How to Market to Gen Z

First off, sit back and relax a little bit. They put their pants on one leg at a time just like the rest of us. The major difference is that Gen Z doesn’t know a world without technology, which has affected how they view the world and what they believe. It means they have the RESOURCES and KNOWLEDGE to question and verify things, and they take full advantage of that.

Still feeling a little lost? Well, here are five things you can start with to market better to Gen Z.

Technology

First things first, technology is KING.

Videos

Gen Z spends more time watching videos than any other generation, with 70 percent watching about two hours of YouTube videos daily. This isn’t really shocking, especially with the dominance of video social media platforms, but how can you use that to your advantage?

First of all, video might be the new way to go for content. But don’t grab the old camcorder just yet. Gen Z is also the hardest to impress. They only have an attention span of about 8 seconds. Don’t hold this against them though. This is merely the result of being SURROUNDED by information their entire lives. They’ve adapted to be able to determine whether or not the content is worth diving in.

So what does that mean for your brand? Make your videos SHORT. If you are publishing 30-minute videos on social media, you’re already putting yourself at a disadvantage. From 10 seconds to two minutes is the sweet spot. And if you can, add captions. Many times, Gen Z is watching videos without sound as they’re surfing different channels, and they can be turned away if they have to turn on the sound to understand. So if you have the capability to add subtitles, go for it.

Influencers

Gen Z is showing trends of trusting influencers. Influencers are people with specific audiences that affect buying decisions because they have some sort of authority, knowledge or position with their followers. The number of followers varies depending on their niche. For example, celebrities are influencers. This is why you will sometimes see celebrities posting about using a product and on their post it says “in partnership with XYZ company.” This means XYZ company has “partnered with” them (paid them) to support their products and boost them on their social networks.

But this doesn’t have to be done with a celebrity. There are influencers of all sizes and they can be found on blogs, podcasts, YouTube, or just social media channels. The idea of the influencer is that they have a loyal fan base that trusts them, whether it be one thousand, ten thousand or 1 million followers. It all just depends on your company size, budget, and the topic you’re trying to focus on.

If you think you might want to look into influencer marketing, there are websites that can connect you to appropriate influencers based on your campaign and target audience. Check out websites like PitchBoard, UpFluence or Aspireiq for more information on influence marketing platforms and tools.

Be transparent

Because they’ve been exposed to the internet their whole lives, Gen Z doesn’t quite accept things at face value. In a study done by DeVries Global Singapore, they concluded that “96 percent of [Gen Z] respondents said that they ‘are willing to pay a premium for brands they deem transparent’.”

But be careful.

They are also very informed in the things that really matter to them. So, if you are going to be transparent about who you are and what you do, make sure it’s accurate. They are truth finders and if they find any inconsistencies, they will write off your attempt at transparency as an advertising tactic and tune out.

Stand for something

Gen Z, as a whole, has proven to be unafraid to speak out against things they disagree with. Consequently, they expect the same from their brands. It’s not uncommon for a Gen Z to stop supporting, or start supporting, businesses based on the causes they believe in.

There are recent examples of this happening. For example, Ben & Jerry’s has established themselves as a brand that cares about social responsibility. They even have a part of their website where they describe all the issues they care about.

But remember what we talked about above in transparency? Ben & Jerry’s needs to hold up their end of the bargain: follow through on what they say they support. So when key executives are seen at numerous protests and followers can take part in social campaigns, they not only are growing relationships with customers, they are also building credibility.

Now that’s not to say that you need to jump out to the front of the protests to get more customers, but supporting a cause can get you a whole new level of relationships with your customers, as well as gain a better brand image and more brand loyalty.

Here are a few of the topics that Gen Z cares most about. There’s no pressure to take up all of them, but if you find that any of these are things that your business already supports, then it could be a nice addition to your company mission.

1. Health Care
2. Mental Health
3. Higher Education
4. Economic Security
5. Civic Engagement
6. Racial Equity
7. Environment

Be Brave

All in all, if you want to relate to Gen Z, then just be real. They don’t want to see a perfect stock photo that hides the imperfections of your business. They want to see an authentic business with a social purpose and a good online interface.

So don’t stress it too much. These young humans just want to make the world a better place and they’re not afraid to show it.

Authored by

Amber Rosamond