Posted by They are the guardians of the internet and the leaders of the online social sphere. Meet the generation that is changing the face of social media marketing.
Meet Gen Z!
Aged between 9 and 24 years old, Gen Z is one of the newest generations that are quickly becoming your prime targets for your social media marketing efforts. With studies suggesting that 55% of this generation use their mobile phone for more than 5 hours a day, it’s no surprise that they are at the heart of all things trending on social media.
(The generational split of users on social media, source: Pew Research)
As you can see here, Gen Z makes up the largest proportion of the online demographic alongside millennials, rendering them a target audience to watch out for as you strategize your marketing tactics.
Gen Z is not only your largest demographic but also your largest competitor in the battle for social engagement. With many Gen Z influencers and TikTok celebrities raking in over a million views on each piece of content, it might be time to not only revamp your tactics but take some tips from the experts themselves.
Often in charge of creating society’s newest trends and viral social media sensations, it’s no surprise that Gen Z is hard to please. Valuing diversity, equality, and post-modernism within their content, they will only engage with brands that they feel are speaking directly to them.
For the social media marketers, desperately trying to pull this generation’s attention, fear not. We have you covered. Here are our 4 Gen Z hooking tactics that you need to incorporate into your social media strategy to make your way onto this audience’s ‘for you page’.
1. Diversity Is Key
Gen Z is naturally attracted to content that directly speaks to them and their values. The key to creating targeted content for generation is diversity and equality. Valuing both the truth and the fight for social inclusivity, Generation Z is currently the most liberal group on the planet.
As an inclusive generation that strives to equalize all genders, ethnicities, sexualities, and economic backgrounds, using your content to promote messages of diversity, inclusivity and liberal societal values will help you gain respect from this generation.
What are Gen Z looking for in their social media content?
In fact, studies show that 58% of Gen Z are more willing to engage with brands that speak directly to their individual personalities, so diversifying your content could be the key to success.
For example, if you’re a clothing collective, why not diversify your model-based posts on social media, therefore allowing consumers from a range of backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, and sexualities to see themselves in your products, before swiping up to see your website.
As you can see here, Gen Z has large expectations from the brands they buy from. Over 50% of this group want to see more diversity within the advertising and social media content, making it more important than ever to incorporate this into your post schedule and appeal to all audiences.
2. They Value A Second Opinion
Another fun fact about Gen Z is that they value a second opinion. Whether that is from a friend, influencer, or a snazzy Amazon review, be sure that this generation will conduct some research into you before purchasing your products.
As you can see here, 82% of Gen Z are likely to get advice from a friend or family member, while over half are likely to trust an influencer’s opinion.
Therefore, if you’re looking to increase those potential sales leads, it might be time to check those comment sections and review that influencer budget.
In fact, a recent study from Morning Consult revealed that 76% of Gen Z follows an influencer on either Instagram or TikTok. This could be a real game-changer for smart marketers who are looking to market their products to this demographic. Conducting research on and collaborating with the trendsetters and opinion leaders of your niche could be a quick and efficient way of gaining your audience’s trust.
3. TikTok Is Your New Bestie
If you want to reach the Gen Z generation with your social content, it’s time to make TikTok your new best friend. As a platform with over 37 million Gen Z users, this video-centric platform is the hub of engagement you’ve been looking for.
Known for its ability to blow viral trends up in minutes, TikTok is the place to be if you want to increase your brand awareness and ‘fit in’ with Gen Z’s current trending topics.
In order to make it on to your demographic’s ‘For You Page,’ it’s time to change up those stagnant social media tactics. Tiktok is all about grabbing the viewer’s attention within a matter of seconds. If you want to avoid the scroll, it’s time to get down with the kids, literally.
More than 41% of TikTok users are teens, aged 14–16, so it’s time to change up those content strategies and start researching the newest TikTok trends. Focus on viral sounds, dances ,and topics, finding a way to incorporate your brand into these categories.
If your brand’s voice is more humouristic and playful, Gen Z users are more likely to stick around longer and create a relationship with your account that has a lasting impact.
Frequency is also key here, as Tiktok likes to move fast. Videos go as quickly as they appear, so it’s important to keep them coming if you want your brand to stay relevant and topical.
4. They Invest In Their Values
The best thing about Gen Z is that they like to invest in their values. Unlike older generations, where their product is made, how it is produced, and what the business contributes to society are really important for this demographic.
Therefore, it’s time to start incorporating this into your content strategy. Find a way to convey your brand’s sustainable messages within the content you produce. Whether that is in the copy itself, or a video or image about how your product is produced; incorporating more ethical values into your social feed is a great way to gain Gen Z’s attention.
In fact, research from Facebook IQ revealed that 61% of Gen Z customers are more likely to pay more for ethically sourced and produced products. So, for new collectives on the street and start-up brands that are craving some engagement, think about how you could make your products and the content you post about them ethically influenced.
A great example of ethical content posting comes from the Australian, eco-friendly toilet paper brand, Who Gives A Crap, who have used their profits to help donate to sustainable causes. Why not find a way to help a cause with your brand? Creating an eco-friendly campaign is a great way to improve business awareness, create sustainable partnerships, and improve Gen Z engagement!
While sustainability is a value that most of the Gen Z audience commend, your niche will have its own values that mean a lot to them and influence their followership. We suggest that you take an audience audit, using analytic tools such as Google Analytics and Finteza to get a better view of your own demographic and their target values.