Top Five Ways to Target Generation Z

As we move further into 2018, it’s time to really take note of the next wave of consumers: Generation Z. Born after 1998, this generation grew up with the Internet at their fingertips, available anywhere and everywhere at the touch of a button; so, naturally they are more orientated towards digital technologies.

So, what does this mean for small businesses today? With growing demand for convenience, flexibility and overall speed of service, should businesses look to change their strategy to meet these needs?

We’ve already seen larger players capitalise on this; with Amazon launching the pilot of their new Amazon Go supermarket in the States in January this year (BBC, 2018), combining the physical and online experience.

So here we look at five ways to adapt your strategy to help target this new generation.

1. Harness the power of social media

Virtually all of Generation Z uses social media and are incredibly engaged in doing so.

To reach these consumers and properly communicate with them, it’s important to get yourself seen on these channels. Your posts must be tailored to each platform while ensuring your key messages are constant. By tailoring content to influence our own community, our overall engagement rate on Facebook has increased by 259% in the last year alone (Based on 2016 versus 2017 engagement figures) – proof that a proactive social strategy adds huge value.

With a desire for convenience, Generation Z like to have the solutions to their problems at the click of a button and as a result, will resort to social channels to communicate their problem. By having a “voice” and being on hand to assist, you will appear helpful and drive customer loyalty. This will in turn support your business in keeping up with this ever-changing trade environment.

2. Embrace videos

There’s been an enormous increase in the amount of video content populating company webpages and social channels. The reasoning behind this is to capture and better engage with Generation Z.

Research into digital marketing has found that by 2019, video will account for 80 per cent (Cisco, 2018) of all internet traffic, providing huge opportunity for brands to experiment with dynamic, engaging content.

By using engaging video content on your webpage, you are likely to attract the attention of Generation Z consumers, increase the time they spend on your page and develop genuine interest in your service.

3. Go mobile

Many businesses today need to have a positive online presence if they are to succeed and to keep up with the evolving needs of Generation Z. With so many consumers within this age group increasingly using their mobiles for a range of services –  such as mobile banking and online shopping –  more-so than other generations, it’s clear that services need to be more mobile compatible.

The myLiberis online customer portal is a good example of a site demonstrating this. In order to be mobile compatible, you must make sure your website is responsive to different devices, fits screen dimensions, is optimised for mobile data speeds, and is easy to navigate and with useable forms and commands.

With Generation Z constantly on their mobiles, there’s not much room for error. If your site isn’t mobile compatible, you’re missing a trick.

4. Less is more

Today, the average attention span of a consumer is just eight seconds (Statistic Brain, 2016)- and, without a doubt, Generation Z falls into this category. So, whether you want this new wave of consumer to click on your blog post or fill in a form, you’ll have to give them all the information they need within this time frame!

In order to achieve this, you have to cut through the noise. Generation Z know what they want and have grown up with the ability to quickly filter through huge amounts of information to identify what they actually need.

Your web page content therefore needs to be not only compelling, but distinctly concise, providing the facts on a strict need to know basis.

5. Create a community

Generation Z spend a lot of time communicating online; whether it be with other like-minded consumers in forums, via Twitter conversations or directly with brands themselves. It’s therefore important to establish your voice and get involved in the conversation.

When doing so, make sure to tailor your content so you are talking ‘with’ them rather ‘at’ them – make your language involving as well as engaging. Note this tone of voice and any language rules in your brand guidelines to ensure it’s consistent and generating maximum value across all of your channels.

Generation Z doesn’t just use one platform, but several, so if you want to communicate your content and brand offering, consider a presence on multiple channels – so long as appropriate for your business and target audience.

Rob Straathof is CEO at Liberis, the leading alternative finance provider, offering a better way to finance UK small businesses