Why Gen Z is The Largest Consumer Segment, And How You Can Market to Them

Adapt, adapt, adapt. Any marketer or business owner knows that’s the key to surviving and thriving in the world of marketing. New generations of customers constantly bring new behaviours, interests, values and mindsets that we need to pay close attention to and tailor our strategies for.

In come gen Z consumers. When it comes to marketing to gen Z audiences, many can be left confused and befuddled about ways to create marketing campaigns that engage gen Z customers. Our marketing trends need to connect with their contemporary attitudes, and they can often be resistant to traditional marketing methods.

Good news is, we’re here to help you understand them and what you should be considering in your gen Z marketing strategy. How we do gen Z marketing is different to how we approach other generations, and you’ll see why.

Who is Gen Z?

Generation Z was the generation that followed the Millennial era. They are typically digital natives, having grown up in the modern tech boom. They’re tech savvy individuals who know their way around many a social media platform and use them to express themselves and their beliefs.

They typically scrutinize a brand’s values against their own core values, choosing to support brands that are conscious of their impact on the environment and who are championing diversity. Their favourite brands are focused on community building and championing diverse races and sexual orientations in their marketing.

Why is generation Z the largest consumer segment?

Generation Z now holds an enormous share in global consumer markets which only continues to grow and overtake baby boomers. According to Google, the number of this new generation overtook Millennials in 2021.

They now represent around 65% of global consumption and 32% of the overall population of the world. To ignore them in your marketing strategies would be madness.

How to market to Gen Z?

Generation Z marketing strategies involve a number of facets. A business needs to create content fit for a social media network, incorporating visual platforms like Instagram or TikTok and enabling customers to build user generated content to create meaningful interactions.

When it comes to gen Z, bite sized content is best suited to their fast-paced lifestyles and marketing to generation Z should maintain a focus on building brand trust and giving social proof of morals in your business via your social media content.

Make eye-catching content

In promoting products to Gen Z, visuals are essential. Gen Z’s attention span is relatively limited. It means that a company must capture customers’ attention on their mobile devices within a short time, otherwise you’ll lose em!

Think bite sized content like short form video such as Instagram stories. Generally speaking, this younger generation absorbs information more visually with less text. When presenting your product or service on social media to a younger generation, use fewer words.

It means using a social media platform differently to cater for generation Z characteristics. Scrap the unnecessary introductions and reach generation Z with visual effects.

Amplify beliefs and values

Those who are in generation Z have an appreciation of contemporary beliefs and values. Your company’s social presence needs to express the same appreciatio. Trust us, they’ll hold you accountable on this front with some pretty high expectations, and if you let them down, they’ll make it known.

It means potentially moving away from traditional celebrities in advertising, showcasing more inclusive brand reps who the average Gen Zer can relate to on a more human level. It means raising awareness of mental health, socio economic problems or racism in your next social media post.

Nike is a great example from favorite brands, who celebrated black history month in their marketing to generation Z. Patagonia is another example who released the great news that all proceeds now go to helping the environment.

Amplify your beliefs and values to build brand loyalty amongst the gen Z market!

Invest in video

Video content is proving to be a great marketing strategy for connecting with Generation Z. Generation Z enjoys video clips on platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok as well as long video clips on YouTube.

If you want to market video to Gen Z, you should do extensive research before you make decisions regarding what is the right length of video and what platform to use for your content. When marketing to gen Z with video, use overlays and graphics to present engaging information. Create short video clips to keep Gen Z fans interested and captivated.

Go interactive with your marketing strategy

Interaction with Generation Z is critical. You’ll need to encourage engagement with your content and ensure this next generation feels part of a community.

Reach gen Z by creating marketing content that takes the audience behind the scenes. Promote participation through interactive content, including contests and surveys. Find out how you can get gen Zers into your product development and marketing via user generated content and influencers.

Ideas that encourage interaction have greater chances at success when it comes to Generation Z.

Invest in your community

Investing in your local communities is proof that your values have more meaning than just words or slogans. When brands support their community, it demonstrates an investment in more than profit.

Make sure marketing spends are directed at developing relationships with customers. Supporting people who make a difference in their communities can be incredibly valuable. Your gen Z marketing strategies need to connect with their aspirational selves who want to make a difference in the world and belong to something greater.

Be accountable for mistakes

We aren’t the first generation of businesses to make a mistake, but we are some of the first to publicly own up to them. Gen Z understands and appreciates brand transparency. Instead of lying or denigrating mistakes, it makes sense to admit them if you are accountable.

Generation Z will likely forgive or even support a company’s honest failures and how it plans to rectify them. If you start selling online with the mindset that your companies flaws and mistakes can be brushed under the rug, gen Zers have another thing coming for you. They’ll use their buying power to directly influence your profits and make you suffer.

Marketing strategies for the future

These marketing tips will ensure your marketing to gen Z is as effective as possible. Reaching gen Zers isn’t easy. Gen Z scrutinizes and analyses brands like none before it, but we need to recognise as businesses that this is a good thing. They are holding us accountable, and we can be better.

Connect with the gen Z audience through relevant content that is engaging, yes. Most importantly though, do it sincerely, honestly, and genuinely with a focus on community building.

They’ll likely let you know if you’re not.