Millennials and Gen Z account for more than $600 billion in retail sales, so these are crowds you want to engage with. It takes some know-how to get younger consumers to engage with your brand when you're not part of that generation, but it can be done if you make the effort to learn what makes Gen Z tick.
Here are six tips for boosting engagement with (and appealing to) younger consumers.
1. Sell Experiences
Younger consumers want stuff, but not as much as they want experiences. A lot of the stuff they want is to enhance their experiences. Marketing messages should incorporate products into experiences Gen Z is familiar with as this should drive demand.
2. Use Video
Growing up with YouTube and TikTok has made video the main may Gen Z seeks information. Your brand should have a presence on these platforms and others that emphasize images over text like Instagram. Read on to see what should or shouldn't be in your videos if you want to capture the attention of our youngest generation of consumers.
3. Choose Influencers Carefully
It used to be that choosing influencers was relatively easy, and the benefits of any influencer would be similar. The varying viewpoints of many influencers, however, and the strong views of many in Gen Z have made it difficult to choose influencers that matches closely with your target audience. Not only that, but the cancel culture that has become pervasive could render your influencer personas non grata tomorrow even if they're "it" celebrities today.
4. Build an Online Community
Gen Z consumers find new products, shop, and use those products in communities. They're eager to participate in online communities with interests similar to theirs. Building an online community for your brand is an important step to engaging young consumers (one that you shouldn't skimp on or skip).
5. Be Authentic
Young people have a finely tuned antennae for anything fake, forced, or awkward. Thus, authenticity is important to this age group and your marketing efforts should reflect this if you want to connect with them.
6. Be Fun(ny)
Gen Z are big fans of experiences that are fun or funny (to them). This can be hard to pinpoint, so you'll want to test your ads and videos with members of Gen Z to make sure your attempts at humor don't fall flat. Both the Gen Z senses of fun and humor can be quirky, but members know them when they see them.
For help with CPG marketing and developing your CPG brand voice, Hangar-12 offers resources like our blog and e-books. Browse all Hangar-12 e-books for help and insight.