials. So what are some helpful tips a brand can implement to effectively reach a Gen Z audience?
Create Channel-Specific Content
The best way to reach Gen Z is through social media. However, as a generation that understands every aspect of social media, it is crucial to create channel-specific content for your brand’s social accounts. For example, create content for TikTok with the TikTok audience in mind, and content for Facebook with the Facebook audience in mind. They are two vastly different audiences. The content you create for each platform should be unique and tailored to each audience, while still aligning with your brand’s voice.
Keep It Short
Gen Z has a very brief attention span. They prefer platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram that favor short content.
Use Video
To go along with quick content, quick videos are the best way to capture the attention span of Gen Z. Make sure videos are mobile-optimized and keep them short and engaging.
Always Be Authentic and Transparent
We mentioned earlier how much the truth matters to Gen Z. Always maintain a brand voice and create content that is authentic and credible. Show the people and values behind your brand. Gen Z prefers authentic content filmed on personal devices over professionally produced content. Save yourself some money and create the content yourself. If you make a mistake, own it, and take accountability to change, your Gen Z customers will appreciate it and stand by you.
Use Influencers
This means more than just paying an influencer to promote your products. Center your strategy around popular influencers that believe in your brand. Keep it authentic, transparent, and relatable.
Let Gen Z Join In
Everybody wants to be a content creator these days. Use that to your advantage. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram encourage content creation and interactions. Starting a hashtag, trend, or challenge, that your audience can join in on will gain you great exposure with your audience doing the work for you.
User-Generated Content
Keeping with the theme of authenticity, user-generated content yields much better results with Gen Z. Pictures of real people, real staff members, and real customers will always perform better than stock or photoshopped images. Gen Z consumers are smart, they will be able to tell the difference.
Improve Your Marketing Strategy with beMarketing
Whether you are trying to effectively reach Gen Z, Millennials, or Boomers, our expert staff at beMarketing stays up to date with the current trends and marketing strategies to reach any generation and help your brand connect with your audience. From branding to social media, and everything in between, beMarketing has the tools to tailor a marketing strategy that fits the needs and goals of your brand. To learn more about how we can help you improve your marketing efforts, contact us today!
