Who is Generation Z?

But as time goes on, many are shifting their focus to the next group of up-and-coming consumers: Generation Z.

Born in the late 1990s to 2010s, many are still teenagers today. But the oldest members of this generation are beginning to graduate high school, enter adulthood, and make their own purchasing decisions. In other words, they’re becoming a point of interest for many B2C marketers.

Even if Generation Z isn’t yet your target audience, they likely will be in the next few years—and they’re different from their millennial predecessors. Keep reading to learn how to effectively communicate with this group of up-and-coming consumers.

WebFX has experience marketing to a wide range of audiences. You can contact us online or call 888-601-5359 today to speak with one of our experts and get more information about the best way for your business to market to Generation Z.

They’re Internet-savvy

As the first generation to grow up entirely with the Internet, it should come as no surprise that Generation Z is very connected. Where millennials grew up watching television and movies in their free time, many members of this younger group grew up with the Internet as their primary source of entertainment.

This means that when it comes to Gen Z marketing, you should avoid the channels they aren’t as interested in: Television and radio.

Although some members of Generation Z do still watch TV, most prefer streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. And when they do choose to watch live television, they often do so while simultaneously using online channels to discuss it with their peers.

So if you’re trying to reach this generation of consumers, focus the majority of your efforts online.

They’re social

Like the Internet, Generation Z is also the first group to grow up entirely with social media. In fact, many do not remember a time before Facebook.

Today, 81% of teenagers use social media, and very few sticks to one platform. The majority use several, and Instagram and Snapchat are particularly popular. This is a shift from Millennials, who for the most part grew up before the existence of Facebook, and joined during their high school or college years.

For marketers, this means that social media marketing is absolutely necessary, and a multi-network approach is best. One of the most successful marketing campaigns in recent years is Beats by Dre’s #showyourcolors campaign, which began at the London Olympics and later spanned Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and Twitter.

By using a variety of channels, they were not only able to reach a larger audience, but also allow customers to engage on whichever platform they preferred. And although most businesses don’t have the budget to create campaigns on the same scale, anyone can use a variety of social networks for marketing.

They value immediacy

Knowing that this generation grew up with the Internet, it’s understandable that they expect instant gratification. This means that no matter what online channels you use for marketing, you should plan to have someone monitoring them and responding to customers as often as possible.

Quick, helpful responses are crucial for gaining the trust of members of this generation. And although all consumers appreciate knowing that the businesses they support care about them, Generation Z consumers are unique in their expectations of speed.

This is why an increasing number of brands have dedicated social media managers who spend the majority of their time responding to customer concerns and comments, as well as brand mentions.

Considering that most of Generation Z had smartphones by the time they reached high school, they also expect to be able to access information when and wherever they want it. As a result, your strategy should be mobile-friendly. That means creating and maintaining a responsive site (at least).

They aren’t brand loyal

Unlike Millennials, who are generally thought to base purchasing decisions on their feelings about a particular brand, members of Generation Z aren’t brand loyal. Expect them to thoroughly research reviews and outside opinions before making a purchase.

Of course, this isn’t a bad thing—an informed customer is generally a happy customer. However, it also means that you can’t expect to run one or two successful campaigns and retain the customers you attract over several years.

Instead, your focus should be on continuous customer acquisition. Maintain your online and social presences, actively engage with potential customers, and make customer service a priority.

Want to reach a wider demographic with your company’s marketing?

Although many members of Generation Z are still in their teenage years, they’re slowly entering the workforce and becoming consumers in their own right. This means that if you’re a B2C company, they could very well be your target audience within the next few years.

If you want to get a head start on marketing to this younger generation, or simply reach a wider demographic, WebFX can help. We have years of experience creating targeted Internet marketing campaigns for our clients, and we’ll do the same for you. Contact us today to speak with a strategist!