In your industry, you are the expert. You have spent years honing your craft and building your expertise, and you are now at the top of your game. But there are certain aspects that you might know little to nothing about, and this includes digital marketing.
The question on the mind of every business owner, manager, brand, and CEO is, “What does Generation Z want?” and the simple answer can be summed up in two words: stability and loyalty.
This stems from the fact that many consumers in this generation have seen their parents struggle through financial hardships due to financial crises of recent years, and are more likely to purchase from a brand they trust and associate with these characteristics than a brand who is focusing on novelty and trends. So, how can you market to this generation?
…and in brands. Generation Z is different from their predecessors, Generation Y, because they search for more than just a “dream job”. This younger generation is also looking for an employer that provides an environment that is solid, pleasant, and that provides benefits.
What does this mean for marketing? Well, the relationship between what people look for in a workplace and what they look for as consumers are very closely related.
Generation Z is looking for a brand that understands their pain points and can provide stability in their messaging and product or service offerings.
You need to build a relationship with these consumers while also using strategic tracking to understand their behaviour. |
While Millennials are the generation that grew up with cell phones and the start up of Facebook, it is Generation Z who is considered to be the social generation. Your brand needs to be on top of all the latest social media trends in order to maintain a relevant social media strategy.
Your social media marketing strategy should focus on authenticity and community rather than on pushing a hard sell. This will help to build trust in your brand, which is another value of this younger generation.
Loyalty and transparency go hand in hand, especially in the minds of youthful consumers. One great example of brands moving towards transparency can be seen in the fashion industry. More and more designers and clothing manufacturers are showing consumers truthfully how their clothing is made.
Younger generations are taking note of these brands and are more likely to choose them over others. By being transparent (to a reasonable point), you will show these consumers that you can be trusted.
You can be transparent with consumers by clearly defining your values on your website and across social media channels. Another effective way is to have an About Us or Team page that has relevant information about your team, allowing consumers to relate to a human element rather than to a corporate presence.
One of the most important tips to remember when attempting to reach Generation Z is that you need to be where they are. YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook are good places to start, but you need to be sure that the platforms are relevant to your brand.
If you are using an analytical tool, you can use this to ascertain where your audience is and how you can use this platform to reach them with your content.
Once you have chosen the right platforms, you will need to create and curate content that allows the Generation Z audience to share experiences with your brand and with others. For example, you could create an interactive story on Instagram asking for feedback from consumers about a new product.
Allowing for interactivity will show that you are open to listening, which will build brand loyalty. |
You might have heard the word “personalisation” before from digital marketing agencies or from an article you have read about reaching your audience, but are likely not too sure what it means. In terms of Generation Z specifically, it means reaching them on a human level.
By putting resources towards meaningful engagements and building relationships with consumers will help you to create customised, relevant content and interactions.
Using tools such as email list segmentation will allow you to create customised emails that will resonate with your audience. Personalisation can be something as simple as generating a product suggestion based on customer behaviour, or as involved as creating targeted advertisements based on analytics and data.
Marketing to this up-and-coming generation might sound complicated and confusing but it comes down to one simple factor: proving that they can and should be loyal to your brand. How do you do this? By building a relationship with them and showing your brand is stable, and being as transparent about your brand or business as possible.
Taking a holistic approach is one of the most effective ways to reach this audience, so contact Shapeshift today to find out how we can help you reach this new generation.
