I was born at the tail end of Generation Y, and while I have a recollection of a world not dominated by the Internet, I also feel that most of my life has been enraptured with the technology world of today. Those born in Generation Z however, have no memories of a society not filled with technology, to which I can relate.
Those in Generation Z were born in the mid-1990s into the early 2000s, and technology has been a part of their lives from the start.
Are you marketing towards Generation Z?
Those in Generation Z don’t know what a pager is or about having to go to the library for research. They expect immediate gratification of information through Google. Always tweeting, texting and checking in,—this generation has put all of their trust in technology.
Since this generation is now coming of age, brands must learn how to interact with this technology savvy demographic; here are some tips to do just that.
1. Optimize you information: Forrester conducted a survey that found fifty percent of those in Generation Z completely or somewhat trust information they have found through a search engine. Those in Generation Z believe information they find on the web, so you must optimize your business’ content so that it can be found easily by this demographic.
Also, you will want to interact with this demographic through social media because Generation Z appreciates a two-way interaction that allows them to be heard.
2. Expand beyond Facebook: While Facebook is not going away anytime soon with around 2 billion connections between local business and fans happening each day, it is becoming less popular among Generation Z as their parents join in on the fun, and also as apps like Snapchat and Vine expand.
Having a multi-tiered approach among social media networks will allow your business to catch the attention of this demographic as they multi-task. This generation is constantly on-the-go, so utilizing the different social media networks will ensure you reach them. Also, 86% of Generation Z uses their smart phones while watching TV, so a multi-tiered approach has proven to be an incredibly effective strategy while they are enjoying their favorite shows.
3. Prove Yourself: Unlike earlier generations, Generation Z and Generation Y, are not brand loyal. Gen Z in particular is more concerned with spending less and saving because they have watched the recession affect their parents. Generation Z needs to see the value in a brand in order for them to spend money.
Also, Generation Z is more in tuned to websites like Yelp which allow them to see a company’s value through a third-party, so that they do not only have to rely on brand reputation. You can actually use this to your advantage by creating an ambassador program for your loyal customers or encouraging customers with positive experiences to use Yelp and post a review.
Are you marketing to Generation Z? What have you found to be effective? Share your tips below.
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Photo Credit: Scott McLeod