What are the unique and important attributes of Gen Z? Will these affect the success of your business?
Well... As a Gen Z female myself and a keen digital gal at Belle PR, you’re getting the information straight from the source. I was born in 2002 and grew up being completely exposed to the online world, which was brought into schooling at a young age and now influences society's daily life.
I am aware that marketing to my generation is unlike marketing to any other generation. It isn’t just about selling products and services - it’s about building authentic connections in an ever-changing digital landscape. Traditional marketing won’t always cut it.
One of the reasons Charlotte employed me was to ensure that our agency could connect with my generation, as I offer a firsthand perspective into my generation's mind and behaviour. At Belle PR, our vast expertise across generations allows us to be more representative of the communities, stakeholders, and audiences that we engage with on behalf of our clients.
You may ask, what is different about Gen Z?
Today, our society spends a lot of time online, with the average number of hours spent on a smartphone alone ranging from 6 to 7 hours a day. For some, being online is new, but not for Generation Z. We’ve grown up online.
This means marketers and communicators need to think outside the box and embrace non-traditional strategies and channels to capture our attention.
Tips for engaging Gen Z in PR and marketing campaigns
While we can't reveal all our secrets at Belle PR, as a Gen Zer, I can certainly help point you in the right direction with some valuable tips when engaging people like me.
Create content for mobile
We love our smartphones. Make sure your content is mobile-friendly and optimised for viewing on smaller screens whether that is your website or social media content.
Show, don’t tell
Be subtle in your approach when you’re aiming for a sale. We like authentic content, so it’s important to establish your brand and build strong connections from the start. There are ways to avoid bombarding your audience with advertising, such as user-generated content (read more below).
Photos and videos for the win
Getting our attention is the most important thing, and photos and videos are the best way to do this. According to a report by Morning Consult, as of January 2024, YouTube is the most used platform for Gen Zers, with over 80% spending their time on the app. Instagram is second, with 75% of Gen Zers spending their time on the app.
Provide a shopping experience
Since Covid, online shopping has skyrocketed. If you have an online shop, it’s an awesome opportunity to leverage this as much as possible. We love to scroll through social media and online shops. According to a recent Forbes article, in 2024, 20.1% of retail purchases are expected to take place online, with an expected increase of 3% by 2027.
User-generated content pays off
User-generated content is any content created by people outside the business or brand. It’s commonly seen on TikTok or Instagram in the form of videos, but it can also be used on other channels, for example by sharing photos, testimonials, videos and audio of people using your products and services.
Be on-trend but don't force it
Stay in touch with the latest. Keep up to date as much as you can and follow the trends. Oh, but I must add, there is a fine line between cringe-worthy content and binge-worthy content when following a trend.
To make sure your content is not cringe-worthy, you need to ensure that the trend aligns with your business. Your audience wants to see authentic content that directly relates to your brand, otherwise they wouldn’t be following your channels in the first place. Try not force a trend if you don’t think it fits your product or service and business values.
Be creative and experiment
Create share-worthy and memorable content. Get us saying, “Oh my gosh, look at this” or “Oh yes, I saw that too. The one with this and the one with that.” This requires you to take a risk and step outside your comfort zone a little to see how the target audience reacts.
Listen and respond
After posting, you’ll need to engage with us through comments, private messages and polls to build the relationship further. You also need to actively listen to feedback and look at the results from your content. If your audience is not engaging, something needs to change.
And that’s where Belle PR can help. If you’re looking for a tailored approach, give us a call and we can sort out a plan. We’re here to help.
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