The youngest generation, born in 1990 or later, is known as Generation Z. These youngsters already comprise one-quarter of the US population and contribute billions of dollars to the economy. They’re tech-savvy, avid multitaskers and incredibly socially conscious. If you run a company geared toward teens and 20-somethings, use these six tips to market to them successfully.
Catch Their Attention with Visuals
Gen Zers are known for using up to five devices at a time, switching between them 27 times per hour. This makes it easy to block out boring ads. With such a limited attention span, it’s critical to keep your ads visually engaging and “snackable.” Today’s young people prefer to soak up messages quickly with images rather than reading a block of text.
Tell Them the Truth
To Generation Z, “authenticity” is more than just a buzzword – it’s a way of life. Marketing speak won’t cut it with these young consumers. They want a quality, affordable product, but they also demand transparency so they can only buy from companies that engage in lawful business practices and treat their employees fairly.
Live By Your Values
Gen Zers only want to do business with brands that share their principles, so tell consumers what you stand for. Then, practice what you preach. Make sure you have a mission statement and consider creating a “values” landing page on your website. This is the place to share your humanitarian efforts. Making philanthropy an integral part of your business not only gives back to the community but also helps you market to Generation Z.
Implement Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is when you borrow a celebrity’s reach, credibility and salesmanship to persuade consumers to buy your product or service. By teaming up with the right influencers, you can win over Gen Z. Just be careful whom you align yourself with. Anyone promoting your product or service should share your company’s political, environmental and social convictions.
Provide Customizability
Individuality is important to Gen Zers. If this is your audience, strive to offer more than one design or solution, whether you sell physical or digital products. This way, young consumers can customize their purchase to meet their needs and express their personality.
Connect in the Right Places
Generation Z consumes more digital content than any other generation before them. This isn’t surprising, given that they’re the first age group to be born into the digital age. This makes social media platforms the best place to connect with this generation. From YouTube and Twitch to Instagram and Snapchat, these are the places to share what you offer. Of course, simply broadcasting marketing materials isn’t enough. The content you share must be exciting if you hope to pull them.
Whatever you do, don’t underestimate the rising generation. Learning to connect with Generation Z now will make you better able to evolve with them over time. Let John Manlove Marketing & Communications help. To learn more about our services, please call us today at 281-487-6767.