5 Tips For Building Your Gen Z Marketing Strategy
Cynthia Nelson , Revo Video CSO at the intersection of culture, content and business.
According to a 2018 Pew study, millennials are the most racially and ethnically diverse generation; Among youth ages 6 to 21, 52 percent are non-Hispanic white, 25 percent are Hispanic, 14 percent are black, and 6 percent are Asian. Gen Z is a leader in gender, religious and gender diversity.
They are digital natives, savvy freelancers and willing to buck social convention. TikTok is a search engine for food, fashion, culture, where to go, recipes and travel tips. Twitter serves as a news source. Random swear words, internet chats and even emojis create their own new language.
Connecting in small communities over common interests is a characteristic of Generation Z. In these spaces they learn, grow and receive support, and enjoy connecting with their larger movement. Communities drive brand exposure, and manufacturers can help by becoming cultural ambassadors for brands and reaching out to marginalized communities.
Entrepreneurs and visionaries in nature, nearly two-thirds (62%) said they have started or plan to start their own business. The rise of platforms like Shopify and the rise of social commerce, direct marketing, and shoppable videos are partly due to Gen Z.
Not only in politics, but also in what and how they buy products, how products are produced, the impact of products on the climate and how companies get their dollars, not just greenwashing.
These changes in race, ethnicity, and sensibility should encourage all marketers to start an incubator or internship program with Gen Z participants.
Well, while boomers may be shunned or laughed at on corporate boards, the tables will quickly turn as more Gen Zers start voting with their dollars. And similar to previous mistakes, the boomers who lead these boards will try to play their hearts out, now playing the short game instead of the long game and building trust to create the social currency they need to earn dollars. If Generation Z is the future of leadership, we need to get them into the boardroom now.
As the creative economy continues to grow, I work with young Z creators to not only buy live streaming and VOD (video on demand), but to help them create content that drives their business without sacrificing authenticity for their user base. I've also hired members of the Gen Z team to lead our social media and marketing efforts to ensure we're effectively addressing their issues and needs.
Here are some tips for creating your own Gen Z strategy.
• Look at your company and see if it has pockets of Gen Z. If so, start planning to bring them to high-level company meetings where they can openly share ideas about marketing, branding, technology, UX/UI, customer acquisition, sustainability, R&D, or creating incubators or internship programs. If you're here, you're ahead of most.
• Decide how you will add value to their lives, not just the product you are selling. Adding value creates a two-way conversation that leads to trust.
• Evaluate your marketing through the eyes of Generation Z. Is there real authenticity and honesty in your posts? Consistently show (don't tell) your values and goals. What social platforms do you use and are you using them effectively?
• Take a good look at your overall marketing approach and integrate it. I'm sure you'll need to rethink your approach to connecting with Generation Z. Better yet, have your small group familiarize themselves with your presentation and get back to you with feedback.
• Understand that Gen Z can be disloyal and less likely to stick with a brand, so rely on values like Lens to build loyalty.
Generation Z was already living in a digital world. The rest of us had to catch up. Today, Gen Z sees the online experience as nothing more than a convenience; Digital has been tried and tested for everything from grocery shopping to making new friends.
The Forbes Communications Council is an inviting community of leaders from successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. What am I qualified for?
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