They may be young, but Gen Z audiences are far easier to relate to than you might think.

Gen Z aren’t all cool kicks and TikTok challenges – they are extremely savvy when it comes to brand loyalty.

Short attention spans …critical when it comes to engaging with media …reluctant to declare their loyalty to any brand …these common perceptions about Gen Z aren’t exactly flattering. But the truth is that they can actually help redefine marketing objectives for brands eager to find their niche within this cohort, which recent stats suggest already makes up some 40% of the consumer market.

The Gen Z point of difference

Gen Z has certainly picked up a few content habits from its Millennial predecessor – that is, engaging primarily with visual media, often possessing a short attention span and placing greater value in authentic brand experiences. 

This last point, in particular, is next level. Generally speaking, Millennials are satisfied with ad content so long as there’s some element of transparency about the brand. Conversely, Gen Z-ers are keen on the edgy, ‘raw’ story: drawn to those who are unafraid to challenge the status quo; unedited content vs polished pieces of content; real people in their natural contexts, as opposed to brand ambassadors and influencers speaking from scripts (and failing to disclose their paid advertising deals). 

Key to this ‘new-age’ authenticity are higher levels of interactivity. That means, a focus on chatbots, polls, quizzes, and opportunities for audiences to engage directly with influencers and other customers, so that they can make informed purchasing decisions based on peer reviews.

Addressing Gen Z in your digital marketing strategy

The good news is you don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to producing and sharing content with this coming-of-age consumer demographic. Here are some key factors to keep in mind when marketing to Gen Z audiences:

• Show that you’re aware that your brand is about purpose beyond profit and that, as an organisation, you’re determined to have a positive impact on the wider world.
• Don’t overlook the Next Big Thing in social media. It took many brands far too long to adopt Snapchat, which is now one of the fastest growing platforms for the younger population cohort. The recent emergence of platforms like TikTok, which allows users to ‘meme’ themselves via short-form videos, means that early adopters are reaping the benefits of a less-crowded platform and, therefore, a larger share of audience eyes on their messaging.
• Focus on truly meaningful interactions. The most obvious examples are personalised chatbots, and polls that allow for regular input in (low-impact) business decisions.
• Also consider larger-scale activations such as product design competitions and events that encourage involvement and knowledge-sharing.

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Images:  Kon Karampelas and Ben Weber on Unsplash