Did you know that it takes only 1.3 seconds for Gen-Zers to lose attention for ads? That’s not a lot of time for a brand to send their message! So, how do we approach marketing to Gen-Z? This is one of the biggest challenges for brands but also one of the best opportunities for marketers to showcase their skills and creativity. There are several important points to cover, and we’ll go through them all in this post.
Why It’s Important for Brands to Win Over Gen-Zers
Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen-Z makes up about 20% of the US population. Their spending power, now at $360 billion, is bound to increase in the following years as more and more Gen-Zers join the workforce. Soon enough, they will be the predominant age group for marketers – so it’s time these experts learn how to advertise to this specific generation. And marketing to Gen-Z vs. Millennials, Gen-X, and Boomers is quite different!
Securing the trust of Generation Z now means plenty of loyal customers in the future – and isn’t this what every brand wants? From small businesses to large corporations, everyone wants to appeal to them. The trick here is to forget everything you think you know about digital marketing – because new rules apply when it comes to this generation. To understand them, you need to understand their wants and needs and dive deep into the psychological aspect of online advertising.
The Psychology Behind Marketing to Gen-Z
How are Gen-Z’s advertising preferences different from those of previous generations? In the previous decades, marketers used a model called consumer funnel, where advertising was a linear process. The stages of that funnel are awareness, interest, desire, and action. Clean and simple, it was designed to attract consumers from all walks of life and age groups. However, it’s become quite clear that this approach was not going to cut it for Gen-Zers.
This type of digital advertising is too general, too impersonal – it doesn’t work on Generation Z. It’s important to understand that they have grown up surrounded by technology, which opened doors to countless sources of information and shaped them in many ways. When you combine that with social and economic changes in recent years, you get an age group that knows what they want – and they’re not afraid to voice their opinions.
If you don’t belong to this generation, it may be hard to understand how important social media is for them. It’s their primary source of not just news and information, but also entertainment. This is where they connect with their peers and where they learn. Because of that, marketers need to look at the bigger picture when curating their marketing strategies with Gen-Z in mind, especially when it comes to social media.
How to Market to Gen-Z? The Most Important Thing Is Not to Make It Obvious You’re Doing Just That
If there’s one sure way for Gen-Zers to lose interest in your brand, it’s to make it obvious that you’re targeting them. The more it looks forced and unnatural, the more they will turn their heads away from your brand. If it seems like the brand is changing its standards, core beliefs, and messaging to suit Gen-Z specifically, that kind of advertising is bound to backfire. Gen-Zers will perceive the brand as untrustworthy and won’t risk their hard-earned money to buy its products.
Advertising Has to Be Authentic and Not Over the Top
So, how do you market to Gen-Z without making it look like you’re doing that? The answer is more simple than you might think – you just need to be yourself. Yes, it sounds cliché, we know – but that is what the young generation wants to see in the digital world. Honest, raw, and authentic brands will go a long way with them. Keep things very simple, or shall we say… very demure? If you didn’t get the reference, you’re not deep enough in the Gen-Z world – we suggest you start doing your research!
Instead of Pushing for Marketing That the Brand Thinks Will Work, It’s Better to Listen to Gen-Z’s Needs and Wants
As opposed to older generations and the linear consumer funnel we’ve mentioned before, marketing to Generation Z is a two-way street. As a generation that is loud when it comes to their opinions, they will often tell you what they want from a certain type of product – you just need to listen. So, instead of promoting in the way that traditional marketing would tell you to promote, be bold and try something innovative.
You’ll be surprised – sometimes, marketing strategies you think will flop completely turn out to be the most successful. There are no rules as to what will be a hit – but listening to your young consumers is the basis of every good advertising effort.
Brands That Want to Succeed Must Represent the Values That Gen-Z Uphold
While brands must remain authentic with the messages they send out, it’s crucial to note one thing – if the brand’s values don’t align with those of Generation Z, there’s not much you can do to win them over. What do we mean by that? Gen-Z are very opinionated, and they stick to their values even when they’re doing something as trivial as deciding on a new brand of lip gloss – and if you ask them, that’s not such a trivial thing (brands like Hailey Bieber’s Rhode have figured that out – that’s why they are doing so well).
So, you have to balance carefully between your brand’s authenticity and Gen-Z’s core values. And here are the most important values that this generation wants to uphold:
- Mental health,
- Diversity and inclusivity,
- Flexibility,
- Meaning and purpose in life,
- Work-life balance,
- Transparency,
- Authenticity,
- Entrepreneurial mindset.
Hop On Different Trends With Your Own Twist
As you can probably guess by now, this generation loves down-to-earth, casual marketing. For brands, this usually means they have to get their creative juices flowing – but how? One of the most commonly used tactics is appealing to Gen-Z by taking advantage of trends they like and adapting them to fit the brand’s niche. Of course, you have to be very mindful about which trends you choose to jump to and how you do it.
Authenticity is the key – you can follow marketing trends, but never let your brand blindly copy somebody else’s work. If you’re perceived as a brand that follows in the footsteps of similar brands in your industry, Gen-Z will never take you seriously. You need to show them that you can be a leader, that you can be a breeze of fresh air.
If you manage to adapt popular trends with your own twist to them – preferably with a bit of humor that will show you don’t take yourself too seriously – you are sure to reach a huge audience and gain new customers. Plenty of big companies have already caught onto this advertising hack. For example, Ryanair is slaying on their social media accounts, especially TikTok. They know that to get views on TikTok, you need to be casual and funny – check out this TikTok where they’ve jumped on a popular trend but adapted it to fit their niche and aesthetics.
Interactive Content and Engaging With Brands Through Short-Form Video Content
It’s no secret that the attention span of Gen-Zers is shorter compared to Millennials and Gen-Xers. How can it not be? They have been overwhelmed with content from a very early age, and now they carefully choose how to spend their time online. For Gen-Z, the average attention span is just 8 seconds (compared to 12 seconds for Millennials). That means you can’t drown them in long ads, and that’s why short-form content marketing is the key.
Video is the form that appeals to them the most – Instagram Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts are their favorites. Less is more with this generation. Brands should strive to get their message across in a matter of seconds or a few minutes tops. The beginning of the video is especially important – this is where you need to hook your viewer. To make things more engaging, you can use visual effects and overlays, and don’t forget the music. Viral songs can easily make the viewer stay for a few extra seconds.
One of the brands that do that perfectly is Duolingo – take a look at the TikTok below. Note how they answer many comments, but also how they’ve taken advantage of the Brat summer trend (how lucky they are that the color of 2024 summer was neon green!).
Influencer Marketing Has an Important Role in Attracting Generation Z
It’s well known that Gen-Zers are more inclined to trust the product if someone influential has endorsed it. Influencer marketing is one of the pillars of digital marketing – almost 75% of Gen-Zers follow content creators, and about 50% rely on influencers when it comes to discovering new products. Naturally, choosing the right influencers to partner with can be a tricky process – remember, you have to find someone whose values align with not only Gen-Z but your brand as well. Otherwise, advertising won’t look authentic.
Make Sure To Keep Up With the Trends and Changes in the Digital World
Gen-Z is the future – they’ll be your primary consumers in the decades to come, and the sooner you adapt your marketing strategy to them, the better. However, Gen-z doesn’t tolerate brands that don’t change. They are a generation that is leading the change, and brands need to keep up with what’s happening in the online realm.
It can be hard for brands to keep up, but even if you can’t run as fast as the young folks, you can stop going forward. The worst mistake you as a brand can make is to not change at all. If you’re stuck in the old times, rest assured that Gen-Z will look over your brand in the quest to find something that suits their taste better.
Hiring a Social Media Marketing Agency Can Help You Reach Your Goals Quickly
It may sound difficult to reach your Gen-Z consumers – and it is if you’re not skilled at this particular aspect of digital marketing. But let us tell you a little secret – brands don’t come up with creative ads on their own – they hire a social media marketing agency to handle it for them. With a team of experienced marketers from a reputable digital advertising agency, there’s no limit to what you can do with your social media accounts.
Made Online is a great example of that – our marketing agency has a few Gen-Zers of our own, and they would be more than happy to introduce your brand to their peers. Contact us to see what we can do for you – we’re looking forward to expanding your customer base!