Gen Z stands out as the first generation to have been raised in an era where social media and smartphones are deeply integrated into daily life. Born between 1997 and 2012, Generation Z is now beginning to make its mark on the workforce. By 2024, they will account for 40% of the global consumer population—a percentage that is only set to increase, as more of the generation enters the workforce.

Given Gen Z’s substantial spending power, brands are keen to understand how to effectively engage with this group and gain their loyalty. As a digitally adept generation that makes mindful choices about their spending, it’s important for companies to think about how their brand can resonate authentically with Gen Z. Here are some strategies for how to speak to Gen Z in a way that resonates, yet still feels aligned with your brand.

Use Their Language – But Don’t Try Too Hard

Communicating effectively with Gen Z does require speaking their language, but it’s also important to ensure that your voice remains true to your brand’s identity. Brand messaging that is consistent and authentic will go a long way in resonating with Gen Z and distinguishing your brand in a crowded marketplace. One way to do this is by keeping your values and tones consistent.

For example, consider a fashion brand that consistently uses an elevated and positive tone as part of its brand voice. To keep this tonality consistent while also engaging a younger audience, you can subtly adjust the language to better align with their communication preferences:

*Original message:*

“Spring arrivals—our new collection is in bloom 💐”

*Adapted for Gen Z:*

“Spring fits loading 🌷 peep the new collection”

Both versions emphasize the novelty of the collection and the excitement it brings, yet they sound different to attract specific audiences.

Persado has come to understand what type of language motivates people, and often there are similar trends in language that persist across generations. While we may need to adapt the vocabulary or the sentence structure for a new generation, the same categories of language tend to drive engagement.

In the example above, both use the emotion Fascination, and the Narrative of Mood, and both employ emojis. While the original message suits a broad audience with a slightly more formal quality, the adapted message employs more casual and current terminology that resonates strongly with Gen Z.

Embrace Their Digital Savvy

Gen Z is comfortable with technology, and is dexterous when it comes to navigating the internet to make their purchasing decisions. It’s important to adapt your brand’s communication strategy in a way that resonates with Gen Z’s connected and mobile-first lifestyle. This generation will explore all aspects of the brand experience and do their research before completing their purchase, so it’s also essential to ensure that your online experience supports and parallels the in-store experience.

Selecting the right mobile-forward channels such as SMS, Push Notifications, Email, and Web Page is integral in your strategy to reach Gen Z. While generative AI can streamline and enhance content creation for these platforms, it is not sufficient on its own to guarantee meaningful engagement with this audience.

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Speak to their values

Gen Z tends to be in tune with the current cultural conversations and trends shaping our times. Gen Z is very aware of economic disparities, the state of the climate, and brand inclusivity. They prefer to put their money into brands that align with their social values.

Ensure that you’re weaving values that relate with your brand into your marketing content via narrative storytelling. Some examples of this:

Social Consciousness: Awareness about social issues and doing the right thing. Gen Z is passionate about social, environmental, and political issues. They expect brands to take stances and contribute positively to the world.

For example, consider a financial services brand that wants to highlight their program for socially responsible investing. Here are some examples of how to incorporate this narrative in your marketing content.

Welcome to investing with impact

Sustainable investing, found here

Inclusivity: Celebrating diversity. This is an important value to Gen Z.

Some examples of inclusivity in Financial Services are:

Investors of all levels, welcome

Investing — for absolutely everyone

Community: Gen Z values a sense of belonging and community, especially online. They are more likely to engage with brands that foster these connections.

Some examples of community in Financial Services are:

We’re invested in you

You’re a part of the [Financial Services Brand] family

While staying true to your core brand values, you can establish deeper connections with Gen Z,  a generation that values authenticity and purpose in the brands they support. This approach not only enhances engagement but also strengthens brand loyalty among this young, influential demographic.

The Takeaway

This generation continues to define itself and influence the market, with older members entering the workforce and the youngest of the generation still in middle school. This means evolving communication strategies and continuously staying adaptable to meet Gen Z where they are. It’s important to keep testing new approaches and explore options as you continue to learn and support this diverse age group. These strategies provide a starting framework for engaging with Gen Z, ensuring that your brand is able to capture and retain the interest of this generation.

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