Marketing to Generation Z Guide

Marketing is all about understanding the audience you are targeting. Different age groups respond to different marketing strategies. Most marketing strategies these days are focused on the millennials i.e. people born in between 1981 and 1995. Although they form a large part of the consumer demographic, they are not the only group marketers should be focused on.

There is a new generation of consumers emerging in the market these days. They are called the Gen Z or the iGeneration. With millennials now in the young adult category, there was a need to draw a demarcating line between those born in 1995 and those born after. This came to be popularly known as Generation Z, and they are the ones who are slowly turning out to be the most important consumer base for any kind of product.

Millennials and Gen Z may seem pretty similar to one another, as they are not much apart in terms of their age. Nevertheless, they are very different from one another due to the kind of environment they are raised in. Gen Z is the generation that was born when the world was transitioning to a phase of advanced technology. Most of these people from Gen Z are not even acquainted with a time before the boom of the internet. So they are heavily dependent on social media, electronic gadgets, and the internet in general for their entertainment as well as shopping needs.

But marketing to Gen Z is not all that easy. Studies show that the duration for which Gen Z can maintain its focus on something is almost half of what Millennials are capable of. So for anything to really catch their attention, it has to be impactful enough within that short span of time. But not to worry, there are a few simple tricks you can follow to develop a marketing strategy specifically targeted towards Gen Z.

Gen Z Trends 2021

1. Market the experience that comes with your product

Today’s digital market is booming with thousands of brands each trying to make a sell-by showing their products. Every brand tries to talk about the benefits of using their product by talking about its features and characteristics, etc. But you as a marketer need to understand that all of this does not appeal to the Hen Z. They are used to seeing such advertisements every couple of minutes while browsing through social media. So they have grown resistant to such a marketing strategy.

As a person of the latest generation, Gen Z is drawn more towards experiences. They do not want to know how your product might be helpful for them, they have seen plenty of that. Rather they want to know what experience comes with the product. Be it a clothing brand or some new gadget, if you can convey the vibe of your brand through your advertisements then you will surely be able to reach out to Gen Z.

2. Don’t stay limited to the written mode of advertising

Gen Z is always on the go. As already stated, they do not have the time or the attention span to actually read through an advertisement to get to know the product. They only spend time on something if it is interesting enough to capture their attention. So product reviews or other written format is not for this generation. If you really want your product to reach your Gen Z consumers then the best way to do so is through video content.

Today there is no scarcity of video platforms, which has developed mostly to serve the growing viewer base among Gen Z. Platforms like YouTube, Tik Tok, Instagram Reels, and so many other OTT platforms. These are the platforms these people turn to when they need some entertainment or cheering up. So this is the place to target your young audience.

Especially in the last year of lockdown, these platforms have really boomed and reached their maximum viewership ever. So this is the best time to make use of it. Tik Tok has really cracked through the marketing industry. A coffee recipe or a newfound brand, this platform has the ability to make anything trendy and desirable. And this also has the most amount of influence on Gen Z when it comes to buying something online. So as a marketer you should try investing more in video content and market them on platforms like Tik Tok, YouTube, and Instagram Reels.

3. Build a relationship with your consumers

Making a sell is not all you need to do as a marketer. Gen Z is highly drawn towards brands that provide good after-sale customer support. Good feedback and reviews can do wonders for your products. If your product has good reviews on the internet then it will create an additional trust factor. Once your brand catches the attention of Gen Z, they tend to check the reviews and feedback before making a purchase. So when they find positive reviews about your product it automatically makes it easier for you to make a sale.

While this is the way to make a sale, you also need to retain the customers you already have by building a rapport with them. You can do so by replying to the reviews you have for your product. If it is a positive review you can simply drop a comment appreciating their words and in case it is a negative review or complaint you can make them feel heard by acknowledging their concerns and assuring them of solving their issues. This will make your current customers satisfied with your service and let your potential customers know that you actually care about them.

4. Respect their privacy

There have been increasing concerns among Generation Z about apps stealing their confidential information in the name of a better user experience. So your brand has to be marketed in a way to let Gen Z know that with you they don’t need to worry about their personal information with your brand. And the best way to do this is to build trust with your customers so they are comfortable sharing their personal data for you to provide them a better user experience, without them having to worry about privacy breaches.