More brands are shifting their marketing strategies to cater to the Gen Z market. After all, they do make up 26% of the global population and possess a whopping USD$140-million in spending power. 
Want the 411 on Generation Z? Then be sure to check out our previous article, Marketing to Gen Z: Three things you need to know.
Stats aside, the Gen Z demographic is also responsible (in part, as are Millennials) for one of the biggest consumer shifts in history. 

Firstly, this generation was the first to grow up alongside technology, making them more digitally savvy than their predecessors. This means that this generation has been inundated with marketing from the word go. So, in order to target them effectively, you need to stand out. 

Secondly, Gen Zers are majorly politically motivated. This has translated into them being more sensitive and socially conscious than generations before. Brands, take note — because this isn't just a personal choice. 

This group expects the businesses that they support to display this same sense of awareness that they value, and they expect you to be authentic in your solidarity as well. 

Now, this might all be piling up to seem like an all-out impossible task, but you can easily target this demographic in 2022 with these four tips. We got you, fam!

media update's Taylor Goodman is here to give you the tea on Gen Z here: 

1. Streamline your social media content  

Does your brand take a sales-focused approach to social media? Or do you simply just exist in the social space without doing much of anything? If you answered yes to either of their questions, your brand is in need of a serious social media overhaul.

According to Forbes, the biggest mistake a brand can make on social media is "viewing social media platforms as simply different channels of distribution, rather than the diverse societies they are." 

After all, each platform is different and has its own unique audience. Therefore, brands need to cater to this in order for their social content to resonate with their followers. This is where personalised social media content comes in.

Let's compare Instagram and Twitter as an example. On Instagram, visuals are where it's at — meaning that it would be best to populate this platform with high-quality images, videos and story content.

Twitter, on the other hand, is more conversational. For this reason, polls, Spaces and blogs may be the best formats to use when looking to build up your following. 

Moreover, according to Entrepreneur, the best content for other platforms are the following:
  • Facebook: videos and curated content
  • LinkedIn: company news, more professional content or job listings, and
  • Pinterest: visual guides, tutorials or infographics.
To decipher what content is best for which platform, you need to know how each network works and what its audience wants to see. To gauge sentiment surrounding your brand, you could utilise a social media auditing tool.

2. Integrate your audience into your marketing efforts

User-generated content (UGC) is the best thing to happen to social media marketers since sliced bread. Why? Well, you get to engage your audience, provide social proof to potential buyers and save money on your marketing outputs. Noice!

In a technologically charged society, everyone uses a smartphone. This, coupled with the success that marketers have seen with Influencers, has birthed a whole new strategy in user-generated content.  

As the name suggests, UGC is any form of content that is created and published online by individuals who aren’t linked to a brand. This includes images, text posts, videos or customer reviews. 

With actual customers creating the marketing material, the business is humanised in the eyes of their followers as it is putting a face behind the brand. As these customers are not being incentivised or paid to post, your messaging appears to be more authentic and genuine — which wins you major points with Gen Z. 

Additionally, this strategy is effective — particularly at the evaluation stage of the purchasing journey — as it gives the potential buyer proof that your product is worth it. 

3. Prioritise meaningful interactions  

The social media space is flooded with brands trying a little too hard to fit in with the cool kids. Instead of cringey content, businesses online should work on prioritising more meaningful conversations with their followers. 

And yes, it is all good and well to emphasise the importance of meaningful conversations … but how do you actually achieve them? Glad you asked!

According to Forbes, brands can have more significant engagement with their followers by:

Asking for feedback

The best way to tailor your brand's social media to your audience is by asking them what they want to see. 

Additionally, asking your audience questions shows them that you're interested in learning more about them — and, which Gen Zer doesn't want that? You should also ask yourself how you can add value to their lives and integrate their input into your marketing strategies. 

Listening and remembering

Often when people listen, they're either listening to respond, or the information goes in one ear and out the other. 

To encourage more meaningful interactions with your audience, it is crucial to listen to their questions, concerns or observations with the intention to always respond. 

Being responsive online is an underrated quality for brands to possess, and it shouldn't be! Continually like, reply and retweet to show your audience that you genuinely do care!

Trying to relate

As a brand in the social space, you obviously stand out like a sore thumb. It's not your fault though — you're just a suit. 

To appear more relatable, brands should show the human side of their company. Gen Zers value transparency and authenticity — so this will be sure to catch their eye. 

So that they can be more authentic, and less business-ey, brands can post behind-the-scenes images or videos of their employees, or do a 'meet the team' series of videos. 

This kind of content humanises your brand as it offers a peek into your daily activities and insight into who you are, outside of your role as a business. 

Respecting others' time

Want to win some brownie points with your Gen Z followers? Then don't oversaturate their feeds with your brand messaging, or be overly intrusive online. 69% of this age group finds ads disruptive, to begin with. 

Rather, limit your posts and ensure that they're valuable to followers instead of just taking up space. 

4. Always remember: Mobile-first!  

Few things are as difficult as separating a Gen Zer from their phone. As a tremendous 98% of Gen Zers own a smartphone, a mobile-first strategy would be a winner with this crowd.

What does it mean to be mobile-centric, you ask? This is essentially optimising content specifically for mobile devices. You can do this by:
  • prioritising visuals
  • create snackable content
  • have a user-friendly website, and
  • keep it simple, always.
At the forefront of mobile-first design is ensuring that it is easy for your followers to consume content — so keep this in mind when creating marketing copy to win big with Gen Zs. 

Gen Zers, how do you want to be marketed to? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.

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If you want to learn more about targeting Gen Zers, then be sure to read our article, Millennials and Gen Z adapt well to change — what is their secret.
*Image courtesy of Vecteezy.