For a generation that spends the majority of their time surfing the internet, your marketing strategies need to be out of the box. However, marketing to GenZ can be a daunting and overwhelming task. It is no secret that GenZ or Zoomers are built differently. Marketing to Generation Z, or “Gen Z,” can be challenging because this demographic has grown up in a digital world and is highly skeptical of traditional advertising techniques. Therefore, marketing firms need to opt for strategies and tactics that help them achieve a perfect balance.
Before diving into details about the strategies, let’s understand why is marketing to GenZ necessary.
Marketing to GenZ: Why is it important?
GenZ, born between the years 1997 and 2012, is slowly becoming a major consumer group with diverse ethics and notions. Furthermore, they have the power to convince and influence other potential consumers. They are also the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age, which means they have different habits, values, and expectations than previous generations.
The generation of the digital era has a significant purchasing power and values authenticity. Gen Z is more socially and politically aware than previous generations. They are more likely to support brands and products that align with their values and beliefs. It’s important to adapt and innovate communication and marketing strategies to connect with them in order to achieve successful results.
Read on and find out more about the strategies and tactics you can implement in marketing your brand or services.
Strategies for Marketing to GenZ
Nowadays, the most frequent and commonly asked question is how to grab the attention of the tech-savvy GenZ. For a generation that eats, sleeps and breathes on the internet, it is highly necessary to derive a strategy that speaks out to them. No matter what the age group, you must ensure that you understand your target audience and cater to their needs.
Following is a list of tactics you can incorporate into your marketing strategy to reach out to GenZ:
- Social Media: GenZ is a major user of the social media platforms. From Instagram to TikTok, everything is widely used and can be one of the most important aspects of your marketing strategy. Furthermore, it has been estimated that 60% of GenZ believe that digital first impressions are more imperative than personal ones. For a marketing firm, it is highly necessary to have a solid social media presence as it is the best way to connect with its target GenZ audience.
- Interactive experiences: Nowadays, what today’s generation yearns for is a wow factor and that can be incorporated into your marketing strategy by indulging in an interactive experience. You can offer your target GenZ audience with interactive experiences such as gamification, quizzes, and live events to engage them. Incorporating interactive experiences can be a valuable tool for brands looking to connect with Gen Z. By offering engaging and memorable experiences; brands can build deeper connections and foster long-term loyalty with this important demographic.
- Influencer Marketing: Influencer marketing is one of the most important tools for a good marketing strategy. Reaching out to a renowned influencer can help you boost the reach of your brand. Further, it has been estimated that 16% of Men and 24% of women are highly influenced by an influencer when it comes to making a purchasing decision. An influencer having a strong connection to Gen Z has the power to make them follow and trust their recommendations.
- User-generated content: For Gen Z, User-generated content is a powerful marketing tool as they place high trust in the opinions and recommendations of their peers over traditional advertising. One can incorporate User-generated content in a number of ways. For instance – You can encourage customers to leave reviews about your products or website or other third-party review platforms. This not only provides valuable feedback for the brand but also serves as social proof for potential customers. By inculcating user-generated content, you can connect with your target audience and get to know their opinions.
- Channel-specific content: Rather than replicating one campaign on different platforms, it is advisable to cater your content as per the social media channel. It is better to create content with the target audience of that channel in mind. Each channel as per the GenZ, is used for a different purpose, and they prefer brands that know these purposes. For instance, Twitter is for News, and Linkedin is for more career related posts. In order for your paid or organic content to be successful, you need to engage with the online community on which you are posting.
- Video content: Including video content in your marketing strategy is one of the best ways to connect with GenZ. It has been estimated that 61% of Generation Z prefers short videos under 1 minute. The videos, however, should grab the attention of the audience within 30 seconds in order to make an impact. GenZ prefers visual content over written or images. For a mobile-first generation, videos have the power to leave a long-lasting impression and can help reach a wider audience and provide a more authentic and relatable connection with Gen Z.
- Authenticity: What today’s generation craves for are truth and authenticity. Authenticity is a key factor in successful marketing to Gen Z. This demographic values transparency, honesty, and genuine connections, making it important for brands to present themselves in a manner that is authentic and relatable. You can portray the authenticity of your brand and your team by asking for feedback, interacting with your consumers and building trust and long-term loyalty with this important demographic.
- Purpose-driven content: It is imperative to highlight the purpose and values behind your brand, as Gen Z values purpose-driven brands over purely profit-driven ones.
Last but not least, it’s important for brands to optimize their marketing efforts for mobile devices. Gen Z is highly mobile and spends a significant amount of time on their mobile devices, making mobile optimisation a crucial aspect of marketing to this demographic. Brands should ensure that their website and marketing materials are mobile-friendly and provide a seamless and optimized user experience on mobile devices.
The Last Word
Generation Z has been equipped with different beliefs and preferences. And to market to a group of tech-savvy youngsters, one has to play smart. From video content to using hashtags and catering to the needs of your target audience, you can effectively and efficiently get the perfect balance of Marketing and GenZ. The best way to reach out to this demographic is to be authentic and be transparent about the values and beliefs of your brand.
Marketing to Gen Z can be a challenge for brands, as this demographic has unique values, preferences, and behaviors compared to previous generations. To successfully market to Gen Z, brands need to understand and cater to these differences.