The definition of “Gen Z” is often vague, and different people interpret the term differently. There is a fine line between all these generations, and, of course, we also have “millennials.” To be vaguely specific, Gen Z is that generation of humans that has primarily grown up in the presence of the internet. Colloquially known as ‘zoomers,’ the most common definition for Gen Z people is those born between 1997 and 2010.
This generation has seen the growth of internet and computer technology, from old modems and touchpad phones to 5G and iPhone 14. These people are more environmentally conscious than the previous generations and are also more cautious when it comes to spending money. Hence, brands trying to market their products and services to this generation must constantly develop newer ways to reach the people.
In this article, we will discuss a few common tips and practices that should be kept in mind while marketing your product to Gen Z.
Be Updated With Latest Trends
Gen Z is the generation that largely popularised the meme culture. A few years ago, memes and trends would often last days, if not months, while in modern times, trends die out in a span of mere hours. It becomes even more critical to know what is trending and what is ‘hip.’ These trends and ideas should then be incorporated into social media strategies to appease the target audience.
Content Creators and Influencers
More often than not, the people who have amassed a large fan following over different social media platforms will have a better organic reach than a brand, even after paying for promotions. Rather than competing with these content creators for the attention of your target customers, why not enlist them to help you sell your product? Such influencers will also help you in cross-platform promotion, saving you the hassle of making multiple marketing strategies to target different platforms.
Quick Content
As the generations go by and technology advances at a faster speed, the average attention span of an individual is also decreasing rapidly. Now, you cannot afford to have long drawn-out ads everywhere since people now have a tendency as well as an option to skip your ad if it becomes too long for their liking. Make your posts short, direct, and quirky rather than long and meaningful. There is a reason shorter-length TikToks gain much more traction than long YouTube videos – use it to your advantage.
Use the Right Platform
If you promote your product and services through Facebook, it is more likely that you’ll miss your target audience altogether. People from Gen Z and beyond are more likely to be found on Instagram and TikTok, so make sure you spend the money on the right platform for promotion.
Put Your Values Above Anything Else
To get to the hearts of people of Gen Z, you need to convince them that your brand and product stand for more than just making money. This generation is affected by issues in the real world more than the previous generations and wants to make a difference through their choices actively. Whether it is your stand regarding the conservation of the environment, the inclusion of people of different races and genders, or any other matter, the target customer needs to feel that your brand supports their values.
Gen Z Does Not Like Shadow Activism
Multiple surveys have found that the Gen Z populace has a largely negative view of brands that openly support public causes merely to increase sales. Simply putting a rainbow on your display picture right before pride month will mean little if the actions and words of your company do not back it up, and it will likely backfire and do more harm than good for your brand’s image and company.
Understand Needs and Desires of Gen Z
Before you market your product, you must understand that you have first to create a demand for it, and then only you can compel the user to desire it. Hence, you have to market yourself in such a way that you are an answer to a question and the solution to your target customer’s problem. Your product should improve your customer’s lifestyle or their standard of living. What your product does not matter now; what matters is that people should resonate with what your product does.
Be Engaging
Do not simply run promotion campaigns; try to get the people to engage with your brand and its identity. Start a social media challenge and ask people to participate in it. Try to gamify what you sell to get more people involved and get an indirect promotion. Again, keep in mind that you are targeting a generation filled with people with short attention spans, so ensure that whatever game or challenge you bring to the market is quick, engaging, concise, and involves too much thought.
There needs to be an objectively correct way to market a product and a proper way to target an entire generation of people. However, if you keep these simple hacks in mind, your marketing and promotion strategy will give you much improved results than before.
FAQs on How To Market To Gen Z
Q. How do I find the correct influencer to market my brand?
A. There is no single parameter that goes into making this decision. Finding the right influencer or content creator involves a wide range of variables, including cost, the reach and engagement of the person, platforms on which you are getting visibility, the reputation of the person, and so on. The right mix of all these variables will differ from person to person and brand to brand.
Q. How do I convince people about my company’s values?
A. By putting those words into action. Suppose your company does not have a good balance of people from different races and genders or actively discriminates against customers, employees of a particular race or gender, or religion. In that case, you cannot then go on to claim that your company stands for inclusiveness. Remember that this generation does not take shadow activism lightly and will damage your reputation.
Q. How to always stay up-to-date with trends?
A. The easiest way to do this is to have people who are active on social media and aware of what is happening in the digital world in your team. It is tough to always be on top of the newest memes and trends; however, having designated resources for the same to track what is happening in the world makes it easier for the marketing team to plan content strategies accordingly.
