TLDR.
Don’t have time to stick around and read the entire blog? Don’t worry! Here are the key points in relation to the best ways of marketing to Gen Z:
- Gen Z craves authenticity over brand promotion online.
- This generation prefers companies that are socially responsible and have a clear purpose.
- They have a short attention span, so be sure to deliver your message quickly!
- Gen Z relates with, and appreciates, online influencers.
Introduction.
Gen Z, the generation born between 1997 and 2012, has more buying power than ever. In 2021, their buying power neared $150 billion, and that number is expected to grow as the generation matures into the workforce. Marketing to Gen Z is now an urgent priority for all businesses.
As the first truly mobile and social-native consumer set, Gen Z has taken advantage of today’s constantly connected world differently than any other generation. This reality has changed how, when, where, and what they purchase, watch on television, and engage with on social platforms. Marketing to Gen Z is important in 2022, so follow these tips to boost their engagement.
1. They Crave Authenticity Over Brand Promotion Online
When marketing to Gen Z know that this generation is experiencing perfection fatigue. This is the mental exhaustion and stress caused by constantly trying to present oneself as perfect, or by constantly seeing images of perfection. Because of this, Gen Z is starting to celebrate the unpolished.
84% of young consumers agreed that they like when a brand’s content is imperfect. Additionally, 79% agreed that they are tired of seeing polished images in advertising.
Many brands are starting to use low-fidelity (lo-fi) production techniques like stop motion, college, boomerang effects, and photo montages to market to Gen Z. While these are “lo-fi,” it doesn’t mean they are low quality. Instead, these techniques simply promote the more authentic feel that Gen Z is looking for.
2. They Prefer Companies With A Purpose
This generation expects brands to have an inspiring “why.” Gen Z wants to know what your brand stands for. They value brands that take a stand on social justice issues. A decade ago, companies shied away from taking any social stances, but Gen Z feels a personal responsibility to push brands to be more inclusive and take a stance. In fact, Gen Z cares so much about ethics and social responsibility that 80% of Gen Z women will “break up” with a brand, with half of them speaking out against brands they believe are unethical.
So what should you do?
When marketing to Gen Z, engage in storytelling and content that is diverse in both who you are as a brand and what you stand for within the community you serve.
3. They Have Short Attention Spans
As a Gen Z-er myself, I can vouch for the fact that we have short attention spans. While writing this blog alone, I’ve had to take at least three breaks because I couldn’t stay focused!
The attention span of the average Gen Z consumer is eight seconds. Gen Z viewers are likely to skip or scroll past after 9.5 seconds of a video ad, so be sure to deliver your message before they do so.
Your window to catch their attention properly is getting shorter and shorter each year! This needs to be factored in when marketing to Gen Z.
4. They Relate Well to Online Influencers
Of course your brand is only going to speak positively about itself. That’s why Gen Z wants to hear what others have to say. In fact, 63% of 18-to-34-year-olds say they trust what an influencer says about a brand more than what the brand says about itself in advertising.
Surveys have shown that 44% of young people have tried a product or service because it was recommended by a digital creator. This shows the importance of harnessing the power of influencer marketing in today’s day and age.
Conclusion.
Digital marketing trends for Gen Z are bound to be different compared to other groups. The way your company will market to Gen Z may be vastly different from your normal marketing techniques. Gen Z consumers prefer videos to long-form content, and they relate better to small influencers than celebrity influencers.
While Millennials have been the focus of digital marketing campaigns for over a decade now, it’s time to start looking at marketing to Gen Z, the first generation of digital natives.
Do you feel like you don’t know the first thing about how to market to Generation Z? Do you need help creating authentic, attention-grabbing content? Contact us today to see how Escalate could help your brand reach the Gen Z audience!