Move over millennials, for Gen-Z has arrived! Marketers and prudent decision-makers in every industry are reshaping their goals of Crafting a content strategy for gen-z consumers is important.
This is particularly for you to hear, all you Marketers out there. While millennials still continue to be a large part of the equation, the focus has already shifted to the new paradigm – that of Gen Z consumers.
By now, you must be wondering, what in the world is Gen Z?!
To put it in the simplest of terms, Generation Z refers to individuals who were born after 1995 and are still in their early 20s. It would be safe to say that there has never been a generation like Gen Z, and nor will there be. While being deeply invested in traditional and old-school values, Gen Z is an avid consumer of digital media.
They have been introduced to the Internet and smartphones from a very young age. Hence, they demand greater transparency, brand accountability, and personal validation from online and digital platforms. However, the most defining characteristic of Gen Z has to be its ability to multitask. According to CTAM report, the Gen Z shuffles with as high as five devices simultaneously. These devices can be smartphone, TV, laptop, desktop, and a tablet/phablet. Consequently, their attention span is too little, just about 8 seconds.
Wait, so does that mean that it is impossible to catch the attention of the Gen Z consumers?
Of course not!
If that’s what you concluded from what we’ve told you so far, you haven’t been paying attention. The trick is to develop such a compelling pitch that will both grab attention and win the hearts of the Gen Z consumers. And once you get that, you can be sure that they’ll stick to you. Statista maintains that 55% of Gen Z consumers develop a strong bond with the brand that catches their eye.
Need for creating a content strategy for Gen-z consumers
The reason we’re stressing on targeting the Gen Z consumers is that they already account for nearly US$ 143 billion in direct buying power. Also, the potential of influencing another US$ 600 billion of family spending is invaluable. By 2020, this generation will make over 40% of consumers.
Now, getting to the point – How do you get the attention of the Gen Z? How do you tailor content for them?
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Just stick with us, and we’ll show you how to connect with Gen Z the right way!
1. Crank your social media game up a notch!
As we mentioned earlier, Gen Z is super tech-savvy. They devote a significant portion of their time to digital media and online platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, to name a few. Throughout the day, the Gen Z can be seen hovering from one social media platform to another, in search of content/products/services they can connect with.
Naturally, this means that you need to build a very active presence on social media platforms. You can do this by regularly uploading interesting and unique content in the form of infographics, short films/videos, blog posts, podcasts, and the like. Visual content is excellent for pulling the attention of this demographic. However, you would definitely want to stay away from overly promotional material. Why? Because Gen Z is reputed to steer clear of brands that come out too strong (and with things too good to be true). An important thing to remember here is that you should make your content
Apart from this, you must also make it a point to interact with your Gen Z consumers on these platforms. Do it by responding to their comments, tweets, messages or strike up a conversation with the users. To make the most of it, create content that triggers engagement in the first place. Have it ready by
According to a survey, nearly 33% of Gen Z respondents agree to buy products/services after seeing it on social media, at least once in the previous month.
2. Bring in your A-game with Influencers!
Gen Z looks up to social media influencers rather than celebrities. Yes, you heard that right.
Social media influencers on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, are like role models to the new generation. This is because they create refreshing content that is, at the same time, also honest. So, yeah, Gen Z consumers will be inclined more towards the products/services recommended by Influencers than those endorsed by celebrities.
While the term ‘influencer’ may sound like blah, it is they who hold the real power now (are you even surprised at this point?). By connecting and collaborating with the right influencers, you can win the game. Influencers can not only help connect your brand with the right audience, but they can also persuade the mass to choose you.
However, the trick lies in reaching out to the right influencers whose core values align with your brand values and image. Once you find the right ones, you can create exciting videos, blogs, vlogs, Q&A series, giveaways, and so much more with the influencers. You’ll be surprised to see how people keep pouring in!
But keep in mind, you never want to try too hard. It’ll do more harm than good.
3. Transparency is the key
If we were to describe the Gen Z, we’d find no better way to describe them as old souls trapped within young bodies. On the one hand, they cannot get enough of the digital and tech life, and on the other, they hold on to the traditional core values just as the Baby Boomers. In other words, Gen Z is a pragmatic and rational generation of youngsters who value transparency.
A Salesforce research report states that 91% of Gen Z consumers are more likely to trust companies who are straightforward about how they wish to use consumers’ private data.
This generation has firsthand witnessed the consequences of sharing personal data (case in point, the Cambridge Analytica scandal). Hence, they are highly sceptical of companies who ask them to share their private information without explicitly stating the reason for the same. As a marketer, you need to come clean about how and where you are going to use their personal data. It’s a two-way street – if you can win their trust and are loyal to them, they’ll be your loyal supporters as well.
However, doing it just from a product perspective would seldom cut it. You can ease this job to quite an extent by shaping a content strategy for gen-z consumers.
4. Leverage user-generated content to increase interaction.
Like we said earlier, Gen Z is greatly turned off by overly-promotional content and strategies. So, how do you get around this? It’s simple – you make use of user-generated content. For example, you could encourage brand interaction by asking users to share honest feedback. The interaction would not just be limited to user feedback but also their personal stories associated with your brand. They could share images or short video clips featuring your products.
As the cycle continues and this type of user-generated content spreads across social media platforms, more and more people will be talking about your brand. When people see other user’s testimonials, it makes a huge impact on their purchasing/following decisions. This, in turn, would strengthen your brand’s credibility and reputation.
5. Focus on the Mobile.
In their recent research, NRF and IBM found that almost 75% of Gen Z users choose mobile phones as their go-to device. Not only this, 25% of them spend at least five hours on smartphones every day.
Keeping this in mind, you must develop mobile-friendly marketing strategies. Everything – right from the font and layout to the formatting style – should be optimized for the mobile platform.
A little goes a long way. For instance, incorporating slightly larger fonts and adding subtitles to your social media videos has an impact. It could ensure that the audience stays with you all the way. Furthermore, you could also use text messages to send promotional offers to users.
6. Email marketing still counts.
If you think that Gen Z is all about social media and quirky GIFs, you are wrong. Traditional marketing techniques, like email marketing, still work on them. According to a survey, 58% of Gen Z respondents claim to check their email multiple times every day. And 23% of the respondents agree to check their mail at least once a day.
While most marketers would focus all their energies and efforts on strengthening their social media strategies, you should keep the other trick up your sleeve as well – go with email marketing to drop good quality content right in the inbox of your users.
As you plan your email marketing strategy for Gen Z, you should ensure that you use the right ingredients. This includes quality content, regular updates, and the option for flexibility. Make it so that your subscribers can control their email preferences and choose the kind of content they want to see.
Concluding thoughts
Well, folks, this is an exciting time to explore with your marketing strategies and woo the Gen Z. You already know that the secret to being a hit with the new generation is ‘authenticity’. To ensure the smooth working of While quality content goes a long way, you must show your brand as it is. Take a stand for good, social causes; make a change for real, and you’ll see how your responsible stance attracts followers by the dozen.
And remember – you snooze you lose!
Start brainstorming on new marketing ideas already!
