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Gen Z marketing – Creating unique campaigns for new audiences

by Casey Schmidt  |  April 9, 2020

3 min. read
A neon Gen Z sign.

Gen Z represents the generation of people born roughly between the mid 1990s and the mid 2010s. Though this is a broad range of ages to consider, there’s definitely a lot of things to take away from what this simple bit of information gives us. As Gen Z ages, it makes sense for marketing teams to gear their campaigns toward them as well. This guide will help make this a possibility, providing you with genuine tips to reach the Gen Z ages.

Why is it important to develop a Gen Z marketing strategy?

It won’t be long until Gen Z enters the workforce, creating an overwhelming shift in the potential buying power and habits of a large percentage of the population. This shift will surely impact the success of marketing campaigns. Some companies will successfully adjust, others will be left in the rear view mirror, having not developed a concrete strategy for when the time comes.

A generation Z speech bubble.
Ensure you have the right type of strategy going into a project.

Without some type of marketing strategy to connect with Gen Z when they inevitably increase their earning power (and thus, buying power), teams will find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to reaching such a large demographic. Having a strategy in place gives companies a chance to prepare themselves for a drastic change in consumer behavior over a fairly short period of time.

Key strategies to successfully market to Gen Z

Remember that above all else there are distinct ways campaigns need to be constructed and presented in order to reach certain audiences effectively. Once we understand this and put it into practice, we can truly succeed. Here are some key ways to better market campaigns to Gen Z.

A large Z surrounded by workers.
Check out these beneficial ways to market to Gen Z.

Take responsibility for more than simply a product or service

While it’s important to stand by our product and service when creating new campaigns and putting out new content, it’s also valuable to stand for other things. This may be something a lot of companies already do, which is amazing. However, oftentimes it’s not in focus enough and doesn’t reach the people who care to hear about it. Make sure, especially when creating projects and campaigns designed to please Gen Z, that you highlight and further work toward goals that fulfill your company ideals. For example, maybe there’s a social issue your company has taken a stance on. Find ways to help solve this social issue in a positive way while promoting your product at the same time. This not only helps a cause your company believes in, it also shows audiences that you care.

Build loyalty through positive interactions

Creating positive customer interactions is important for all generations of audiences. However, different groups respond to benefits and programs differently. Because Gen Z doesn’t care for a lot of the traditional benefits offered by companies, creating meaningful human interaction becomes a much higher priority. This extends further than providing good customer service or making a customer feel welcome during a product dispute. It usually means an exhaustive company effort to create meaningful interaction with customers.

A group of young people working together.
Loyalty is earned differently depending on the audience.

Extend your content to be more mobile and digital

Making your content accessible for mobile users is a wise decision as technology changes. This is especially true concerning Gen Z, as they are the generation most likely to access company sites using a mobile device like a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Probably the most important aspect of this is preparing content and websites to be aesthetically pleasing for mobile devices. Consider creating content and web pages that are optimized for both desktop computers and mobile devices in order to truly connect with Gen Z.

As easy as it is to lump a lot of younger generations together, Gen Z’ers are NOT millennials. In fact, they’re drastically different. Repackaging a marketing campaign for millennials and aiming it toward Gen Z will certainly result in failure. Make sure you prepare with honest content designed to appeal to Gen Z.