Furthermore, families have become more democratic in their decision-making, and 70 percent of Gen Zers surveyed for an IBM report said they believed they have a “strong” or “very strong” influence on their families’ purchase decisions. When it comes to reaching these young consumers specifically, marketers should be striving to understand their preferred social media platforms, media-consumption habits, shopping preferences and world views. Understanding this “trusted circle” element is vital to how marketers can reach this group. Determine what percentage of your ad spend is allocated to traditional media vs. digital, and which social media platforms your brand is most active on. When it comes to their shopping preferences, two-thirds say they’re comfortable shopping online, but still prefer to shop in-store for the instant gratification of not having to wait for their orders to arrive. If you’re a retailer, prioritize making both the in-store shopping experience and online and mobile user experiences as convenient and seamless as possible. Gen Zers often shop in physical stores as a social activity, so create in-store experiences that are engaging, social and entertaining. Adjust your messaging and involve them in the conversation. When targeting this age group, don’t market to a certain stereotype. If you start an interesting conversation, odds are they will participate.
shutterstockFor years, companies have been focused on marketing to millennials, but it’s time they also pay attention to Generation Z. Born between 1995 and 2005, this population cohort may still be young, but they’re already fierce: They comprise an estimated 25 percent of the U.S. population and control $44 billion in purchasing power.
Related: What Steps Can You Take to Make Your Brand More ‘Gen Z’ Friendly? Actually, There Are 8.
Furthermore, families have become more democratic in their decision-making, and 70 percent of Gen Zers surveyed for an IBM report said they believed they have a “strong” or “very strong” influence on their families’ purchase decisions. As these teenagers mature into adults, they are quickly becoming a powerful and influential consumer group. If marketers aren’t already thinking about Gen Z this holiday season, they should start.
When it comes to reaching these young consumers specifically, marketers should be striving to understand their preferred social media platforms, media-consumption habits, shopping preferences and world views.
If you’re one of those marketers, before you start planning your marketing campaigns this holiday season, here are a few ways you can appeal to this particular demographic.
Experiment with new marketing channels.
It should be no surprise that the members of Gen Z are hyperconnected, digitally native and active on social media, but they have also witnessed numerous hacking scandals, data leaks and cyberattacks in their lifetimes. The result is that they are staunchly protective about their privacy and personal information.
It’s not uncommon, in fact, for this age group to create fake personas on Facebook and Instagram and save their real, genuine profiles for friends they trust. Understanding this “trusted circle” element is vital to how marketers can reach this group.
Specifically, Gen Z gravitates toward newer platforms like Snapchat and Instagram Stories because through those platforms they can send content to carefully curated groups of friends. Gen Z is also wary of trusting traditional advertising from brands. Instead, they rely more on recommendations from their peers, followed by those of social media influencers. So, consider using peer group influencers in your digital marketing rather than traditional celebrity endorsers.
Be cognizant of how they consume media.
Next up is media consumption. Gen Z’s members still watch TV, but prefer watching on streaming services. Furthermore, Youtube is the most popular platform with this group; Gen Z watches an average of two to four hours of YouTube…
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