Gen Z has remained a highly sought-after consumer demographic among brands for the better part of a decade, driving marketers to develop campaigns and social strategies designed to resonate specifically with this age cohort. But many marketers have continued to fall short when it comes to connecting with Gen Z—and it’s often due to the simple fact that rather than working with Gen Z to craft those campaigns and social media posts, marketers look to agencies and consultancies speaking on behalf of these younger consumers.
To overcome this problem, one of the leading marketing agencies recently set out to reorient the conversation around how brands can best appeal to Gen Z consumers by turning the stage over to the cohort those marketers are aiming to reach. This included a line up of marketers, creators and entrepreneurs exclusively belonging to Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012.
1. Swap an ‘always on’ social strategy for an ‘always there’ approach: In recent years, brands and social media marketers have touted an “always on” social strategy—one that centers around frequent, consistent posting—as the ideal approach to social media.
However, the true key to social success is in an “always there” strategy that instead prioritizes online community management, such as replying to comments and popping up in other users’ comments sections- showcasing care for their valuable clients.
If social content isn’t rooted in what Gen Z consumers are organically hearing about, seeing and even taking part in while spending time on social media, it doesn’t matter how frequently a brand posts content.
2. Gen Z appreciates creator-led businesses: Gen Z has always been more concerned than previous generations about the values and actions of the people behind the brands they buy from. Now, as influencers such as Emma Chamberlain and MrBeast, among others, pivot to business ownership, Gen Z consumers are increasingly supporting their businesses because they’re familiar with the creators running them.
With the ecosystem we’re in right now, from a brand and consumer perspective, there is so much in the market right now. There are many brands that are coming up now because there’s more creators than ever [and] more celebrities than ever. In terms of what you want out of a leader who’s building right now, intention and vision are so important.
Over 56% of Gen Z consumers consider it “extremely” or “very” important that a brand’s founder is someone they “trust or admire” according to a recent consumer trends report from The New Consumer and Coefficient Capital. And 44% of those respondents said they prefer creator-founded brands to those without an influencer founder.
3. Tiktok is the new Google for Gen Zers: Over the past few months, there has been a rising popularity of TikTok as a search engine substitute for Google. This trend is indeed true among both Gen Z and the generation after them. The younger generation is using TikTok’s search bar rather than Google’s- even more so when seeking out explanations for “how to” content, such as how to fix something.
This change in where younger consumers are seeking out information effectively means search engines have “shifted into creator spaces,” meaning search engine marketing may soon, in turn, pivot to TikTok and other social platforms.
4. Representation in Influencer Campaigns is falling short: GenZ witnesses a major concern with brands doing influencer campaigns- mainly for 2 reasons- Lack of Diversity & Pay Discrimination to influencers of color.
For many people from marginalized groups, seeing themselves represented in media, including ad campaigns, is essential to their sense of self-worth. Lack of diversity among the leadership teams of the brands and companies developing influencer campaigns is a key factor limiting the representation of marginalized creators.
Additionally, enduring pay gap between creators of color and their white counterparts and the need for brands to provide payment to creators of color for campaigns tied to heritage months such as Black History Month and Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
The most important takeaway from all of this data is that Generation Z is not some secretive entity. There is a vast amount of data that reveals what they prefer when it comes to marketing and spending. The best way to reach them is to use platforms and tools wisely, with thought, and with clear intent.
Regardless of how you do it, you need to consider your strategy for marketing to Gen Z consumers. Their number, influence, and spending power is growing by the day. Members of Generation Z are loyal and want to build relationships with authentic brands that stand for something.
3 comments
Wow.. This is amazing, as someone who is marketing for luxury brands this info is so valuable as we are dealing with Gen Z a lot.
Thanks.. I’m excited for what’s to come.
Tiktok being the new Google search, can so see it why. Video content is where the attention is moving towards – and makes more sense for content that talks about fixing something.
Great insights Jai!
Always there vs always on, that caught my mind -this is what I tell my team.
They no longer about what you do but how you make them feel. Spot on Jai