Content Marketing and Gen Z: A Perfect Match
Culturally, we still consider Gen Z our precocious younger sibling; teens in the style of Greta Thunberg or Olivia Rodrigo. But in reality, members of Gen Z are born between 1997-2012, which means the eldest are adults with paying jobs and money to spend — $360 billion and counting according to Bloomberg.
Companies big and small are understandably keen to harness the buying power of Gen Z, but traditional marketing is proving ineffective. In our experience writing about (and working with) Gen Z, we’ve come to understand they are hyper-conscious of advertising tactics and deeply attracted to brands with tangible value. I might be biased, but content marketing sure feels like the most natural way to capture and hold the attention of digital natives in search of authenticity…shall we explore?
The essential stuff you need to know about marketing to Gen Z
Before we get into the content marketing of it all, allow me to present the elder marketers in the room with some relevant facts and prevalent misconceptions about Gen Z:
Gen Z are extremely online. Gen Z were born and raised in the Age of the Internet and their current usage reflects this. A survey of U.S. teenagers by Pew Research found 95% of respondents owned a smartphone and 97% accessed the internet daily.
Gen Z are not Millennials. Don’t lump Gen Z in with those cheugy (e.g. “try-hard”) Millennials! They have their own interests, priorities, and worldview — even their sense of humor is uniquely odd and existential. Savvy marketers make sure to delineate between Gen Z and Millennials, and customize their content strategies accordingly.
Gen Z does not find imitation flattering. Just because you know what cheugy means now does not mean you’re free to use it. Gen Z don’t appreciate brands attempting to parrot their language or capitalize on the latest social trend — and they are not afraid to label content cringe (or call you out for it in the comments).
Gen Z have some serious privacy concerns. According to Insider Intelligence, 59% of Gen Z feel “they’ve lost control over how companies use their personal information” and just 39% trust brands to protect their information once they’ve shared it.
Gen Z are so over ads. The digital natives have ad fatigue, and really, who can blame them? Forbes reports “On average, people are exposed to between 6,000 and 10,000 advertisements a day.” Gen Z are even growing tired of influencers, going so far as to start the recent de-influencing trend.
Gen Z will spend more for true sustainability. Rightfully stressed out about climate change, Gen Z takes sustainability seriously — and they aren’t fooled by corporate attempts at greenwashing. They’re also ready to put their money where their mouths are; Nasdaq reports Gen Z “are willing to spend 10% more on sustainable products.”
How content marketing delivers the authenticity Gen Z craves
The core theme uniting the aforementioned facts is Gen Z’s desire for authenticity. Spamming social feeds with out-of-touch ads can result in everything from low conversion rates to a tarnished reputation. But brands with consistent values — clearly articulated through thoughtful content — are capable of building trust with Gen Z audiences. Enter, content marketing.
When well executed, content marketing is inherently authentic. We like to think of it as the “quiet” alternative to a hard sell. By prioritizing the creation of engaging, informative, or entertaining content over clickbaity ads, marketers can forge organic associations of trust and value among skeptical digital natives. Bonus points if the value you provide is values-driven.
5 best practices for reaching Gen Z with content marketing
There are a million ways to develop an effective content marketing strategy, but when it comes to tailoring that content to target Gen Z, there are some best practices we like to keep in mind:
Lead with your values. Hootsuite identifies values-based marketing as the top way to reach Gen Z, explaining “When to (sic) engaging with a new brand on social media, Gen Z audiences care just as much about the company as they do about the product or service.” Whether you’re explaining your company’s DEI policy in a compelling blog post or sharing video footage from your team’s latest community service outing, there are countless ways for content marketing to showcase your brand’s values in an authentic way Gen Z finds compelling.
Community keeps Gen Z engaged. Inc. reports 61% of Gen Z say “online communities are a big part of their identity” and companies that “reflect an image of community and can create among these young consumers a sense of connection and belonging will win with them.”
Identify the right platforms. Ideally, marketing should meet the target audience where they are — and Gen Z is no exception. Social media is the obvious candidate for reaching Gen Z, but not all platforms are created equal. A recent survey by Morning Consult found Gen Z are most active on Youtube, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, so if you’re looking to optimize the distribution of your content, stick to the platforms Gen Z prioritizes and avoid places like Facebook and LinkedIn.
Video content reigns supreme. Gen Z’s preferred social platforms also affirm another content marketing best practice: video is king. Just remember to keep things short if you want to capture and hold attention; Statista reports 61% of Gen Z and Millennials prefer video content to be less than one minute long.
Hire Gen Z to help. No one knows how to connect with Gen Z better than…Gen Z. If your team is struggling to reach the youths in an authentic way, hire a digital native to help. Not sure where to start? Drop us a line! We’ve had the privilege of contracting with many fantastic Gen Z content marketers and are happy to connect you.
