Addressing Gen Z
Addressing Gen Z as a company
how you reach the new generation
Generation Z, i.e. those born between 1997 and 2012, is increasingly becoming the driving force in the consumer world. They are growing up in a world characterised by digital networking and social responsibility. Companies must adapt to appeal to this generation, which is known for its specific expectations and behaviours. But how can I successfully reach Gen Z as a company? In this blog post, we’ll show you how!
Authenticity and transparency are the be-all and end-all
Gen Z has a keen sense of whether companies are authentic or not. They are sceptical of traditional advertising messages and prefer brands that communicate transparently and honestly. If your company makes mistakes, Gen Z doesn’t expect a perfect brand, but one that takes responsibility and clearly communicates how it wants to improve.
Communicate openly and honestly:
Be transparent about your company values, processes and products. Show how you react to challenges and give authentic insights behind the scenes of your company.
Consistency in the brand message:
Your brand should convey a consistent, honest message across all channels. Gen Z quickly recognises when a brand’s values don’t match its actions.
Strong social media presence
Social media is the key to reaching Gen Z. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are this generation’s favourite channels, and this is where they spend the majority of their time online. To be successful, you need to not only be active on these platforms, but also deliver trending and creative content that appeals to Gen Z.
Community and interaction:
Gen Z appreciates direct dialogue with brands. Be active on social networks, respond to comments, answer questions and involve your followers through challenges or surveys.
Consider mobile optimisation and short attention span
Gen Z has grown up with smartphones and consumes content on mobile devices most of the time. They expect a smooth and fast mobile user experience. At the same time, they have a shorter attention span, so your content needs to be immediately engaging and concise.
Responsive design:
Make sure that your website and all digital content is optimised for mobile devices. Long loading times and confusing layouts will quickly lead to a bounce.
Find out more in our blog post!
Clarity and conciseness:
Your message needs to be clear and to the point. Visual content and appealing headlines help to attract the attention of Gen Z.
Social responsibility and sustainability
Gen Z attaches great importance to social responsibility and sustainability. They pay attention to whether companies share their values and are committed to social or environmental causes. Companies that actively participate in social projects or pursue sustainable business models have a major advantage with this generation.
Share values and visions:
Show what values your company stands for. Sustainability, diversity, equality and social justice are topics that particularly appeal to Gen Z.
Integrate social responsibility:
Be more than just a company – become an actor that has a positive impact on society. This can be done through environmental initiatives, ethically produced products or social commitment.
Personalisation and co-design
Gen Z expects personalised experiences and the opportunity to help shape brands. They want to feel part of the process and not just be treated as passive consumers. Companies should therefore offer opportunities for Gen Z to contribute their opinions and actively participate.
Personalised experiences:
Offer customised content and experiences based on the individual preferences and interests of your customers.
Co-creation options:
Enable your customers to participate in the design of products or services, e.g. through voting, crowdsourcing or co-creation.
Entertaining and visually appealing content
Gen Z prefers content that is entertaining and visually appealing. Long blocks of text and dry explanations are not effective for this generation. Instead, you should rely on visual storytelling, memes, GIFs and interactive content to keep their attention.
Memes and humour:
Use humorous and easy-to-understand content that can be shared on social networks. But make sure that this content matches the brand identity.
Visual storytelling:
Tell stories through videos, images and infographics to strengthen the emotional connection to the brand.
Fast response times and constant availability
Gen Z is used to receiving information in real time. They expect companies to respond quickly to their questions and enquiries. Chatbots, live chats and quick responses on social media are therefore important tools for meeting these expectations.
Chatbots for instant help:
Integrate chatbots on your website to answer frequently asked questions quickly.
Active support on social media:
Respond quickly to messages and comments on social networks to encourage strong engagement and keep customers happy.
Success story: TikTok for Maschinenring
At Marketingfuchs, we know how crucial it is to address Generation Z in an authentic and creative way – and TikTok has proven to be our game changer. We are particularly proud to have not only achieved exceptional reach with our innovative TikTok strategy in collaboration with a client, but also to have reached the young target group directly. The result? Stronger brand loyalty and successful positioning as an attractive employer for Gen Z – crowned with a major award.
Want to see how we did it? Take a look at our TikTok account and see for yourself how we speak the language of Generation Z with targeted content.
Conclusion: Successful communication with Gen Z
Gen Z is a demanding but rewarding target group that values authenticity, social responsibility and fast, engaging content. Companies that want to successfully appeal to this generation need to adapt to their values and communication preferences. This requires not only a presence on the right platforms, but also the ability to hit the tone and topics that are important to Gen Z.
On the hunt for your
Success
If you need help developing a marketing strategy that appeals to Gen Z, get in touch! We can help you create authentic content and successfully position your brand with the new generation.