Millennials have been the focus of businesses for quite some time now. Still, as many individuals of the next generation are now graduating and seeking jobs, it’s clear that a shift in the market is coming.
As Generation Z starts to have their own income, their buying power also increases. If you are keen on further improving your business, it would be unwise to overlook Gen Z’s potential. It’s time to build your Gen Z customer base, and here are some things you need to keep in mind for you to create a marketing strategy targeted to them.
Your Core Values Are Important to Generation Z
The younger generation takes current world issues seriously. They are politically aware, environmentally conscious, and will fight for socio-economic policies that align with their beliefs. Therefore, now is a good time to shift your branding into being more socially or environmentally conscious.
Have your business give back to communities or contribute to society in a way that promotes a positive change. If you show this intention to Gen Z, it will give you more chance than a company that does not show much care for any “greater purpose.”
Millennials Are Collaborative; Gen Z Is Independent
When Millennials started working, it was deemed that they prefer collaborating, being part of a team, and having people who exert the same effort as they do. On the other hand, Generation Z prefers to work independently. In fact, instead of working for a company, a lot of Gen Z individuals would rather start their own business eventually. That being said, many of today’s younger generation is very much into researching and learning on their own.
This is relevant to your company because as Generation Z intentionally look into businesses, they are eager to understand business practices, from day-to-day operations to business insurance and even taxes. Giving them “backstage passes” to the way you run things can be a good addition to your marketing.
Customer Retention Through Genuine Interactions
Even though they are digital natives, Generation Z people know the importance of personal interactions. They like to interact with brands more directly than just receiving emails and vouchers. They also prefer to participate in competitions, campaigns, and conventions rather than get loyalty perks.
Of course, this doesn’t mean having to hold meet-and-greets on the regular. Genuine interactions happen both in-person and online. A Gen Z customer would appreciate marketing that is sincerely addressed to them. Do away with the usual TV commercial spiels. Instead, use a more personal tone and change your word choice to connect to your audience better.
Go Mobile
Because Gen Z consumers digital natives, it’s just apt for your business to utilize and take advantage of technology. Specifically, giving your Gen Z audience the ability to interact and use your business on their mobile phones will give you an edge. So, work on optimizing your business for mobile use. Think of creating a mobile-friendly website and make sure that your checkout process is not complicated.
With online shopping becoming the norm, more and more people appreciate the convenience of buying items with just a few taps on their mobile phones. This is most true for Generation Z, who received their first smartphones at such young ages. Not only are they comfortable with their device, but it also gives them more freedom to shop without leaving their house.
Understand Social Media Marketing Better
We understand that Millennials prefer Facebook and Instagram, and we understand how to use them to market brands. For Gen Z, however, Facebook is passé and Snapchat is favored. This younger generation switches from one digital platform to another in quick successions, so short videos that showcase your product are better than long-form content.
Ironically, YouTube is also a platform of choice for Gen Z, so using YouTube ads and working with content creators can be very useful. Younger consumers spend a lot of time watching videos on their mobile devices, so take advantage of this and partner with YouTubers for you to reach the next generation market.
Privacy Is Valued, Too
Being heavily exposed to the online environment, Generation Z is no stranger to digital threats. This is why they value their privacy. Even though today’s teens spend much of their time online, many of them are not comfortable with sharing their personal details on websites. A condition that should be met is if they trust that the brand would protect their personal information.
What this means for you is that your company’s transparency is important. As you collect information online, make sure that you are clear about it and assure your consumers that their information will remain safe.