Generation Z has arrived, which means it’s time for a change. While millennials have received massive attention from businesses in the past few years, a new generation is coming to invade the consumer market. Compared to millennials, Generation Zs are pragmatic consumers whose personal realm focuses on consequences and results. They respond to marketing campaigns differently, making it sense for businesses to understand their personality quirks regarding purchase behaviors.
Fashion is that one industry that has made considerable adjustments to accommodate the needs and demands of their Generation Z consumers. One example is their particular preference for brands that allow them to embrace social movements through political statements. Businesses with screen printing services are working with clothing brands to create customized shirts and other style pieces.
For entrepreneurs and marketers, understanding the purchase behavior of each generation is a part of the challenge. Since Generation Z is gradually dominating the consumer market, it makes sense to rethink the best marketing strategy tailored for the younger audience. To learn about Generation Z’s consumer behaviors and preferences, here are some facts about marketing to Generation Z.
They are digital natives
It’s not surprising to see a young kid using their parents’ smartphone and seamlessly navigating to their favorite game or social network. The adaptability and speed on how Generation Z utilizes technology have surpassed older generations. It’s worth noting that Gen Z earned the name “digital natives” as they were born in an era where technology is at its core. This means they grew up in a world where smartphones, social networking, Wi-Fi, cellular data, and on-demand entertainment are already existing.
Millennials grew alongside technological advancements and experienced a life without the internet and high-tech devices, while Gen Z did not. Thus, social media and digital tools are fully ingrained in Generation Z’s everyday lifestyle. While millennials can vividly recall cassette tapes, Gen Zs are all about digital content platforms (e.g., TikTok and YouTube).
Marketing for Generation Zs means going beyond the digital capabilities of your business. They expect more from businesses in terms of innovation because they grew up in an age of rapid advancements. This means you have to diversify your campaigns by distributing them on visual social platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
Gen Zs have a huge preference for mobile phones when accessing content, so an optimized mobile experience is a must. They use their smartphones to visit e-commerce platforms, and they prefer online shopping in general. This means you have to ensure your website has a user-friendly interface, mobile-optimized features, a simplified checkout process, and relevant content.
They use social media differently
Understanding what Gen Zs want allows you to discover what you’re missing out on social media trends. Generation Zs love the combination of interactivity and creativity on social media, making sense why they rely on it heavily. Unlike millennials, Gen Zs grew up in a world where social media has been existing most of their lives. Thus, they depend on social media so much that they visit their feed almost every hour.
Whether it’s using Instagram to express their fashion taste or TikTok to stay entertained, we’re certain you can’t advertise Gen Zs using the same strategy over all platforms. For example, Generation Zs visit Instagram to express themselves in the most creative and authentic way. In this case, you need content that displays a more unfiltered and messier approach. Gone are the days of perfectly curated and staged images that millennials have come to love. Content for Gen Zs is all about transparency.
They want quick, interactive content
The average attention span of a millennial is 12 seconds. Still, it’s only eight seconds for Generation Z. They also use digital platforms simultaneously (five screens at the most), so their attention spans are obviously shorter than millennials.
Creating quick, engaging content for Generation Z is tricky. They hate long-form content and non-skippable ads. In this case, you need a compelling storytelling approach that sells to them, but you have to do it in eight seconds or less.
When targeting Gen Z with multimedia content, take advantage of short-form videos bursting with music and colorful effects. Use Instagram Stories or Tiktok to pick their brains with creative and interactive content.
To stay on top of the business landscape, entrepreneurs and marketers should tailor-fit their marketing campaigns to their target consumer base. As Generation Z gradually enters the consumer market, this offers a big opportunity to connect with the new wave of customers. If you want to establish a strong Gen Z consumer base, follow our suggestions above to create meaningful customer relationships for this younger audience.