The market is constantly evolving and doing it’s best to adapt. With that, the new generation z will dictate the latest trends and the directions they head towards. In this article, I’ll help you understand what the generation z is all about and why it’s important that you prioritize your digital marketing strategy towards the younger crowd.

Who Are They?

We’re all familiar with millennials, and they’re often mixed up with generation z. While millennials are born between the years 1981 and 1996, Generation Z are the younger crowed, born between 1997 and 2012.

As of 2020, Gen Z makes up more than 40% of U.S. consumers

Source: Fast Company

So if you’ve done the math correctly in your head, the oldest Generation Z person will be 24 years old. What does this mean? Well that means they’ve just about finished college and are ready to start working full time. At the other end of the spectrum, the youngest will still be attending elementary school.

Challenges

With every great change, comes resistance. Meaning, some people have a harder time of adjusting to a new way of looking at things. Do you notice how your grandpa always talks about ” back in his day ” and how he doesn’t understand ” you youngsters ” today? There’s a reason for that and it can also be applied to marketing.

Every generation introduces challenges and it is up to you as the marketing strategist to adapt accordingly.

Attention Span

The younger crowd has a shorter attention span. There are numerous studies done to discover the reasons behind it and a lot of it simply has to do with the fact that there’s so much more information out there now. That’s why it’s important to capture the viewers attention immediately.

On average, Gen Z will pay attention to content for a span of eight seconds — four less than millennials

Source: VisionCritical

Which means, first impressions matter ( This should help : Grab Attention with Video). Whether it’s a blog post, an ad or even your landing page, you’ve got only a few seconds to convince this new generation that you’re worth checking out. And you are worth checking out!

Keep it real

The times of selling kitchen knives door to door are gone. And along with that are hard sell tactics, stop using them. Generation Z is all about authenticity and they’re immune to dull marketing schemes.

Furthermore, Gen Z is far more progressive than the generations of the past. This generation, it’s all about the individual and breaking from traditional forms.

Engage

As stated above, your goal is to create an authentic experience. And this means in every aspect of your brand. Communication is key and is a crucial element to keeping Generation Z satisfied.

Be active, respond to feedback and don’t make them wait. We’re living in a world where everything is connected and information travels faster than the speed of light. There’s no reason you should keep possible customers waiting!

88% of Gen Z prefers omnichannel branded experiences, while 54% say social media influences them most

Source: CMO Council

This means being active on social media as well. You’ve put out on an ad and some people are asking questions? Respond quickly!

Be more caring

Your brand is special, we get it. However, today it’s all about being part of something far bigger than just your service or what you’re selling. What impact does your service have on a global scale? Are you contributing in a positive or negative way and why.

Remember, Gen Z grew up in the heat of the climate change debates. Movements of this nature can’t be ignored and your brand should reflect that. Contribute to the movement by being part of charity efforts and guaranteeing that you run an Eco-friendly campaign.

Utilize Video

Video has proven to be the most effective medium in the marketing world. It’s effective and gets your message across in engaging ways. You’re looking to spread the word about your brand right? Here’s a big hint. Generation Z love video!

Gen Z streams video for roughly 23 hours each week.

Source: Criteo

Additionally, this generation loves to share videos with their friends which means expanding your audience. Remember however, it’s not just about the video form. Content that speaks today is content that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Relax and loosen up your tie, start creating content that humanizes your brand ( Check out: 6 Engaging Types of Video Content). You are human right?

There are many ways to implement video within your business strategy and you’d be silly not to do so in 2020.

Speaking of Video

Don’t worry, I won’t leave you empty handed. The truth is, today video content is probably the most important aspect of your digital marketing strategy, and if you don’t have the tools for it, you’re left stranded. Luckily for you, I’ve got a neat video editor for you to check out. It’s completely FREE to start.

“Oh but I don’t have time to create videos! And it’s expensive!” is what we tend to hear now days. Videommerce gives you the tools to create stunning and professional videos in minutes. With hundreds of templates to choose from, and the ability to upload your own video and edit, you’ve got nothing to lose and a lot more to gain.

Don’t forget Social Media!

Remember the days when we didn’t have internet and you would have to either visit or call your friends? Generation Z doesn’t. That’s because they’ve had easy access to the internet for most of their lives. Don’t neglect your social media reach.

Gen Z logs on to social media for roughly two hours and 55 minutes each day. This is almost an hour longer than the average millennial. 

Source: World Economic Forum

What this means is you’ll have to adapt to every channel accordingly. Don’t just put out the same content to every channel. Facebook and Instagram aren’t the same when it comes to engagement and what works and doesn’t (Check out : Video and Social Media). Meaning, some channels are all about showcasing who YOU are while others are simply there to provide information and keep the audience curious.

Conclusion

Brands today should aim to present an authentic experience. The key is to grow alongside with Generation Z. Make your content shareable and most definitely social. If you’re a new business and don’t know where to begin, consider this article. It’ll help you steer your business strategy towards a challenge worth taking. Whether you like it or not, Generation Z will be the markets biggest consumers.

As always, time will tell how brands adapt but it’s important to stay aware. Things ARE changing. It’s time to reinvent your marketing strategy for the current generation!