Gen Z will soon comprise a whopping 40% of consumers, which is a fact that marketers need to stay on top of. As it stands now, the attributes relating to this generation are still mostly shrouded in vagueness. However, common trends have been observed, and taking advantage of these is the best way for marketers to get a head-start on their competition.
Content Remains Fundamental
All marketers are aware that, despite the embellishments they layer their campaigns with, quality of content remains the fundamental driver. “Content marketing is no new concept to the digital world. As marketers prepare for Gen Z, they must rethink the “one size fits all” approach. Gen Z has grown up constantly being served vast amounts of information and is accustomed to filtering through it,” writes Huffington Post contributor Seamas Egan.”When marketing to this generation, it’s important to produce authentic content that is interesting, relevant and shows a brand is actually making an effort to get to know them and understand what they want.”What sets Gen Z apart from past generations in terms of marketing efficiency is the emphases on producing content that is as fresh as it is reliable. “The fact of the matter is that if marketers are not consistently delivering new content, consumers’ interest will begin to stagnate and they will eventually unsubscribe,” says Egan. “Building on that desire for personalization, marketers should offer plenty of choices at opt-in in terms of frequency, timing and content so subscribers can customize exactly how they receive communications.”
Speak Their Language
In order to get the attention of Gen Z, marketers must speak their language. A key point of consideration here is that this generation isn’t quite as verbal as the ones before them. Images are predominantly effective, and all wording should be succinct and relevant. “When communicating with Gen Z, marketers should keep email messages image-heavy and text-light,” offers Egan. “Not only do images improve the overall design of the email, Gen Z will use them as a mechanism to quickly filter through messages — scanning for visuals as they skim content. In addition to pictures, adding video to emails will make content even more scannable and shareable — not just on email but other visual-based platforms.”
Target all Channels
Gen Z takes in content through multiple devices, which demands a cross-channel outreach from marketers. “It’s becoming increasingly less common for a consumer to make a purchasing decision that involves just one device, a trend that is expected only to be magnified with Gen Z. Therefore, it’s crucial for brands to craft extensive cross-channel strategies spanning all devices and multiple platforms,” writes Egan. “In order to reach this audience, marketers should ensure emails are crafted for optimal experiences across desktops, tablets and smartphones to create a fluid and seamless browsing and shopping experience.”Applying small tweaks to email marketing campaigns does a lot when it comes to capturing the attention of an audience that is responding increasingly less to traditional marketing practices. According to Egan: “Using email campaigns to encourage subscribers to interact with a brand on social media is another great way to ensure the brand is visible across all touchpoints, and adding a sign-up button to a Facebook page or a link on Twitter can also aid in attracting new email subscribers. Making these small tweaks to campaigns will do wonders in terms of reaching an audience that is typically averse to traditional marketing methods.”