For years brands and businesses have thrown everything they’ve got at the Millennial’s dollar. Countless click-bait articles have been about what industry Millennials have killed or revitalized. But a new generation is on the scene. Gen Z, which is the largest generation in the US, is about to become the biggest spending power in the country and advertisers are paying attention. If your brand wants to stay relevant, Gen Z cannot be ignored. Facebook recently conducted a massive survey of 15,000 Gen Zers to figure out how to cater to this demographic's specific needs and desires. We've syndicated that info for you (you're welcome, it's a snooze fest) and have broken down 3 major strategies to reach Gen Z below.
1. Speak Up About What You Believe In
Gen Z has grown up in a near constant state of social turmoil and they are products of that culture. They have no patience for brands that don’t take a clear stance on social issues. We’ve been told for so long to keep politics out of our advertising, but if you want to reach Gen Z, you better speak up and speak out. But here’s the catch. Gen Z has a highly developed radar for insincerity. A post without action to support your words will turn Gen Z off to your business entirely. They demand action.
Get started by picking a cause that aligns with your business. If you are a woman run business (like us, YES GIRL POWER), pick a charity to donate a percent of your profits to like the Malala Fund, which fights for education for girls across the globe. Challenge your followers to be informed, speak out about what they believe in, and donate when they can. Gen Z will respect you for taking a stand and hopefully engage in the causes you're supporting.
2. Video is QUEEN
You have to meet Gen Z on the platform they already live on. Right now, that platform is overwhelmingly TikTok. On TikTok, you can easily reach a wide swath of people that haven’t opted to follow you yet. By joining in on a viral video trend, Gen Z will be watching and enjoying your content without even realizing they’re watching an ad. If you meet them there, they will begin to develop trust with your brand and want to engage with your business.
But while you’re engaging with Gen Z through video don’t make the huge mistake of interrupting Gen Z’s online experience. Studies have found that 36% of Gen Zers will ignore your ad and do something else if it interrupts the video they were watching. Instead of creating a traditional ad, create content that aligns with what's trending. Right now, unboxing videos are a huge hit on YouTube and IGTV. Create something like this featuring your own products, or better yet, ask your followers to create unboxing videos of your products and tag you! This will keep your audience entertained and engaged, instead of annoyed and turned-off.
3. Streamline the Buying Process
Gen Z’s attention span is short. Extremely short. You have 8 seconds to keep their attention. How do you plan to get them to spend money with you if your checkout process takes 10 minutes? Amazon has created a one-click checkout, and while your business might not be able to streamline that much - you need to get as close as possible. Make sure your website is optimized for mobile use. If your website doesn’t work well on an iPhone, Gen Zers will give up on you and your product. Make sure that when users go to your website, the option to BUY is highly visible and at the top of the page. Make it easy; make it fast.
If you’re looking to reach Gen Zers effectively through social media, Instagram Checkout is an excellent place to start. If you’re selling on Instagram, and you haven’t opted into this incredible feature, you are missing out on major Gen Z dollars. This feature allows users to purchase products without ever leaving the app, and they only have to enter their billing/shipping information one time. To learn more about this feature, check out our recent post.
Don't Miss the Moment
While it may seem that Gen Zers are awhile off from having their own money to spend, keep in mind that the oldest members of Gen Z are 23 - year - olds. They're a year out of college, on their first or second jobs, and they have their own money to spend. Start laying the groundwork now to market to them and the rest of Gen Z. Learn about TikTok. Read up on what the phrases "sksksksksk" and "wig" mean. Change is inevitable, and Gen Z is ready to shake up how you use social media to market.
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