In 2026, Generation Z will become the largest share of the U.S. consumer population. [1] Generation Z (Gen Z or “Zoomers”) are those born between 1997 and 2012. Businesses around the globe will be thinking about how to prepare strategies to engage this emerging group, welcoming them as coworkers and marketing to them as customers. Online socialization characterizes this generation.
Three Tactics to access Gen Z
1) Meet them online
The overwhelming majority of Gen Z owns a smartphone. Like Millennials, Gen Z answers text messages more than voicemails, whether from friends or businesses. [2] Unlike Millennials, less than one-third of Gen Z frequently uses Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Gen Z prefers Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Older generations of Gen Z tend to use Snapchat and Instagram, whereas younger members tend to use TikTok. [3]
Smartphone use characterizes their childhood. Group chats often function as the central method of communicating within friends, families, extracurricular organizations, and religious groups. Facebook messenger, GroupMe, WhatsApp, and texting serve to maintain intimate relationships. Workplace communications adopted platforms such as Microsoft Teams in response to the popularity of chats and group messaging. When communicating with Gen Z, think of texting more like speaking rather than like sending an email.
2) Responsive social media presence
Social media presence is necessary for brand growth. If a company wants to access Gen Z, then that company should be present on the social media platforms Gen Z uses and follow social media content trends. Even though some people might feel hesitant to associate a professional brand with a platform like TikTok, it is a huge mistake to consider social media outside of the realm of business. Your competitors will even if you do not.
To ensure your company’s social media presence is professional, the marketing team should record with good sound quality, proofread articles and posts, catch typos, carefully edit visual content, and strive for thematic continuity.
In determining content, one should analyze posts and watch videos of other professional accounts. Subject matter should be quick, vivacious, and interesting. It is important to strike a balance between professional and interesting, because it is no hidden secret that bizarre and random content captures the attention of viewers. Ensure content is tasteful and respectful. Even though a company should never cross the line into tasteless and disrespectful, it is certainly possible to use negative feedback or controversy to generate attention and clicks. In summary: the way the account is run will determine whether it is professional or not.
For example, the marketing team at Movius, a software company which develops AI-powered technology for business, will soon launch a podcast called B2Tea. Podcasts are central in disseminating information, so why wouldn’t a brand use that? B2Tea offers employees the opportunity to talk about their innovations and experiences within the context of larger conversations about business and media. The hosts of the podcast will discuss random, interesting topics like 3D printers, airbuses, Derrida, entitlement, or app ideas, for example. The conversations provoke interesting thoughts and expand the Movius brand.
Further, the strategy of recording video conversations will allow Movius to start an Instagram. Instagram reels have exploded in popularity to rival TikTok, so a successful Instagram account must have reels. The Podcast serves as a base for evocative, professional reals.
Gen Z tends to engage much more when brands reply to comments and messages. Show up in the comments sections of other’s posts. Reply to comments on the brand’s posts. Reply to direct messages. Responsiveness functions to help people who have already looked at your company’s social media page remember it. In addition to enjoyable content and responsiveness, studies show that influencer marketing is more effective than Paid Ads at reaching Gen Z audiences. [4] So, it should be no surprise why NFT influencer marketing is also on the rise, as it allows brands to tap into a new market and monetize their digital creations in a unique way that resonates with younger generations.
3) Understand their challenges
Gen Z grew up in families that faced a rising cost of living, stagnated wages, and the 2008 real estate crisis. Now, they enter adulthood in an economy with eight percent inflation. [5] They have also been bombarded with intense and personalized advertisements since they have been online. As a result, it is reasonable to assume that they are inured to advertisements and cautious about spending unless a product or solution provides real value and convenience. This group experienced particular challenges. Many of the members of a Gen Z target audience will have grown up in split or single parent homes. A sizable percentage of Gen Z suffers from mental health disorders. [6] Some specific experiences of Gen Z include intense academic pressure and competition for college admissions, a delayed adolescence in which what is thought of as teenage experiences like sleepovers and road trips occurred in college instead of high school, and dependency on their parents. [7] A substantial percentage of Gen Z still lives with their parents. Messaging that reflects these experiences will be penetrating and truthful.
Create inclusive campaigns and stay informed of politics
Be aware of any political implications in your campaign and make your content inclusive. A large segment of Gen Z is likely to support a brand for championing social justice, environmentalism, and other relevant political topics. However, another portion of Gen Z would object to inauthentically taking up political controversies to bolster a brand. To navigate the political climate of the internet, follow three rules:
- Ensure that the messaging of the brand authentically portrays the product or service of the company. For example, if advertising for a cookie company, it is prudent to avoid references to physical fitness. It is just too easy to make fun of.
- If using actors in advertising, be aware of the diversity of the cast. Never allow someone to portray a character of another ethnicity. Use inclusive language.
- If you are seriously interested in a political issue, the political issue should precede the product. Messaging which explains, “we build software products, and we care about the environment,” is less convincing than, “we care about the environment, and so we’ve taken steps to ensure our product reduces carbon emissions.”
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