There is plenty of research on the diverse young people that make up Generation Z. As marketers, navigating this research to learn how to reach this generation is difficult. Here are three critical things marketers should be doing, writes Christina Mautz, CMO, and head of sales at Moz.
A few years ago, I was hanging out at home with my teenage son, who was doing something on his smartphone. After surreptitiously watching for a bit, I became curious, and being in the SEO industry, I asked, “How often do you use Search?â€
“What do you mean?†he asked.
“Online. How often do you search for something?â€
“Like on Google? Like on a computer?†he asked, a bit puzzled.
That’s when it hit me. My son and his Generation Z cohorts have grown up as digital natives, device-agnostic, and fully immersed in an online world. They go through life expecting whichever device is nearest — phone, laptop, TV, voice assistant, car navigation system — to deliver the information they need or want the moment they request it by voice or touch. Search is just part of their seamless online experience.
It’s not surprising when you consider that according to the Pew Research CenterOpens a new window , 95% of teens now have or have access to a smartphone, and a whopping 90% of teens go online “almost constantly†or “several times a dayâ€. In case you’re thinking all online time is rotting their brains, just know they’re also expected to become one of the most highly educated Opens a new window generations in history.
Learn More: Driving Marketing Precision with Customer SuccessOpens a new window
Are They a Marketer’s Dream Generation… or Worst Nightmare?
The research has been a bit contradictory. On the one hand, marketers were told this generation wouldn’t open emails, and they have short attention spans as a result of being born digital. But then there’s the researchOpens a new window that tells us they actually prefer email.
What should we believe? All of it, I think. The research is as diverse as the young people populating this generation.
How do we market to our most digitally native, cyber-savvy audience? There are three critical things we can do to reach the quickly maturing Generation Z.
1. Listen Up
More than ever before, we need to get better at listening because this generation is talking. Not only do they share their preferences and more than any generation prior are more likely to share data — in the ways in which they choose to — they also speak directly to us. 77% are on social media multiple times a dayOpens a new window , where they are posting images that resonate with them, commenting on posts, and chatting about brands in their streams. They share because they want us to know them truly.
If you are struggling to connect with your Generation Z audience, start the conversation the way I (try) with my son — first by listening to what his needs are. For marketers, this might mean investing in social listening software and conducting regular customer surveys and sentiment analysisOpens a new window . It also means paying attention to the channelsOpens a new window they’re frequenting — YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat.
2. Show Up
Gone are the days when a person searching for what you offer might try a few different keyword searches and scroll a few pages deep. If you’re not ranking for the high volume keywords in your industry, or you think buying your way to the top of the page or alternatively being on the bottom of the third page of organic search results is good enough, you’re probably not connecting with Generation Z.
Research tells us Generation Z will click on your adOpens a new window if you’ve got the message just right but think of all the devices and places in which these young people are expecting your brand to show up when they need what you’re offering.
Within the next five-to-ten years, as Generation Z fully comes to age, we must leverage online Search more strategically. We need to be ready to reach Gen Z every time they search, even if they don’t think of it as “searching.†And we need to do that with messages and content that reflect how we’ve been listening and understand what they’ve been sharing.
3. Be Authentic
It’s time to get real, and while that can be scary, if you want to reach Generation Z, it’s non-negotiable. 72% of Gen Z’ers are more likely to transact with brands that careOpens a new window about social causes, and 82% are more likely to trust brands that use images of real people.
They want you to care about what they care about. They understand the power of their buying dollar, and many Gen Z’ers wield this power with great authenticity.
This also means they expect authenticity from brands. Don’t try to bullshit them — they’ve grown up with an ability to quickly filter through multiple media channels on an ongoing basis. With 90% of them now online many times throughout the day, you will not connect with this generation by lying to them or offering shallow content.
Learn More: 7 Tips to Reach Gen Z Through Email MarketingOpens a new window
Buckle Up and Get Ready
Generation Z is an amazing group of ethnically and racially diverse human beings, growing up in a time of unprecedented change throughout the world. Yes, they are digital natives, and they are data-savvy. They share their personal data with the expectation that brands will take the time to understand them and market to them in a way that goes beyond simple personalization.
They demonstrate the courage to be authentically who they are, and they challenge us to do the same. They make it easy for us — all we have to do is listen and show up… authentically. And if we do, we’re in for a wild ride because Gen Z’ers aren’t just here to transact — they’re here to change the world.Â