How Brands Can Connect and Engage With Gen Z

By Katherine Williams

Are you looking to engage Gen-Z consumers? Millennials and Gen Z are often lumped together as “young consumers,” but Gen Z has particular consumer habits and interests. With Gen Z now controlling over $143 billion in spending power, understanding Gen Z as consumers is key to tapping into this young market. 

So how can your brand connect with Gen-Z consumers? You need to start with the right channels. Unlike millennials, who use Facebook and Twitter for communication, Gen Z loves social media apps like Instagram and TikTok, making social media marketing campaigns the key to getting Gen Z’s attention. Gone are the days of traditional billboard advertisements and infomercials; Gen Z is completely revolutionizing the platforms of connection and consumption. 

Gen Z also has a remarkably short attention span, largely due to the constant stream of information and content that they scroll through every day. So how can you capture Gen Z’s short attention span? Your content has to be unique and interesting, enough to keep young users engaged for at least a few posts. Gen Z is also deeply drawn to consumer experiences. An integrated social media and shopping platform like Instagram is effective because it allows users to easily see a brand’s image and become a follower. To that end, you need to make sure your online brand profiles reflect your values and overall aesthetic. The Gen-Z world is built visually and virtually, so a beautiful user experience and progressive branding are key to connecting with Gen-Z consumers.

Brands should also reach out to micro-influencers and establish customer-to-customer marketing systems in order to tap into Gen Z’s values of authenticity and trust. Gen Z wants to feel like they can trust the brand before deciding to purchase something. Gen Z also relies on peers and influencers for product recommendations, so ideas like promoting your brand through an influencer’s TikTok or giving customers a code they can share with friends to get store credit are the kinds of strategies that work well with Gen-Z consumers. To Gen Z, everyone's an influencer, so make that work to your advantage.

Finally, 77% of Gen Z says that they feel more positively toward a brand when they promote equality on their social media channels. For Gen Z, social media, politics, and purchasing decisions are all highly intertwined. Amplifying your brand’s core values and commitment to equality will help you connect and engage with Gen Z.

Adolescent Content, a global marketing agency run by Gen Z for Gen Z, can help tailor your marketing strategies to attract your target consumers.