Generation Z (Gen Z) covers anyone born between 1995 to the mid-2000s and represents a large and valuable segment of the population who technically grew up with the internet. They are the first truly global generation who are informed consumers and social media connoisseurs. Born in a world of infinite choices and immediate answers, the attention span of Gen Z is said to be about 8 seconds only – four seconds less than their millennial counterparts.
Their attention might be difficult to grasp but that also holds true for millennials, boomers and everyone else before that. If you look closely, there is a very subtle difference between each generation and for a brand to succeed one must adjust accordingly and cater to each generation uniquely.
Before we begin to strategize we must note that for this impatient generation, first impressions do matter a lot. So, to stop the thumb from scrolling down, creators and editors need to put in a lot of effort to generate engagement. No matter the demography, the rules of marketing cannot be changed but can surely be tweaked. So, here’s what publishers can do differently to tap into the attention of the internet scrolling generation –
- Be Entertaining With Short Format Videos
Popularised by Vine and Snapchat, short videos have become an essential element of marketing communication and vital to social media platforms like Meta and Google. You would be surprised to know that Gen Z streams an average of 23 hours of videos each week and shares videos at twice the rate than any other form of content. With short format video being the choice of entertainment for Gen Zers, it is the perfect way to get them hooked but crucial to get it right. Through short format videos, you can reach a global audience and make your content go viral in a short amount of time. Take publishers like Trell for example – a visual blogging platform, Trell captured this trend very well and made blogging fun for teenagers.
- Move On From Facebook And Own Your Audience
I quote an entire generation when I say that ‘they moved on from Facebook aeons ago!’ Writing on the ‘wall’ is not considered cool anymore. This generation hangs out on visual-friendly platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter while using Facebook to keep in touch with older users. Not just Gen Z, publishers too have made this shift due to Facebook’s restrictions over ads, low monetization and lack of data on their readers. With this shift, it is time to start focusing on audience development that would forever remain with you and not let a platform claim ownership over your audience. Only when you house your content on your website and engage your flybys can you convert them into loyal users.
- Tap Into Their FOMO With Memes
Gen Zers claim to fame is their memes! It is the new pop culture that this generation cares about the most. If you put out content that Gen Zers don’t relate to or understand, they are sure to scroll down to the next interesting thing. What is so fascinating about memes, you ask? Well, memes translate quicker than words, making them easier to understand; it is tropical, relatable and seen by more people – everything a creator aims for. It’s no coincidence that Elon Musk calls himself the ‘Memelord’ and once tweeted, ‘Who controls the memes controls the universe’.
- Foster Connection And Build A Community
What do the likes of Ankur Warikoo and Pattu of FreeFincal have in common? They are all focused on building a community. This generation grew up on social media making friends and fostering community with people halfway across the world. With the lockdown and threat of isolation, there has never been a better time to focus on establishing an online community. Quality content packaged into courses, e-books, cohort-based learning groups are some of the tool’s publishers can use to reach out to this generation and formulate an online community through shared values.
By tapping into the Gen Z mindset – that is value-conscious, fun, unpredictable and at the same time seeking community; publishers can connect with a large audience in a short amount of time and convert traffic into audience and audience into a community.
Authored article by Shail Vats Head, Account Management, iZooto.
