How Brands Can Connect with Gen Z Through Marketing Efforts

According to last year’s Bloomberg report, the young professionals generation commands $360 billion in disposable income - more than double an estimate from three years ago. Despite the uncertainty of the job market over the past few years, an increasing number of young Americans are working full time jobs and are bringing in additional income thanks to freelance work. Looking at you, COVID-19 fueled side hustlers. This makes Gen Z a key demographic for brands to engage with.

In the heavily dominated digital media world we live in today, businesses are faced with the challenge of knowing the best way to market to this audience. Brands need to find characteristics and strategies that can lure this demographic in. Gen Z prioritizes social media and altruism, striving to be socially and environmentally responsible. Growing up in a digital world has trained them to be heavily influenced by social content, which presents a double-edged sword for digital marketers. On one hand, they have an easy pipeline to place content right into this generation's hands. On the other hand, figuring out how to get the most interaction out of that content can take some trial and error. 

As digital marketers, how can we create content that woos this demographic? 

Social media is the primary place that Gen Zers will interact with a new product or brand for the first time. Creating a strong digital presence with eye-catching content is necessary. Focus on your brand’s purpose and authenticity by doing the following: 

Amplify your brand’s beliefs and values → Consider how these beliefs and values align with Gen Z’s progressive way of thinking.

Gen Z consumers pride themselves on being social, ambitious, and eager to learn new ways to better the world around them. Put an emphasis on human connection when creating your brand's strategy. Allow your audience the opportunity to connect with their peers through engaging content that is honest, timely, and trending.

Check out Dove’s recent campaigns #DetoxYourFeed and #TurnYourBack for inspiration from a brand that has always focused on reaching their target audience by addressing social causes. 

Create like a creator → Authenticity is key.

Step outside of your 9-5 shoes. Lean into your authentic, organic and creative self when trying to

grab your audience's attention. Don’t be afraid to integrate some personality into your posts, 

comments, and questions - this generation thrives off of genuine human interactions and relevancy. Channel that. Think companies trolling on Twitter - honorable mentions to Wendy’s and Pop-Tarts. Be relatable. 

Experiment often → Break the mold! Stray from the status quo. 

Social media, along with its trends, change constantly. When creating content, stay agile and allow room for inevitable changes in trends. Lean into your imagination and experimentation. Take a more flexible approach when planning your social content and ads - embrace the last-minute shifts in order to stay relevant among consumers! Gen Zers can be hard to impress and need attention grabbing content. This content will come from being nimble and savvy on the backend. 

With carefully crafted content that aligns with this generation's beliefs, brands are able to captivate this key demographic and increase engagement and brand loyalty.

Aleks Stojanovic, Head of Social Media & Content Strategy at Trndsttrs, emphasizes that brands need to break the mold to effectively connect with Gen Z audiences. “My generation is hyper-aware of when we’re being sold to. We grew up surrounded by lifestyle advertising, celebrity co-branding, event sponsorships - we’ve seen it all. Brands still use these tactics, of course, but it’s harder to make an impression now because we’re so used to it.” 

Yes, the content we all consume is free, but the marketing dollars are what makes it all possible - invest your time and resources in ensuring this is effective. 

Ultimately, Gen Zers are going to gravitate towards more personalized and socially aware brands. The spending habits of these young adults reflect a desire to engage with brands that align with their progressive and inclusive values while utilizing different social media platforms. A word to the wise - focus on values, transparency, and community. That’s how you’ll reach Gen Z.