The infamous millennial is a familiar name to anyone who works in marketing. For many years, this cohort has been the center of attention. While they will continue to be an important target group for marketers for years to come, savvy marketers have begun to pay more attention to Generation Z.

You don’t know anything about this influential group of consumers. This blog will help you get to know more about Gen Z. This blog will cover everything you need to know and all the strategies that you can use to appeal directly to Gen Z.

Who is Generation Z?

Generation Z refers to the generation born after millennials. This generation is often referred to as the iGeneration or Homeland Generation, and/or Post-Millennials. It is more diverse in ethnicity and race than any other generation. They are also poised to become the most educated generation.

What age is Generation Z? 

Gen Z is defined as anyone born between 1995 to the mid-2000s. However, there are some questions about the exact dates. They are highly technologically savvy, having grown up with cell phones and iPads.

Gen Zers are now in their 20s and 30s and are joining the workforce. Gen Zers will become more financially independent, which will increase their purchasing power, making them a very important target demographic for marketers.

Why should marketers focus on Generation Z?

This group is a great opportunity for growth, with Gen Z accounting for 25% and having $50 billion in purchasing power. Gen Zers are making their purchasing decisions independently, so it is in your best interests as a marketer to appeal to them. This market can be tapped now to ensure long-term sustainability.

Five Strategies to Market to Generation Z

1. Prioritize Corporate Social Responsibility

Generation Z is deeply concerned about socio-economic, political, and environmental issues. A Forrester study has found that 51% (18-23-year-olds) will research a company before they purchase to verify their corporate social responsibility is in line with their values. The Forrester report also found that Gen Zers have less trust in brands.

You must align your brand’s values and those of the socially conscious generation in a meaningful and practical way to win their trust. After you have established the values that your brand stands for you will need to communicate this purpose to Gen Z through your messaging.

Ikea is an excellent example of a company that aligns its corporate social responsibilities with younger customers. They have a mission to reduce waste, and become 100% circular in 2023.

2. Engage in meaningful interactions

Brand trust and loyalty can be built by engaging with customers. 76% consider responsiveness a measure of a brand’s authenticity. 44% stated that they would submit product designs if offered the chance. Gen Zers are a great group to build consumer loyalty by making them feel involved in your business and asking for their feedback.

41% will read at least five reviews online before making a purchase. These consumers are expected to respond to negative and positive feedback with personalized responses.

3. Video Content is the Focus

Video content is becoming more important than ever for consumers, especially Gen Z. TikTok saw a meteoric rise in users in 2020. A staggering 60% of users are from Generation Z. A YouTube survey revealed that half of Gen Z said they couldn’t live without videos.

There’s no way to avoid producing video content for this generation. But, not all video content will work. Gen Z has an attention span of 8 seconds. This is much lower than the 12 seconds of millennials. This means marketers have only a few seconds in which to convince Gen Z your content is worthwhile. It is a good idea to create short-form, engaging content via 6-second YouTube ads or Instagram Stories.

4. Make use of micro-influencers

You might want to reconsider your strategy if you are considering running a major influencer marketing campaign with macro-influencers. Micro-influencers are individuals with a following of 1,000 to 100,000 on social media. They drive 60% more engagement than those with a larger audience. This is due to Gen Z’s ability to relate to micro-influencers.

ASOS is an example brand that harnessed the power of micro-influencers through its #AsSeenOnMe campaign. The brand has partnered with 29 micro-influencers from a variety of backgrounds and ages. Each of them has ASOS-branded Instagram or Pinterest accounts. It has been a great idea for them to have style advice from people they can relate to.

This inclusive tactic of using micro-influencers who are more representative of society at large is something that’ll fare well with Gen Zers who have researched by NGen found that 88% of Gen Zers agree with the statement “protecting your privacy is very important” and that less than a quarter of them are comfortable sharing other personal information than their purchase history or contact information.

Transparency around privacy is essential to attract and keep Gen Z customers. It is important to disclose information about any collection you are making and to highlight the security measures you will take to protect their information.

Like with every new generation, marketing to Generation Z will require some shifts in your tactics. By following these strategies, you’ll have the opportunity to appeal to this unique cohort and build brand loyalty. Given the fact that Gen Z presents such a big opportunity for businesses, directing your attention toward them is one of the smartest moves you can make- and there’s no time like the present!