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Over the last few years, talk has gradually shifted away from Millenials to Gen Z-ers, the cohort born roughly between 1995 and 2010. Now that Gen Z-ers are estimated to make up a third of the world’s population, ignoring them would be a risky strategy. This is especially true if your business largely targets Gen Z-ers since they’re notoriously active online. Find out below the ways you can better create content to attract these online natives.

 

Branch Out from Facebook

For Gen Z-ers, Facebook certainly is no longer seen as ‘cool’. Above all else, it’s seen as a platform to organize events or create group chats. So promoting your content solely on Facebook probably isn’t a great idea.

In contrast to Facebook, Instagram is a much more popular alternative for Gen Z-ers. Most influencers that Gen Z-ers follow post links on their Instagram stories. The platform works a lot better because users can swipe up and go straight to your blog post or video.

 

Principles Are Important

Gen Z-ers don’t just want to know who you are, they want to know what you stand for. They admire people who care about the environment, human rights, and body positivity. Take the rising YouTube star Grace Beverley as an example. She isn’t ‘just another fitness influencer’ — she has a degree from the University of Oxford, is an advocate for plant-based diets, and has launched a fashion brand that aims to be 100% upcycled and inclusive for different bodies. She has 1 million Instagram subscribers. She’s also just 22 years old.

Be careful not to superficially takes on social causes because they’re trendy amongst your Gen Z customers. It’s very easy for them to see right through your marketing tactic and can turn them off.

 

Authenticity is Key

According to CNBC, 67% of Gen Z-ers agree that “being true to their values and beliefs makes a person cool.” To show that your brand is authentic, you first need to define what your brand is and the mission it stands for, and be consistent in supporting both. Take TOMS for example. TOMS’ ‘One for One’ branding strategy promises to donate a pair of shoes for each pair purchased to those in need. The company’s philanthropic mission was highly consistent with their brand and has made them profitable for over a decade.

To Gen Z-ers, traditional advertising such as TV commercials also appears inauthentic. However, they are more receptive to brand messaging on social and mobile media platforms – content that is very much still advertising but does not look or feel like traditional ads. Hence, Gen Z-ers are driven towards social media influencers who they believe are much more relatable and therefore authentic.

 

Visual and Audio

Word on the street is that Gen Z-ers have an attention span of just 8 seconds. But they definitely like their YouTube and Tiktok videos a lot. It’s not uncommon for Gen Z-ers to spend multiple hours browsing these platforms. If your content is well-suited to videos, it’s a great way of accessing this younger generation.

If video is not your thing, you can make your blog posts more suitable for Gen Z-ers by adding the occasional meme or GIF.

 

To appeal to Gen Z:
  • Be active on Instagram and other social media beyond Facebook.
  • Be transparent with your audience.
  • Produce original content that reflects your personality.
  • Avoid excessive and superficial promotional content.
  • Talk and act on causes you care about.
  • Use GIFs, memes, and videos if appropriate.
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