5 Things to Understand About Marketing to Gen Z

We generally talk about millennials and how they are the biggest workforce in the United States. But very soon they’ll be old news, literally, and all this time you’ve been focusing on marketing to millennials. Todd Raymer noted previously how it’s now time for a game plan to help you target the right audience, so it’s time to start marketing to the next generation; Generation Z.

While millennials are born somewhere between 1980 and 1996, Gen Zers are born around 1997 and 2014, and while they share some common attributes, there are many subtle differences between the two which are important to marketing.

Embrace Authenticity

One of the key values of Gen Z is authenticity. One big faux pas you can commit is to lie and pretend that your company is something that it actually isn’t. As such, they love authentic brands that are environmentally friendly, products that are ethically sourced and are there to make a positive difference in their lives and the lives of others. Moreover, they want to be engaged and be part of your brand, like no other generation before them. Your marketing strategy, therefore, should be genuine and engaging. It should allow Gen Z members to participate in your online campaigns rather than be passive observers.

Trust is Crucial

Just like authenticity, Gen Zers view brand trust as a very important factor in how they spend their money. Getting a Gen Zer to be loyal to a brand is very hard and companies need to work hard to earn their trust. In this sense, the most effective way to market is to create superior products, services, and experiences and offer exceptional service. Content marketing is especially effective, as long as it gives valuable advice and insightful sales pitches. Gen Zers have a knack for spotting fabrications and will quickly call you out on it.

Digitally Savvy

Although millennials are mobile pioneers and grew up during the evolution of the mobile device, Gen Zers are mobile natives. Business 2 Community explains how they are the first digitally-native generation and spend more time online than all other generations, about 10.5 hours per day. Where this level of immersion in tech has been reflected is in eLearning, which continues to grow in the U.S., with online degrees seen to be more legitimate than they were a decade ago.

This is partially due to how eLearning providers that want to keep up with Gen Zers have been rethinking their marketing habits to cater to this new demographic. Since the majority of Gen Zers are more comfortable learning on a mobile device through online learning platforms, schools have been improving their eLearning offerings by providing mobile-friendly solutions. This way, eLearning academies are improving their services and providing students with more accessible methods that promote better learning engagement than conventional classrooms. Moreover, to appeal to the new generation, academies are improving their programs and are getting recognition and acclaim from tech giants like Apple for their techEd courses. It’s the reason that online learning platform Maryville University is the 4th fastest growing school in America, and as an Apple Distinguished School it is nationally recognized throughout the United States. As such, eLearning environments are focusing on providing students with classes they can attend from home or other locations. For these reasons, your marketing efforts need to focus extensively on social media and your web portal needs to be mobile friendly and provide an excellent user experience if you want to appeal to Gen Zers.

Streaming Video

Creating short (usually about 8 seconds) and meaningful video content is key to reach Gen Zers. A Pew Research study last year indicated that 85% of teenagers are actively using YouTube, with 80% of those using it to expand their knowledge, and 68% to gain new skills. With Gen Z a captive audience on YouTube, it’s the perfect place for your marketing campaign, but it must be done right. Don’t try to sell outright, rather show experiences and outline how your products or services can change their lives for the better. Other than YouTube, Instagram and your website need video content a well.

Importance of Privacy

With all the privacy issues on the internet brought to the forefront in the past few years, Gen Zers really value their privacy. Over 88% of Gen Zers highlight that privacy is high up on their list. Few are comfortable sharing their personal details online, and those that did would only do so if they trusted the company would protect it. When you’re targeting Gen Z, keep this in mind and when you ask to collect information, be transparent and openly highlight your commitment to their privacy.