Marketing to Gen Z

By Beca Alexander On Aug 26, 2019

Gen Z – the generation born after 1995 – has long mystified marketers. Rumored to have low attention spans, the case may be that marketers just aren’t producing content that’s attention-grabbing enough for this portion of the population. The oldest members of this group are just graduating college and will soon join the corporate working force with expendable income to boot. Making up 25% of the population, building brand loyalty with Gen Zers is imperative to the future success of any brand

In order to reach this audience, Socialyte recommends a few major strategies to help bring your Marketing to life.

1. Focus on standout Digital Advertising

This generation never knew life before the internet. As they’re constantly plugged in, every brand looking to target Gen Z needs to focus on their consumption habits first. Short-form content, video, and interactive strategies will win in an effort to break through the noise.

Distribution channels should focus heavily on social media: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat should be your go-to channels.

2. Stand for something

Mass exposure to media from a young age means that this generation is acutely aware of what’s happening in the world. They’re keeping up with the news, keeping track of where their products are coming from, and are aware of which causes they support. For example: when Nike launched the controversial campaign with Colin Kaepernick, their online sales jumped 31%. A Gen Z wants a brand whose values align with their own. If it’s not already a priority, don’t be afraid to take a risk and support something (you might just make a difference for that cause in the process).

3. Sell it to them straight

Nothing is getting past them. Sales-y gimmicks, branded content that’s thinly veiled, overly eager retargeting: it’s not going to work. The top-performing Marketing strategies for this group are the ones that are open and honest.

A few tips:

Work with influencers who begin their content with a very upfront message about working with you.
Write copy for your digital ads that’s short and to the point.
Get a little bit in-their-face about content strategy.

Gen Zers aren’t dumb, show them the product and why it’s great and you’ll find success in converting Sales.

4. Make sure your online consumer journey is flawless

Your website should be pristine, the checkout process should be seamless, your product photos should look professional, you should have social media. If there is anything to question about the tech, count Gen Z out.

5. Give them the ability to interact with your brand

If you don’t have social media for your brand, make accounts ASAP. Come up with a strategy for those accounts and post frequently. You don’t need to have a significant following, but you need to look like you know what’s going on digitally.

You should also actively work to get consumers to review your product – whether that’s by targeting purchasers with newsletters and getting them to post on your site or incentivizing them to review your product on social media – Gen Z trusts the recommendations of peers more than anyone else. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to collect positive reviews, get testimonials, generate earned media, and attract potential consumers.

Without including Gen Z in your Marketing efforts, you’ll miss an opportunity for the future success of your company. While every brand should have a tailor-made strategy, these tips should help any product looking for long-term consumer loyalty break through the noise.