A major demographic shift is emerging in the market, and we can attribute the lion’s share of the responsibility to one group – Gen Z. With the oldest in the generation entering their mid-20s, their purchasing power has gone up.
They are more opinionated than the generations before them, and appealing to them with the same old practices might not be effective anymore. So here are 7 things we can change to make sure that your brand appeals to Gen Z.
- Micro-Influencers Make a Mega Difference
Gen Z values micro-influencers more than bigger creators and often forms parasocial relationships with them. They even tend to buy many of their products directly from social media, ranging from shirts to shoes. So marketing through micro-influencers can be more effective and come off as more authentic.
- Mobile-Friendly Content
75% of Gen Z considers their smartphone as their primary device. So not having content that is mobile-friendly would alienate the majority of this demographic from your content. Whether it is optimizing your website or ensuring that your social media content is optimized, it is crucial for brands to be mobile-friendly.
- Social Values
Previous generations were perfectly happy with brands offering a good product in the market. Gen Z feels strongly about social values, such as minority rights and social service, compared to previous generations. They aren’t hesitant about avoiding brands that don’t respect these values. So it’s essential to make sure that your actions and the content you put out reflect these values.
- Social Media is Their Natural Habitat
Most of Gen Z tends to limit their browsing experience to social media. They tend to look up whatever they need on social media first, and you are unlikely to find them on dated platforms like Facebook. They favor TikTok or Instagram over those.
- Video Content First
As you can guess from their preferred social media platforms, they tend to prefer short-form video content over anything else. Their short attention span can mean that if you fail to grab their interest in the first couple of seconds, they would already skip your content and move on to the next one. So short, fun videos should be the primary format you should stick to when trying to market to them.
- Be Authentic in Your Communication
This one isn’t just for Gen Z, but people, in general, don’t appreciate being advertised to. Content that doesn’t feel like it is outright produced to sell performs worse than content that seems more personal. Try to create content that feels more authentic and not like something brands would put out.
- Engage with Them Regularly
As mentioned earlier, this generation can form very personal connections with entities on social media. So engaging with them regularly can make them feel invested in the brand’s success. Make sure that you interact with them and hear them out every chance you get.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, Gen Z is just like the rest of us. They seek connection and empathy just like us. So marketing to them is just finding ways to connect with them on the platforms they frequent.
If you need to find a strategy that appeals to all demographics alike, you could seek the services of a growth hacking agency like Maplitho Solutions.