If you are familiar with digital marketing, you probably know millennials, and Gen Zers account for a large portion of every customer base. This is because they have unique characteristics that make them ideal for your digital marketing strategy.
As such, we’ve assembled this post to provide crucial statistics about Gen Z and explain how to use the information in a marketing strategy. Let’s get started!
Who is Gen Z?
Generation Z, Gen Z, or Zoomers are all names that describe the demographic group immediately after Millennials and before Generation Alpha. It’s the first generation of digitally native consumers born between 1997 and 2010.
This group has different behaviors and characteristics than older generations and a significant buying power of more than 140 billion in the US alone. It’s no surprise you want to know more about them before you implement your marketing strategy.
7 Important Gen Z Statistics Every Marketer Should Know
Let’s take a quick look at various statistics that can shed light on the characteristics and behaviors of Gen Zers. A significant portion of Gen Z:
1 – Use Mobile Devices
It’s no surprise that mobile is king for digital devices among the younger generations. In fact, 55% of Gen Z who participated in a survey reported using their mobile phones for at least 5 hours. So, unlike older generations who spend most of their time-consuming TV content, Gen Z and Millennials spend more time on their phones than on TVs, laptops, and computers.
Some Gen Zers can stay glued to their hand-held screens for up to 10 hours or more. This means that any business that directs its marketing efforts towards mobile devices has a better chance of grabbing the attention of Gen Zers.
2 – Support Inclusivity
Another thing that characterizes Gen Z is that it is the most diversified generation to exist so far. According to a survey by Meta, 71% of Gen Z want to see more diversity in ads. Members of this generation prefer brands and platforms that make them feel represented regardless of race, religion, beliefs, and gender. That’s why businesses that provide gender-neutral products have a larger appeal to Gen Z.
Brands that allow and encourage people to express their ideas, values, and opinions without fear or prejudice can enjoy an ever-growing audience. Having inclusivity among the values of a brand is a great way to ensure you draw more Gen Zers to your products, services, or ideas.
3 – Consume Video Content Daily
Platforms like YouTube and TikTok get millions of views every day, a good portion of which comes from Gen Zers. More than 60% of TikTok users are Gen Z, evidence that younger individuals prefer video content to other forms of media. While Gen Z members consume lots of videos daily, they also skip ads and ignore content that doesn’t spike their interest.
Brands that want their videos to get the attention of Gen Z on video and streaming platforms need to provide creative content. Boring videos have a slim chance of capturing the focus of Millennials and Gen Z.
4 – Value the Opinions of Influencers and Content Creators
Social media influencers and content creators are some individuals who can influence the opinions and actions of Gen Z members. This is a clever way to get the attention of Gen Z especially when you have a young brand that isn’t popular yet. Meta reports that 79% of Gen Zers purchased because of seeing an influencer support a particular brand.
Using a celebrity or public figure with a good rep among millennials and Gen Z to endorse your brand, products, or services will get you credibility faster than tooting your own horn. This study by The Center for Generational Kinetics shows that 45% of Gen Z members follow more than ten influencers on social media.
5 – Prefer Ethical and Sustainable Products
Something else worth noting when it comes to Gen Z and Millennials is that they are drawn to products that are made ethically. It’s easy to see this because members of these generations readily participate in movements that bring awareness to issues like climate change. That’s why various companies are changing to clean energy, sustainable products, and environmentally safe approaches.
Products that come from animals or use animal testing are becoming less and less popular. If one Gen Zer calls out a brand because they aren’t cruelty-free, it’s easy to lose a part of your audience. That’s why many brands express their care for the planet by choosing methods and products that are safe for our surroundings.
6 – Invest in Brand Personality
Gen Zers aren’t only focused on products and services and want to know the people behind them. Brands targeting Gen Zers have a better chance to create a meaningful connection if they have missions and values relevant to Gen Z. Younger generations show stronger brand loyalty to businesses and companies that share in their concerns.
According to research, members of Gen Z are highly collaborative. As such, you have a better chance of gaining support from this target market if your brand contributes something to society or takes a stand against societal issues like gun violence. Showing Gen Zers a brand’s values is a great way to grow your audience.
7 – Love Social Media
It’s no surprise that Gen Zers are the biggest social media fans. You’d assume that these youngsters use social media to connect with family and friends, but they use it for much more. Gen Zers also follow the brands and businesses they like on social media. 97% of Gen Zers in a survey stated that they use social media platforms to find inspiration for shopping.
It’s easy to see how social media is a great place to push your marketing efforts because it provides access to a large pool of prospects that could need your products, services, or advice. A social media marketing strategy is critical to the success of an online venture today more than ever before.
How to Leverage Gen Z Statistics for Your Digital Marketing Strategy
Now that you’ve seen the characteristics of Gen Zers, it’s time to apply the information in your marketing strategy. Here are the ways you can improve your marketing approach thanks to the Gen Z statistics we’ve discussed.
1 – Create a Mobile-Friendly Website
Most Gen Zers use smartphones more than any other devices. Unfortunately, some business websites are only desktop-oriented, making it difficult to see clearly when you access the site using a mobile phone. This experience can quickly push younger individuals away from your page and toward a competitor.
A smooth browsing experience is critical if you want a return on investment from your website. If you want to make it easier for Gen Zers to browse your website without issues, you should look for a design and layout that adapts to fit the screen of the searcher. This way, you’ll take care of those using desktops and mobile devices.
2 – Use Inclusive Language and Content
Next, you should ensure you demonstrate inclusivity in every channel you use to reach your audience. If your audience suspects you to oppose sensitive subjects like gender equality, it will negatively impact your brand image. Encouraging diversity and flexible lifestyles will go a long way to getting more Gen Zers into your audience.
If you use people for your ads and video posts, you should ensure you include people of different races, beliefs, genders, etc. This will make your target market feel more included and represented in your brand, encouraging more people to subscribe to your products or services. Keep in mind you could receive backlash if you appear not to value the freedom, religion, and lifestyles of your prospects.
3 – Release Video Content
Video is king when it comes to communicating with Gen Z. There’s no better way to capture and hold the attention of your audience than with exciting videos. Of course, it’s not easy to maintain the focus of social media users since the average attention span of a Gen Zer is 8 seconds. This means you need to use a captivating hook in the videos to ensure your audience watches it to the end.
TikTok is a great place to try out your video content strategy because the videos on the platform are only 15 seconds long. A shorter video is much easier to watch and will get you better results than an hour-long video. However, if describing your products and services in enough time, you can post long videos on YouTube.
YouTube is the best platform for detailed videos like tutorials and reviews, which might need more than 15 seconds to complete. But, if you can shorten the process so that the video is easy to follow, even without commentary, TikTok is the place to go.
4 – Join Different Social Media Platforms
If you want a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that will get to all the millennials and Gen Zers within your grasp, you’ll need to be on more than one social platform. Fortunately, different social platforms are designed for different uses. As we’ve already mentioned, YouTube and TikTok are the best sites for videos.
Not everything about your brand needs a video. Sometimes, an image can suffice to communicate your product, service, or ideas. In such a case, the best platforms to use are Facebook and Instagram, which combine both images and videos for a full visual experience.
Visuals aside, what’s the best place to take your short promotional messages? How about Twitter? Twitter is a great place where people post their opinions and other important texts. Nevertheless, you can also use images and videos on Twitter.
Something to keep in mind when using social media for marketing is that people want to connect to other people. Your audience isn’t just looking for a solution; they are looking for someone who understands their problems and wants to help solve them. That’s why including people in the images and videos you post can give you an edge over competitors.
5 – Create Online Communities
Your page isn’t the only suitable place to interact with Gen Zers. There are numerous online communities and groups that could have potential clients for your brand. As such, you should also check out different groups with the same values and interests. Remember, millennials and Gen Zers mostly use online platforms to connect with people with similar views, goals, and needs.
You can also use social media communities to find engaging conversations that catch the attention of your target audience. Use that information to create posts where people can comment and express their opinions. That way, your marketing efforts will be more productive since you’ll direct them toward people who are interested in what you say.
6 – Collaborate with Social Media Influencers
The next thing you should do is look for authoritative individuals who are experts in your field to collaborate on ideas. This is a strategy that startup brands use to gain a larger audience.
With a credible influencer backing your product or services, it’ll be much easier for Gen Zers to become interested. It will make you appear trustworthy to your target audience, allowing you to introduce your brand in a good light.
7 – Communicate Your Values
Lastly, you must communicate your values, interests, and goals to your audience. Gen Zers are drawn to authenticity and individuality, so showing them the face behind the logo is a great way to connect with them. If you have a website, you can include a video introducing yourself to your audience and telling them your agenda on the ‘About Us’ page.
Some of the strongest points you can use to capture the attention of Gen Zers include the use of clean energy, providing environmentally safe products, and making cruelty-free items. If your audience believes you have similar values, you’ll have a better chance of establishing brand loyalty with them.
Final Thoughts
Generation Z refers to those born between 1997 and 2010. Standard marketing strategies won’t appeal to this group because it has unique characteristics and behaviors. Gen Zers can be challenging to understand, but with the right information and marketing strategy, you can grow a large following that will help your brand succeed.
https://www.area19delegate.org/how-to-leverage-gen-z-statistics-for-your-marketing-strategy/Technology
If you are familiar with digital marketing, you probably know millennials, and Gen Zers account for a large portion of every customer base. This is because they have unique characteristics that make them ideal for your digital marketing strategy.
As such, we’ve assembled this post to provide crucial statistics about…
Chris McdonaldChris
Mcdonald[email protected]ContributorArea19Delegate