Marketing to Gen Z: What You Need to Know

Generation Z is a unique batch of people. They were born with and grew up with the internet and portable devices. As a result, they know their way around the virtual world like the back of their own hand.

As such, marketing to this generation doesn’t work the same way as for others. There are a few adjustments you need to make if you want to reach out to Gen Z the right way.

What are these adjustments? Read on to see.

Recommended: 9 Tips for Marketing to Gen Z

Retargeting Is Key

The average Gen Z-er’s life is packed with ads. With so many companies vying for their attention, they see more ads in a day than many of us do in a week.

The odds of you raking in Gen Z conversions by advertising to them only once is virtually zero. But retargeting greatly improves your odds of increasing awareness and loyalty. Just do the following to ensure success:

• Retarget leads through social media. According to ”DigitalMarketingJobs” research, retargeting ads on Facebook are 76% more likely to be clicked than any other kind of ad.
• Use videos. Video-based content is becoming more important for marketing to Gen Z audience every day.
• Personalize your ads. Tailor your ads to the lead’s needs through the tracking of browsing data, and you’ll guarantee more click-throughs.

Stand for Something

Social awareness and activism are the cornerstones of Gen Z culture. Given that they are so in touch with the world through the internet, they have a special passion for advocacy, and they expect the same kind of passion from you.

This is why it’s a good idea to weave some sort of cause into your brand’s image. For example, one of the more prominent issues Gen Z-ers have on their minds is protecting the environment. As much as 55% of this demographic prefers eco-friendly brands, after all, so you can try to echo a “clean” sentiment.

You can also opt for other causes if you wish. Consider things like mental health, homelessness, or hunger. Your younger audience will be able to tell if you’re sincere, and if the message resonates, they will flock to your brand.

Mobile Friendliness

It should go without saying at this point, but marketers who don’t consider mobile compatibility won’t make it far. Content that works well on a mobile devices’ small screen will make a world of difference - you only have to make a few crucial tweaks.

A key strategy is to create a clean, simple design for your content that a mobile device user can easily browse. Although Gen Z spends a lot of time on their phones and the like (an average of eleven hours a day, in fact), they won’t tolerate a confusing layout. Quick access is the name of the game, so make every button visible and clickable.

You can further increase navigability by including gifs and videos. Gen Z is used to more streamlined means of communication - gifs, emojis, memes, and so on - so blocks of text will likely put them off. Thus, the more you can convey without text, the better.

Finally, you ought to ensure that sharing your content is effortless. Interactions via apps and social media platforms is second nature to this generation, so they regularly post things that they take a shine to. They will definitely appreciate it if you make sharing a simple matter of a few clicks.

Recommended: 6 Kinds of Mobile Content to Create in 2020

Influencers Beat Celebrities

The practically age-old tradition of celebrity endorsement doesn’t hold as much water as it used to in the past. Gen Z is a pretty marketing-savvy bunch, and they know that a celebrity telling you that a product rocks isn’t exactly conclusive proof of quality.

But the celeb trope now has a worthy successor - the influencer. Influencers provide a more down-to-earth intermediary between you and the customer. After all, they aren’t some superstar - they’re just someone with a social media profile who tells you about a product.

It isn’t just this approach-ability that contributes to the rise of the influencer, though. They also offer more in-depth reviews about what they’re promoting, rather than telling you it’s stellar. The authenticity of these reviews is what Gen Z respects. And that kind of authenticity is what you should strive to achieve with your marketing efforts.

Conclusion

Generation Z is a fascinating one, growing up in a hyper-connected world. This has made them incredibly aware of how the advertising world works, and that calls for a different approach on the marketer’s part.

If you want to appeal to this generation, value is the pivotal concept for you to adopt. From taking a stand about a societal issue to influencers discussing your brand in earnest, you’ll need to show that you’re more than a business out for money.

So be vocal, be honest, and be ready to cater to Gen Z’s deep knowledge of the online world.

Laurice Wardini

My name is Laurice and I’m a writer based in Los Angeles, CA. I’ve been passionate about writing ever since I was young, crafting fiction stories and journaling about my life.