How to Level Up Your Marketing to Win Over Generation Z

What’s your largest market? You might be surprised to learn that it’s Generation Z, which became the largest generation on Earth in 2020, making up almost a third (32%) of the global population. With purchasing power of more than $150 billion in the US alone, it’s clear businesses need to be doing more to market to this demographic.

This is a bigger challenge than many companies are prepared for. Gen Z consumers value convenience over brand more than any other generation, and are also less likely to trust that companies are telling the truth. They want brands to be authentic, but only 53% say companies generally come across this way.

This means you’ll need to work much harder to attract this demographic and entice them towards brand loyalty. The strategies needed to do so will be familiar to any company that has targeted millennials, but there are some key differences between the generations.

Show you stand for something

Gen Z is one of the most principled generations in recent memory, and this is being reflected in their purchasing decisions. For example, two-thirds of the demographic agree that how businesses respond to the Black Lives Matter movement will permanently affect their decision to buy from them.

This is because 87% of Gen Z consumers expect more from brands than simply the products and services they sell. This isn’t just a matter of messaging; you need to show this demographic you’re genuinely making a difference. For example, Gen Z is 43% more likely to support companies if they commit to reducing the amount of energy they use, and 40% more likely to support brands that cut down on packaging.

Marketing to Gen Z therefore requires walking a tightrope between your claims and actions. You don’t want to come off as disingenuous about the positive impact your company is having on the world, but equally you need to make your achievements clear or they’ll go unnoticed. Being silent on the issues that affect Gen Z isn’t a good idea either, with 76% being more likely to buy from a brand that makes statements on such issues.

Make the extra effort to be relevant

You might be used to the idea that algorithms dictate our life, especially when it comes to the media we consume online. For Gen Z the opposite may be true: almost half of this generation intentionally like, share or comment on social media links in order to ‘train’ the algorithms to give them the content they’re looking for.

Gen Z are extraordinarily resourceful when it comes to finding the information they want, which means you have to be there to provide it. This means knowing your audience so the content you produce is as relevant as possible, and measuring and adapting based on how it performs.

This might mean giving them an incentive. For example, 68% of Gen Z said that sales or offers would encourage them to open an email, and 82% said they like to receive promos and special discounts through email. This might end up being a small price to pay if it means you’re able to connect with Gen Z and be seen as a trusted brand.

Utilize SEO

As the first generation brought up in a fully online world, it’s no surprise that Gen Z use search engines differently. For example, while older generations tend to keep their searches short and sweet, Gen Z users are more likely to use long-tail keywords and longer queries, averaging five words per search.

They’re also more likely to use terms like ‘best’, ‘cheap’ or ‘how to’ in their searches, which matches with research suggesting Gen Z is much more practical with money than would be expected for such a young demographic. That means targeting practical search terms to do with saving money can be a good strategy.

Finally, remember that Gen Z is more likely to be searching on a mobile device than other demographics, so make sure your site is mobile-friendly. Sticking to these tactics will give you a good chance of winning over Gen Z and capturing their loyalty.