Generational Marketing Part 1: Connecting with Gen Z

Generational Marketing Part 1: Connecting with Gen Z

While there are many factors that will influence the efficacy of your digital marketing strategy, one of the most essential aspects of campaign planning is audience targeting. If your message is not targeting the right audience, it will not produce the return on investment that you are hoping for, no matter how creative it may be.

With that in mind, the pros at Insights ABM have created this four-part guide to generational marketing. In each installment, we will focus on one specific generation of consumers, including Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.

We will kick things off with a look at Gen Z, which includes individuals born between 1997 and 2012, and work our way backward from there. According to Reuters, Gen Z includes over 68 million Americans and accounts for approximately 20% of the U.S. population.

Understanding the Mindset of Gen Z

What makes Gen Zers truly unique is that they were born into an extremely interconnected world. Conversely, only the last wave of Millennials were exposed to technology in their adolescence. 

This distinction between the two demographics is one that businesses must understand if they hope to capitalize on the up-and-coming generation of buyers.

Gen Z consumers have grown accustomed to having an abundance of information at their fingertips. As a result, they are highly skeptical of traditional advertising materials and anything that comes off as being too “salesy.” Gen Z audiences prefer to be informed and entertained while they make their own buying decisions.

Generation Z Consumption Habits

The emerging generation of consumers is acutely aware of businesses’ values, beliefs, and ethics. In decades gone by, businesses typically shied away from joining social movements or voicing their beliefs because they feared it would alienate consumers. However, this is no longer the case.

Gen Z folk expect companies to be vocal about their values and ethics. Consumers in this demographic have a desire to support companies that align with their morals. On the other hand, consumers in the Gen Z age range may boycott businesses that stay quiet on important social issues.

Therefore, your business must carefully evaluate its own culture and decide what level of support it will lend to emerging societal movements.  

Which Channels Are Most Popular Among Gen Z Consumers?

If you want to connect with Gen Z, you must be active on social media. According to recent research, social media platforms are the top source of “brand discovery” for over half of the Gen Z demographic. In addition, 61% of Gen Z consumers rely on social media for their daily news fix.

When Gen Z consumers search for products or services outside of social media platforms, they almost always do so via their smartphones. This prevalence means that your website had better be mobile-optimized. Otherwise, you are going to be missing out on a lot of opportunities to generate leads and drive conversions.  

Break Through Generational Barriers with Insights ABM

Still not quite sure how you can best reach the Gen Z segment of your audience? Want to tap into a younger market in order to preserve business continuity and expand revenue streams? Ready to partner with an innovative digital marketing strategy agency that knows how to produce results?

If this sounds familiar, then you may be the perfect client for Insights ABM. While we are best known for being the premier digital marketing strategy agency in Dallas, our team offers a dynamic range of services. 

Whether you need web development assistance, consulting services, or digital marketing campaign management, our staff is up to the task. So stop wasting your time with antiquated advertising tactics and let Insights ABM help your business stand out. Contact us today to learn more.

Joe Cantu

Joe is a digital marketing strategist and media buying/planning leader with 13+ years of expertise in marketing strategy and program management, omnichannel campaign delivery, brand building, data analytics, and customer experience/UX optimization. He has helped drive growth for industry-leading clients, including F500/F100 firms.