Did you know that Generation Z will account for 40% of consumers by 2020? This statistic offered by Fast Company helps to understand why ecommerces are so concerned about attracting post-millennial users.
These consumers, born between 1994 and 2002, are not easy to attract or satisfy. But there are a number of marketing strategies for Generation Z that are working well. Good examples are the use of video marketing, webrooming, values, and social engagement or the use of influencers as an active part of ecommerce advertising campaigns.
The post-millennial generation has brought with it a strong change in behavior and consumer habits. The use of mobile phones, for example, has ceased to be a minority to become the device most used by this audience.
On the other hand, post-millennial users reject the corporate tone, preferring more natural, direct and conversational communication. In addition, these consumers like to seek out and compare products and services for themselves but may omit this step if an influencer recommends a particular brand to them.
To be successful, Generation Z advertising must take into account the consumer habits and characteristics of this audience. Would you like to discover some of the best strategies to connect with this audience?
Bet on webrooming
Postmillennial consumers love to visit physical stores and explore their products on site. But they usually shop online. This is stated in a report by Criteo, which suggests that 8 out of 10 users of this generation buy in physical stores only when they have time, while 75% say they prefer to make the majority of purchases on the Internet. As a result, these consumers are more inclined towards webrooming than showrooming.
Focus on technological innovation, not service
Another marketing strategy for Generation Z is to emphasize the innovative value of products, over and above service, customer service or other features. Postmillennial consumers have an innate interest in technology and avant-garde. They value innovation above all else. And they are less afraid than baby boomers to try new products and services, as long as they are highly innovative.
Multinationals like 3M or IBM have not always had the most innovative product, because their service and customer care were superior. These qualities were enough for them to keep their client portfolio in the face of the irruption of competitors. With generation Z, however, technological innovation is indispensable, as is a social commitment, as will be revealed in the next point.
Make your values harmonize with your audience
If millennials were idealists, generation Z has gone one step further, to build a utopian image of companies and their values. They really believe that Dove, for example, supports the idea of a ‘free and independent’ woman, unaware that Axe’s advertisements send a contradictory message, both brands being owned by Unilever.
In other words, if a brand has a good product, but its values are not adapted to those of the post-millennial audience, they will never buy it. That’s why each of today’s companies has adopted the values that are most convenient for its audience: McDonald’s and its campaigns for a balanced diet, Coca-Cola/Pepsi and its donations to fight diabetes and obesity, and so on.
For ecommerces, the best way to take advantage of this characteristic of Generation Z is to analyze the beliefs of their consumers and act accordingly. Are they concerned about deforestation and do your products participate in this problem? Then, the marketing strategy must associate the brand’s product with the solution to deforestation.
A real example would be Toms Shoes, a shoe brand that lacks a great product, but does have a great message: build a safer country through the abolition of guns. Since Toms consumers are post-millennial Americans, it is clear that their values harmonize with this generation.
Use video marketing
Another key to knowing how to connect with Generation Z is to use audiovisual content. YouTube, Netflix, and other services have experienced a boom thanks to post-millennial users, who are also responsible for the boom in online video content traffic. Consequently, ecommerce must exploit this format if they want to attract this type of consumer.
Connect with them using influencers
The word of mouth is as important for postmillennial consumers as it is for previous generations. If a blogger, YouTuber or guru of an industry or niche market positions himself in favor of a brand, his fans will follow. Marketing teams are taking advantage of this weakness to their advantage. How? Identifying who your target customers’ influencers are and using them to promote your brands.
Give them good reasons to buy
This recommendation may conflict with some of the above, but it is also one of the keys to knowing how to attract Generation Z. The post-millennial consumer is more informed and smarter than the previous generations.
It is not enough that a product is innovative or that the brand in question supports veganism, feminism or has another ideology in common: the post-millennial user needs good reasons to buy – brands should strive to argue the benefits of their products! It can be said that it is more effective to sell the benefit of an appliance than the technology patent that has made it possible. Generation Z values innovation, but it must have meaning in their lives.
Adapting to new generations is essential for companies. The decline of Harley Davidson, for example, demonstrates what happens when a brand fails to connect with a new generation, fleeing to competition.
