As many marketers ponder the importance of the Gen Z as an audience, it’s important to understand what appeals to them. Stereotypes imply that they are undereducated, non-spending, and have little influence – but this is far from the truth. To reach and broaden your marketing and PR network into the younger generation opens gateways to huge spending power and social influence. So if you’re not already, it’s time to strategise your digital marketing for Gen Z audiences.

The power of Gen Z

Not only are they the future of business, but Gen Z is also unique when compared to other generations. It is estimated that Gen Z has a spending power of $143 billion in the United States alone. And this stat is piquing the interest of brand marketers in all industries. Now, PR and marketing teams have the power to influence, and being influenced by, this emerging generation.

But how is this reach achievable?

Unlike older adult generations, young adults now have grown up with the internet and social media. As a generation of digital natives, Gen Z is made up of 2.1 billion impressionable minds locked into mobile devices. So it’s clear that the most effective way to reach this audience is through social media.

It is thought that Gen Z spends an average of 7.3 hours on screens every day. So this is a perfect opportunity to seize digital marketing for Gen Z audiences.

Brand trust is vital to Gen Z

Despite the teaching of ‘stranger danger’, the younger generation has an extraordinary ability to trust others through social networks. This happens through one-to-one conversations, all the way up to ‘viral’ influencers.

Many Gen Zs have influence over thousands and even millions of devoted followers, which ensures high visibility for brands they work with. From a psychological perspective, many individuals follow and like the content they identify with or find aspirational. This identification is also related to a form of psychology discovered by Albert Bandura – Social Learning Theory. This theory finds that the more people align with a role model, the more likely they are to repeat their behaviour. In this case, that behaviour is buying or interacting with your business.

Working with influencers

While paid promotion may seem daunting, especially for B2B brands, the reach of influencers is huge. As the younger generations is so heavily led by social media, it creates the perfect opportunity for marketers. Influencer is an effective tactic for bringing a human touch to your brand. If Gen Z can see the personal, relatable side of an influencer, they can identify and imitate their behaviours. This is a value that many organisations overlook. So, with a ‘friendly face’ as an advocate for your business, you can go a long way.

TikTok is a prime example of how beneficial influencers are for brands. Branded Mission is a new feature on the platform that lets brands decide an aim, and influencers are alerted to create videos for it. Many of these videos go viral and gain impressive momentum. Omolala Jewellery is a TikTok success story that has gained 1.8 million+ impressions through a focused digital marketing strategy on the platform. This also gained the channel 20.5k followers on Instagram and an impressive sales rate.

Ethical and sustainability values are key

Gen Z’s are known for their high moral code, highlighted through various movements like LGBTQ+ and BLM. With the use of social media, many injustices have been brought to light by members of Gen Z. To hone into this characteristic is important for brands, as many Gen Z’s support organisations that align with their own personal morals. Emotive marketing highlights this personal and ethical viewpoint to engage with the younger audience. Advertising is also less effective on social media, as many ‘skip advert’ features have been developed. So to keep Gen Z interested and gain impressions, you need to align with influential social movements.

Sustainability is another huge aspect of Gen Z’s life, as they strive towards a healthy planet. Whether it is tweeting about the latest way to prevent waste or partnering with sustainable brands or influencers, this will definitely attract Gen Z. Invest any time you have in building an ethical, eco-friendly view on social media. But make sure that it is authentic to your brand, or you may be seen as greenwashing.

Digital marketing for Gen Z should be shorter and more concise

Though considered an undesirable trait, it’s true that Gen Z holds the shortest attention span of the ages. At 4 seconds less than millennials, Gen Z’s attention on social media lasts 8 seconds. This means that any advertising has to be short and snappy. There is no point in prolonging a message for Gen Z’s, as they will simply skip past. If adverts are the route your organisation chooses to go down, guerrilla marketing may be the way forward. This keeps the audience engaged and sparks interest. While blogs and articles give a greater depth of insight into brands, many Gen Z’s prefer video content. This is why TikTok and Instagram Reels are so popular. Tweets should be condensed into one or two sentences, usually with a catchy phrase and emojis.

For example, cosmetics start-up Skin Care by Hyram influences Gen Z through social media. It catches the eye with bold lettering and serene picture. There is little text on the page, except the quote “Hello you wonderful person”. This small yet effective catchphrase plays into the emotive marketing strategy, and immediately creates a sense of belonging and loving. This short line to grasps the audience’s attention, and leads them to the main page of products by appealing to their shorter attention span. Skin Care by Hyram has grown an extensive following and fanbase from his social media platforms. As of Hyram had 1.2m followers on Instagram, 4.5m on YouTube, and 6.8m on TikTok.

Reaching Gen Z audiences

To summarise, Gen Z’s have many unique characteristics in comparison to other age groups. This adds a new perspective to the working world. And marketing and PR strategies therefore must adapt to keep up with the trends that effectively reach Gen Z.

Analysing their differences can positively affect your organisation’s marketing and PR strategies. So from the OggaDoon team, we recommend a revamped social media plan to reach younger audiences by targeting your digital marketing for Gen Z.

To find out more and discuss marketing for different age groups, contact thanh@oggadoon.co.uk.

This article was originally written by Megan Sansom during her week’s work experience with OggaDoon.