How to influence your Gen Z audience in 2022?
The group called Gen Z are people born between the years 1996 and 2010. They are notorious for their value-consciousness and attraction to brands that are just as creative, bold, and different as themselves. This young generation has a very significant perception compared to millennials, so influencing them means connecting both today’s most active followers and the most crucial customers of your brand’s future.
LEARN MORE SEE HOW IT WORKS The group called Gen Z are people born between the years 1996 and 2010. They are notorious for their value-consciousness and attraction to brands that are just as creative, bold, and different as themselves. This young generation has a very significant perception compared to millennials, so influencing them means connecting both today’s most active followers and the most crucial customers of your brand’s future. Gen Z is already influencing the world, and its influence will only grow in the coming years, as more and more members of this generation enter the workforce. If you want to earn their loyalty and trust, as well as attract their business, you need to understand what makes them tick now and what will keep them coming back to you in 2022 and beyond! With this post, you’ll know how to influence your Gen Z audience in 2022.
Who is Gen Z?
They have very distinct habits, behaviors, tastes, and opinions. These young adults are technologically fluent, at ease with social media, highly independent, skeptical of traditional institutions, and value transparency and authenticity above all else. Overall they have high expectations for their future and view themselves as on track to achieve those goals—they won't take kindly to being told otherwise! To successfully influence Gen Z it is important to understand their preferences regarding how they want business owners or marketer brands to reach out to them.
Popular Gen Z platforms...
TikTok: Although TikTok is fairly new in the market, it is the first platform that comes to mind when you talk about Gen Z. For about two years now TikTok is the number one platform where all the trends begin for Gen Z. Also, most of the recent trends on other platforms start from TikTok. Whether you’re promoting your brand or just keeping up with trends, TikTok is where you’re certain to find your Gen Z audience.
Instagram: The second most popular Gen Z platform is Instagram. Instagram and TikTok have a lot of similarities in their features, drawing in similar users. The average Gen Z spends hours scrolling through hundreds of Instagram reels and stories daily, so you can’t wrong running a campaign on the platform.
Snapchat: Snapchat, is also very popular among them to share constant stories, and their locations and send disappearing photos with filters that brands can make theirs. You can always run campaigns on Snapchat through stories and channels.
Twitch: Twitch is another popular platform dominated by Gen Z. It is a streaming platform for e-gamers.
Spotify: There are several other music platforms that are just as popular as Spotify, but Spotify is one of the most commonly used platforms for music and podcasts among Gen Z. When they are not scrolling through one of the social media platforms listed above, they are listening to their favorite playlist or podcast on the move.
YouTube: YouTube is also common among Gen Z, but as common as the other platforms on this list. They mostly use YouTube for education and entertainment. Nonetheless, you can find as much of a Gen Z audience as you need on YouTube.
Instagram: The second most popular Gen Z platform is Instagram. Instagram and TikTok have a lot of similarities in their features, drawing in similar users. The average Gen Z spends hours scrolling through hundreds of Instagram reels and stories daily, so you can’t wrong running a campaign on the platform.
Snapchat: Snapchat, is also very popular among them to share constant stories, and their locations and send disappearing photos with filters that brands can make theirs. You can always run campaigns on Snapchat through stories and channels.
Twitch: Twitch is another popular platform dominated by Gen Z. It is a streaming platform for e-gamers.
Spotify: There are several other music platforms that are just as popular as Spotify, but Spotify is one of the most commonly used platforms for music and podcasts among Gen Z. When they are not scrolling through one of the social media platforms listed above, they are listening to their favorite playlist or podcast on the move.
YouTube: YouTube is also common among Gen Z, but as common as the other platforms on this list. They mostly use YouTube for education and entertainment. Nonetheless, you can find as much of a Gen Z audience as you need on YouTube.
Marketing strategies that help influence your Gen Z audience!
Build a community: Given that they are an online generation, making friends online is important to them. To successfully influence Gen Z, you need to understand how they operate and build relationships with them. Making connections and keeping up with trends is a powerful way of reaching them.
Be entertaining and look like you’re having fun: Social media is a great entertainment tool. It is important that the brands they follow and purchase things from are like that. It also helps with getting there faster than just throwing ads in their faces.
Adopt an up-to-date and sincere language: You’ll want to be sure you’re communicating a language/slang they can relate with. Sincerity, connection, reality, and spontaneity are all values held by Generation Z.
Create interactive content: One of the most recent ways brands, including music brands, engage their audience is by creating interactive content that asks for input from users and offers rewards, both online and offline. Gen Z customers don’t only want to just like, tap, swipe, or click on your posts, they also want something interesting they can interact with like a challenge.
Demonstrate that you are concerned about global issues: Gen Zs are more sensitive towards the world than millennials, so to connect with them, show that you are concerned about issues that have a global impact. For example, a video featuring your CEO explaining how his company is working with an NGO (non-governmental organization) would demonstrate your concern for global issues, which are often discussed by young people.
Be as transparent as you can be: Generation Z doesn’t like corporate mumbo-jumbo, so try your best to be as transparent as possible. For example, if you don’t understand a word they use, do not be afraid to ask them directly what it means; they appreciate openness and honesty. It will also show them that you are aware of their influences and don’t want to come off as an ‘old fart’ who doesn’t understand their lingo.
Know the topics that Gen Z cares about: The more you know about your audience, the easier it will be to build a strategy that resonates with them. There are many studies on popular topics among Gen Zs, including LGBTQ+, diversity, equality, social responsibility, body positivity, etc.
Focus on summative and visual content: Gen Zs have a very short attention span, so you'll have to make the first few seconds of your content captivating. Before they browse through your content, you have about 10 seconds to convince them to pay attention.
Don’t forget to follow the latest jokes and memes and integrate them into your work: For millennials, it's a no-brainer. But Gen Z wants their go-to brands as funny and cool and that’s why you always have to keep up with what’s funny and trendy to post.
Be entertaining and look like you’re having fun: Social media is a great entertainment tool. It is important that the brands they follow and purchase things from are like that. It also helps with getting there faster than just throwing ads in their faces.
Adopt an up-to-date and sincere language: You’ll want to be sure you’re communicating a language/slang they can relate with. Sincerity, connection, reality, and spontaneity are all values held by Generation Z.
Create interactive content: One of the most recent ways brands, including music brands, engage their audience is by creating interactive content that asks for input from users and offers rewards, both online and offline. Gen Z customers don’t only want to just like, tap, swipe, or click on your posts, they also want something interesting they can interact with like a challenge.
Demonstrate that you are concerned about global issues: Gen Zs are more sensitive towards the world than millennials, so to connect with them, show that you are concerned about issues that have a global impact. For example, a video featuring your CEO explaining how his company is working with an NGO (non-governmental organization) would demonstrate your concern for global issues, which are often discussed by young people.
Be as transparent as you can be: Generation Z doesn’t like corporate mumbo-jumbo, so try your best to be as transparent as possible. For example, if you don’t understand a word they use, do not be afraid to ask them directly what it means; they appreciate openness and honesty. It will also show them that you are aware of their influences and don’t want to come off as an ‘old fart’ who doesn’t understand their lingo.
Know the topics that Gen Z cares about: The more you know about your audience, the easier it will be to build a strategy that resonates with them. There are many studies on popular topics among Gen Zs, including LGBTQ+, diversity, equality, social responsibility, body positivity, etc.
Focus on summative and visual content: Gen Zs have a very short attention span, so you'll have to make the first few seconds of your content captivating. Before they browse through your content, you have about 10 seconds to convince them to pay attention.
Don’t forget to follow the latest jokes and memes and integrate them into your work: For millennials, it's a no-brainer. But Gen Z wants their go-to brands as funny and cool and that’s why you always have to keep up with what’s funny and trendy to post.
Now you know how to reach this unique generation!
Although there are several ways you can influence your Gen Z audience, it’s best if you understand them first and take action on how they communicate. By doing so, you’ll be able to create a lasting and memorable impact with your brand and marketing messages while also gaining their trust. And who knows—you may find yourself influencing generations beyond Gen Z, which could make all of your efforts worth it.
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