gen z digital marketing

Gen Z – Digital Marketing Starter Guide

Gen Z have a lot to offer and as marketers we need to start thinking about their behaviours and how they impact our efforts.

Gen Z are very different to other generations that have preceded. They truly are a digital generation, brace yourself for this one, they have never lived in a world without the internet.

Gen Z have never lived in a world without the internet, with 64% of them having constant access.

Gen Z Marketing Facts

  • Population 26 million
  • They appreciate the value of self publishing and are more likely to vlog, blog, tweet.
  • Gen Z have more of a collected conscious and care more about their planet and fellow man.  I suspect this is largely to do with the fact that they are a click away from world news and this has allowed them to empathise with their fellow man, connect with people from all over the world and live a more culturally and emotionally rich experience as a result.  They are more socially aware, and environmentally conscious.
  • They value making a difference over monetary rewards – 60% want to make an impact on the world compared to roughly 39% of Millenialls.
  • They are referred to as the silent generation preferring to text over talking, to meet online than meet in person (is it any wonder services like Whats App and Snapchat are booming)  On average they will send around 50 text communications via a mobile device every day. Extremely independent – many have spent a lot of time alone because of parents working and use conversation to communicate less than any other generation
  • More entrepreneurial than any other generation
  • Mobiles are a big part of their life, 90% of secondary (high) school children have one and 20% of primary (elementary). Source: Tech With Class
  • They spend 8/9 hours a day connected to at least one form of media
  • They lack brand loyalty preferring to search for quality rather than sticking with one product
  • Gen Z have formed their own language due to the non conversational, digital nature to their communications.  Emojis, reaction pictures and GIFs and text speak are native to them.
  • Gen Z have more spending power than any other generation before them.

 

gen-z-and-digital-marketing-compressor

Other Gen Z Facts

  • Rapid decision makers and care less about consequences
  • Place an importance on parenting and care less about marriage
  • More obese

How Gen Z Affect Your Marketing

So those statistics above are crucial in how your marketing strategy should be changing – even if Gen Z are not your current target market you need to look to the future.

It is obvious to say that everything you do needs to go across device, I mean it is 2014, if your website isn’t mobile optimised you have bigger issues than worrying about Gen Z. It goes deeper than that though, your brand will clearly need to stand for something if you are to connect to this generation.

People don’t buy what you do; but why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe – Simon Sinek

It clearly says in the research that they prioritise quality and that they care about humanity and the environment — this is where social media can really step up, brands will need to pick a cause and use digital channels to make it come to life.  This will also end the need for brands to post cat memes, finally.