Every business wants to market to Generation Z.
After all, they’re the newest consumer generation shaping the future of shopping, with incredible global spending power.
These young, tech-native, value-conscious consumers represent a growing opportunity for brands that understand their financial behaviour and spending habits.
According to a study conducted by Oxford Economics and reported by Bloomberg, the future earnings of Gen Z workers are expected to triple by 2030, so you’ll definitely want to reach and connect with this valuable target audience.
Having grown up with social media and smartphones, these digital natives shouldn’t be lumped in with Millennials.
If you want to market to Gen Z the right way, it’s essential to brush up on exactly what makes Gen Zers different from Millennials so you can create effective targeted marketing campaigns.
In this post, I want to help you do just that: identify the core characteristics of Generation Z and the best marketing strategies to capture younger consumers’ loyalty.
Table of contents:
- Generation Z consumer behaviour: What you need to know
- 8 strategies for marketing to Generation Z the right way
1. Generation Z Consumer Behaviour: What You Need to Know
With the oldest millennials turning 40, Gen Z is growing up fast, quickly taking their share of the consumer spotlight.
As they are entering the workforce and their purchasing power is increasing, they are becoming the perfect consumers all businesses want to win over.
According to McCrindle, Generation Z (born somewhere between 1995 and 2009) comprises around 20% of the current Australian population or 5 million young people.
Here are the core characteristics of Generation Z that you need to know to develop an effective youth marketing strategy:
- Open-minded and gender-neutral, actively engaged in advocating for the equal treatment of others
- Entrepreneurial-minded: Most Gen Zers aspire to run their own business within the next 10 years
- Independent-learners, craving autonomy in learning
- Competitive and focused on professional advancement
- Changemakers, interested in innovation and rallying behind causes that resonate with them
- Tech native: Gen Z members were born in the era of smartphones and they are used to multiple devices
- Financially-focused and more pragmatic than Millennials
With that being said, let’s take a brief look at Generation Z consumer buying behaviour:
- They tend to make informed purchase decisions and often weigh up options before choosing a brand.
- They like shopping around for the best prices rather than becoming emotionally attached to a specific brand.
- Gen Z members aged 16 and over are typically spending their money on clothes, experiences, beauty and personal care products, car expenses, and eating out.
- Emerging as the sustainability generation, they place great value on brand ethics.
- They are more likely to shop via social media than Millennials.
- Despite being true digital natives, many of them seek in-store shopping experiences.
- They prefer personalised customer service, with real people helping them with queries.
- They are more aware of climate change and social issues and expect brands to have similar beliefs.
- They seek a personalised customer experience (CX) where they can get services and products tailored for their specific needs.
- They value brand transparency and expect brands to be open, honest, and genuine.
- Due to growing up with social media, most Gen Zers care about how others perceive them and prefer brands that help them craft an identity.
- Gen Z members are constantly connected online, meaning that brands looking to market to this young generation need to establish an online presence.
Now that you have a pulse on what young consumers want and you’re clear on why Gen Zers need a different approach than their millennial counterparts, let’s explore the best practices for marketing to this cohort of digital natives.
2. 8 Strategies for Marketing to Generation Z the Right Way
- Establish clear values and mission
According to a study conducted by Attest, more than three-fifths of Gen Zers would stop buying from a brand that doesn’t meet their personal values.
With clearly defined values and a well-rounded strategy in place to communicate them effectively, you’ll stand the best chance of capturing as many Gen Z customers as possible.
- Deliver short-form, snackable content
Snackable content is easily digestible content that Gen Zers can consume quickly, without much effort.
The average Gen Zer has a short attention span, gravitating towards short-form content. That’s why you need to ensure you incorporate eye-catching, visual, bite-sized content into your marketing strategy to capture their attention.
- Create personalised experiences
Gen Z shoppers have an appetite for authentic, personalised experiences. They don’t just want information about the discount – they want to know when their preferred product is on sale.
In addition, most Gen Zers want a human voice to answer their queries and add value to their experience.
That’s why you need to provide a high-tech, high-touch, personalised experience to capture the attention of young audiences. Even if you operate remotely, consider implementing a personalised call answering service to facilitate a frictionless customer experience.
- Show your human side
Although they’ve grown up surrounded by technology, that doesn’t mean that Gen Zers don’t appreciate a more human touch.
Show Gen Z consumers they are not handing over their money to a cold, faceless corporation. Showcase the human side of your business by engaging in conversations and telling authentic stories.
Even in the digital era when several businesses operate remotely, you can tap into your human voice with flexible office space that provides you with the right tools and services to strike the right balance between the human side of your business and professionalism.
- Create interactive experiences
This might sound like a no-brainer, but most Gen Zers want to interact with brands that encourage user participation.
Initiate two-way conversations and add to your content something that attracts and engages young people: fun. Showcase your brand’s sense of humour to combine information and entertainment and stimulate them to consume your content.
- Embrace customer feedback
According to a Jason Dorsey research report, 68% of Gen Zers read at least three reviews before making a purchase.
Incorporating customer feedback into your marketing strategy makes it easier for you to tap into the interests of your Gen Z audience and build the genuine connection this generation craves.
If you’re still looking for ways to leverage the power of product reviews, here are some great posts to help you get started with your customer feedback marketing strategy:
- 8 tried and tested ways to get more Google My Business reviews
- 3 ways to get reviews on Bing Places and generate more leads
- How to turn negative customer reviews into marketing wins
- Show you care for the world and environment
According to CNBC, the environment is Gen Z’s no. 1 priority, most of them engaging with climate change content on social media.
Also known as the sustainability generation, Gen Zers shop green and make purchase decisions based on a brand’s commitment to social and environmental sustainability.
Assess your company’s sustainability level and show your audience that you care for the world and the environment.
For example, operating remotely is a win-win for the environment and the business. As a remote business, using a virtual office is an easy, affordable way to reduce the carbon footprint and keep your company environmentally friendly.
- Optimise your mobile experience
As digital natives, Gen Zers expect a quick, seamless and personalised mobile experience. According to an IBM survey, the smartphone is the device that 75% of Gen Zers prefer to use most often.
Put simply, Gen Zers are a generation of mobile shoppers. So, if you do not optimise your mobile experience, you risk losing one of the largest and most powerful consumer groups.
For example, make sure you improve page loading speed and cut the number of steps a user must take to sign up, contact you, or make a purchase.
Conclusion: As Gen Zers are steadily entering the workplace, they’re becoming a big chunk of your target audience.
Given how quickly trends come and go in the digital landscape, marketing to this group of tech natives may seem an intimidating task.
However, the basic tenets listed in this post will definitely help you bolster your marketing strategy. Remember, Gen Z needs authentic relationships built on trust and personalised experiences with brands that show a strong commitment to the environment.
Implement these 8 tips into your marketing strategy to make Gen Zers aware of your brand, earn their trust, and reach a new target audience without abandoning your old one.
Thank you for reading all the way to the end of this post! If you’re looking for simple and affordable ways to increase brand awareness and appeal to Gen Z audiences, we at B2B HQ would be glad to help you out. We can provide you with flexible, professional, eco-friendly virtual office space to build trust with your audiences, attract younger customers to your business, and win their loyalty. We look forward to hearing from you!
