Are you a marketer who is at your wit’s end trying to crack the Gen Z marketing code?
Gen Z Marketing Code: Granted, this generation of digital natives is difficult to connect with, given their self-confessed short attention spans and desire for instant gratification. Even more challenging to navigate is how to grab their attention in the first place! With so many different stimuli being thrown at them from literally every direction, how do you stop the Gen Z scroll? And, once you’ve got them, how do you have this generation of consumers stay on your ads long enough for them to absorb the message?
For marketers with a keen interest in how to generate new business by capitalizing on engaging with Gen Z, consider completing an AACSB online MBA to learn more about targeted strategic marketing techniques. Alternatively, keep reading this article for our comprehensive guide to cracking the code, and ultimately, reaching your Gen Z audience.
Table of Contents
Keep it Snappy: Instant Gratification in the Age of Instagram
In the age of instant gratification, if you want to get your Gen Z audience to connect with your message, you’ll need to get it across to them quickly! With dramatically shortened attention spans thanks to social media use making it harder to capture this generation’s attention, you must make your marketing methods more immediately captivating than ever before. Even once you’ve grabbed them, it’s easy for Gen Z to lose focus if they don’t find something of interest. Gone are the days of long, drawn-out, storyline-type ads. To reach Gen Z, you must get to the point, and fast. Otherwise, they’ll just keep scrolling! With a myriad of online ads all vying for Gen Z’s attention, you’ll need to make yours snappy to stand out.
So how exactly do you stop the scroll? Clever marketing tools such as punchy catch-cries and striking graphics can help grab your Gen Z audience. Most importantly, try to avoid making your ad look like an ad – this savvy bunch can spot a sales pitch from a mile away, so it’s best to give them content they can relate to actively, rather than passively. And if you deliver your message speedily, you’ll ideally get them to hover on the page long enough to absorb what you are trying to tell them!
Make it Visual: Eye-catching Elements to Enhance Engagement
Another important element of connecting with Gen Z is to communicate visually. In an era where social media has the monopoly of the virtual space, being attuned to how Gen Z engages with these platforms is critical. When considering social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, for instance, it becomes evident that these are flooded with visual stimuli such as cleverly edited photographs, animated GIF images, and more recently, short-form videos known as Reels.
Capitalizing on these new forms of visual media as a marketer attempting to reach Gen Z is essential. Creating ads in TikTok format, for example, is a great way to do this. Try making videos in the style of user-generated content (UGC), that deliver concise points of information in short bursts that are easy to digest. Perhaps most importantly, make sure that your ads are aesthetically pleasing. In an age where appearances matter more than ever, the ‘look’ is just as important as the message you are delivering. Focus on crisp, clean lines that give a luxe feel. Also, try engaging in trending aesthetic vibes in your ad footage – such as leaning into the increasingly coveted ‘Quiet Luxury’ or ‘Clean Girl’ aesthetics for example.
The Power of Influence: Influencer Marketing and Audience Interaction
Lastly, Gen Z’s online impressions are heavily influenced by – you guessed it, influencers. These social media mavens are known for their curated Instagram feeds – blessing us with their trending fashion and homeware inspiration and serving makeup looks that kill.
Tapping into the potential of influencer marketing is highly recommended if you want to make your mark on Gen Z. Having a social media influencer endorse your product can do wonders for your brand engagement. Almost like celebrities in their own right, influencers are cultural figures whose words many Gen Zedders would quite literally trust with their lives. If a well-respected influencer with countless followers is to mention that a particular skincare item is good enough for her, it’s virtually guaranteed to fly off the shelves. Similarly, influencers pairing up with fashion, homewares, and other eCommerce brands can do wonders to raise awareness of their products and help generate Gen Z sales.
