There’s a lot more to Gen Z than TikTok dances, metal straws, and an incredible knack for taking flawless selfies.
A generation who hasn’t known a life without the internet, this tech-savvy gen are immune to traditional advertising and have an incredibly short attention span. Making your mark and getting your message across to such a dynamic audience isn’t an easy feat, but with their sheer buying influence, and the fact that they’re almost always online, knowing how to market to Gen Z is a must in 2020.
Who Are Gen Z?
Born after 1996, Gen Z were brought into a paradox world filled with both incredible uncertainty, yet endless possibilities.
Never knowing a life that wasn’t filled with social media, they’re far more immune to traditional advertising than any generation before them.
This doesn’t mean they’re impossible to market towards though, there are plenty of ways to capture their attention and keep them engaged with your message.
Be Authentic
Authenticity is key when it comes to capturing the attention of Gen Z’s. Most Gen Z’s look towards influencers, creators, and other ‘real’ people in advertisements. Studies suggest that unlike Millennials, Gen Z customers prefer to see ‘real’ people in ads, helping them trust the brand and the product.
This has resulted in the influx of Insta-famous accounts, with these influencers becoming the ‘word-of-mouth’ sources for the modern consumer.
Utilise real people, and avoid picture-perfect models when it comes to social media marketing to the youth of today. They don’t want photoshopped perfection, they want real.
Real results and real people.
Go For Experiences
Leave the hard sell behind.
Your young audience has grown up around the internet, they’ve seen every trick in the book, and they’re not about to fall for a campaign that’s been done a million times before.
Don’t talk at them.
They don’t really care why your product is so amazing, they want to know how it will impact their lives.
You’re not just selling a product, you’re selling an experience, you’re selling an aesthetic, you’re selling a lifestyle.
Similar to Millennials, the storytelling approach is a great way to target this savvy audience. Paid actors, grand claims, and a ‘buy buy buy’ mentality are only going to push them away.
Instead think of how you can sell a story, an idea, an experience. Your brand should be selling themselves, not just selling a product. You need to transcend past the old way of marketing and embrace this new way that sells both an image and an idea.
Video Is King
It might surprise you to hear that a Google survey revealed that Youtube is Gen Z’s app of choice when it comes to wanting to be entertained, educated, or as a resource to learn a new skill.
With so many of the Z audience present on the platform, it goes to show how important video content can be to draw in your younger audience. Brands like Redbull have a massive presence on the platform and nail the art of creating content without pushing a hard sell. Utilising video doesn’t have to be limited to Youtube. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and even Snapchat provide the opportunity for you to use video to push a message and create content that feels both natural and organic.
Make It Quick And Memorable
You have a great idea?
Awesome!
Can you do it in 8 seconds?
That’s where things get a little difficult…
The average attention span of Gen Z is a whopping 8 seconds.
This doesn’t give you a lot to play with, but, it does force you to be creative and engaging without any unnecessary extras.
It might sound hard, but social media today is designed for the shorter attention span of new generations. With platforms like Instagram and TikTok at your disposal, getting your fast-paced and hard-hitting campaigns to the right audience has never been easier. Utilising stories and quick videos for your Gen Z audience is a great way to keep it snappy and engaging. Be careful to keep that balance of avoiding traditional tactics to sell, and instead draw in this savvy audience with creativity and purpose.
Inspire Them
Be a brand that they would be proud to wear, purchase, or display. Times are always changing, and especially in 2020, Generation Z has proven that they care about the issues of the world. Gen Z is a generation that has seen immense social and political changes in their lifetime, and they want to make a difference. Utilise brand storytelling to tell your audience who you are, what you stand for, and why you’re here. This sense of authenticity creates a great relationship with this empathetic and change-driven generation.
Ready to target this young and passionate audience? Let us help! We can help you create a campaign that will engage Gen Z and amplify your brand message so you can create a strong and long-lasting relationship with your audience.
