10 Tips When Marketing to Gen Z

Whether it’s articles on what makes them tick, how to best manage them, what’s “wrong” with them or why they are superior, millenials seem to be the generation on everyones lips. This onslaught of media coverage has created a false impression that millenials are the youngest and most influential generation (for good or ill). In truth, there is another even younger generation that will soon outgrow millenials in number and consumer influence that already boasts purchasing power of R35 billion in South Africa: Say hello to Gen Z. From tree-huggers to ghosters, Gen Z has been called many names. The experts at Black Snow Group dispel some of the myths and provide tips on how to market to this rising consumer group which will make up 40% of South African consumer spending in 2020.

Born between 1997 and 2012, generation Z was raised entirely within a digital world with social media platforms being firmly established and no exposure to manual or mechanical solutions that preceded current technology. Moulded by this high-tech childhood, it is unsurprising that this generation reports spending an average of 10 hours online daily with 66% of them using more than one internet-connected device at a time. The majority of their time online is spent on mobile devices as their firm platform of choice with 75% of surveyed individuals choosing their phones over other devices. They are the most ethnically diverse and well-educated of the generations and are also deeply concerned with both businesses’ and individual’s impact on our world, its creatures and vulnerable communities. 2014 statistics show 60% of this generation indicating a wish for their jobs to impact the world, 26% actively volunteering and 76% being concerned with humanity’s impact on the planet. Despite this concern, this generation has been found to be mostly optimistic with 42% reporting high overall happiness and 88% stating that they are optimistic about their personal future.

With all this mind, it is clear that Gen Z is a unique generation that requires a specific approach when it comes to marketing. Furthermore, with over 70% of this generation reporting that they influence family purchasing decisions over and above their own, it is also extremely important that this target segment is not overlooked. The experts at Black Snow Group have put together some guidelines to help you reach this generation effectively and hold their interest.

• Ensure that your marketing is targeted and optimised for mobile as it has been established as Gen Z’s platform of choice for all digital activities with 32% of their transactions taking place here.
• Ensure that your website and social media material is fully optimized with high responsiveness as 60% of Gen Z will not use an app or website that loads too slowly.
• Social media is a must! Make good use of your social media channel campaigns as 85% of Gen Z report that they learn about new products online with, 52% reporting that they trust social media influencers for product and brand advice and 54% stating that social media influences them more than any other marketing channel. Using ephemeral content is an effective tool to stimulate such engagement.
• Utilize video content. 71% of Gen Z subscribe to Netflix with the same percentage using their phone to watch videos. Videos are a great example of a rich media format that provides a great deal of information quickly. This also plays into Gen Z’s 8 second attention span.
• Represent and promote diversity in your marketing. 71% of Gen Z want to see more diversity in advertising and 77% support brands that promote gender equality in their marketing.
• Consider the impact of both your products and marketing on the environment. If you can, give back to vulnerable communities. 68% of Gen-Z expect brands to contribute to society whilst 61% report that they are willing to pay more for products that are produced ethically and sustainably.
• Make good use of influencers and reviews. 52% of Gen Z trust social media influencers for product or brand advice and 4 in 10 Gen Z-ers are easily swayed by other’s opinions online. Find out more about effectively managing an influencer campaign.
• Make use of new and interesting technologies such as virtual and artificial reality. 80% of surveyed Gen Z individuals reported that they aspire to work with cutting-edge technology and believe that technology and automation will create a better work environment. Encouragingly, 60% of Gen Z stated that they’re likely to use VR as it becomes more abundant in the future.
• Personalize your marketing. 44% of surveyed Gen Z’s have stated that they would provide their personal data to enable a more personalized experience over an anonymous one.
• Emphasize the high quality of your product or service. When asked what mattered most to them when making a purchase, 66% of surveyed Gen Z individuals stated that high quality mattered most.

If you’re having trouble marketing to your target market accurately, let the experts at Black Snow Group assist you in defining and reaching your customer.