Gen Z has its own way of doing things. They’re more community oriented than previous generations and visually driven. They also have shorter attention spans than previous generations.
If you want to connect with Gen Z’ers, you have to meet them where they are. That means taking the time to adjust your marketing strategy to their style and learning to understand where they’re coming from.
Gen Z is the second-youngest generation, sandwiched between millennials and “Generation Alpha.” To qualify as Gen Z, a person needs to have been born between 1996 and 2010.
Gen Z may be young, but they’ve lived through a lot. They’re the first generation to be digital natives, meaning they were all born after the internet was part of everyday life. They’ve also lived through two U.S. wars, a global recession, and a global pandemic. Those massive events have influenced how Gen Z thinks and feels and their overall approach to the world.
As digital natives, Gen Z is way more online than older generations. They might as well have been born with a smartphone in their hand. Some members of Gen Z are looking at screens morning, noon, and night.
Gen Z also approaches the internet in a way that differs from the older generations. They’re much more cautious about how they present themselves online and are likely to turn to the internet first when they need information.
The main difference when marketing to Gen Z vs. millennials, Gen X, or even Boomers is that you must remember that Gen Z is made up of digital natives. They’ve grown up with social media, the internet, and smartphones being a normal part of daily life. Technology isn’t novel to them, it’s just something that exists.
Another thing to remember when trying to reach Gen Z is that they tend to be more value-minded and truth-seeking than previous generations. They want messages that are authentic and accepting. But don’t try to be woke with Gen Z just to fit in or to appeal to them. They will see through it.
Let’s talk about those attention spans or their lack of. Gen Z has a reputation for having eight-second attention spans. If you don’t grab their attention ASAP, that’s it. But it’s not so much that Gen Z can’t pay attention. It takes a lot for them to find something worth paying attention to. To cut through the endless noise, your marketing message needs to make them take notice.
In the U.S., there are more than 68 million people who are part of Gen Z, which is about one-fifth of the country’s population. Gen Z’s top three favorite social media platforms include TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. They’re more likely to respond to authentic marketing messages and are experts at sniffing out fakeness. As a marketer, you want to put your money where your mouth is to reach Gen Z. Don’t just add a rainbow background to your June logo or #BlackLivesMatter to your messages. Walk the walk and talk the talk if you want to win them over.
Beyond embracing authenticity, what marketing methods and strategies should your brand use to connect to Gen Z?
For starters, it helps to go where they go. These days, that means TikTok. But other visual-first platforms, like YouTube or Instagram, also rank high with the younger crowd. It’s not enough to create the same content on each platform. You need to tailor your content to match the vibe of the platform you post on. For example, be funny and cool on TikTok and aspirational on Instagram. Use YouTube for longer-form content when you want to dive deep into a topic.
Speaking of TikTok, YouTube, and even Instagram, for that matter: Gen Z as a cohort tends to love video. They may be the generation for which “pivot to video” was created. So use video marketing strategies to reach them. And make sure it’s attention-grabbing and visually appealing.
Since Gen Z craves authenticity and trust, it’s a good idea to connect with influencers who hold much sway over them. Gen Z is more likely to turn to influencers for advice and opinions than other generations. So use that to your advantage and build lasting partnerships with some of the generation’s most popular influencers.
Gen Z consumers want authenticity and truth. They can smell a phony from a mile away.
Gen Z are the first digital natives. They’re also more values-driven and pragmatic than their elders.
You’ll find Gen Z on TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram.
Want to reach Gen Z but have no idea where to start? Connect with Zero Gravity Marketing. We’ll work with you to develop a digital marketing strategy that reaches Gen Z no matter where they are in the customer journey.