Generation Z—those born between 1997 and 2012—is particularly unique. As the first to grow up constantly surrounded by smartphones and social media, these individuals are tech-savvy, drivers of innovation, and beginning to make their mark on the workforce. This digital fluency, mixed with adaptability and awareness, has positioned Gen Z to be an important audience for the future of market trends, consumerism, and the workplace as a whole.
Reaching Gen Z is an important feat for brands. Staggeringly, Gen Z represents 40% of the global consumer population and is an increasingly important group in the workforce. This is also a generation known to make mindful spending decisions and authentic connections—- another driver steering brands to strategically and actively engage with this audience.
However, speaking to Gen Z does not have to feel manufactured or out of character for your brand’s voice. There are core best practices to keep in mind as you tap into the power of GenAI for creating marketing content that consistently resonates with this coveted audience.
- Talk Like Them, But Don’t Overdo It
You can communicate effectively with Gen Z without sacrificing your own brand’s voice. Elements to consider here are consistency and authenticity, both of which can be achieved with the value and tone presented throughout your brand’s messaging. When your brand’s identity and voice are established and consistent, your brand can distinguish itself within a crowded marketplace.
Persado understands what type of language motivates people, and often there are similar language trends across generations. While we may need to adapt the vocabulary or the sentence structure for a specific generation, the same categories of language tend to drive engagement.
For example, consider this financial services example. To keep a consistent brand tone, while also engaging a younger audience, you can subtly adjust the language to better align with your needs:
*Original message:*
“Welcome to a better banking experience.”
*Adapted for Gen Z:*
“Easy banking — we love to see it.”
The first message reads slightly more formal and for a broader audience; the second message leans casual and uses Gen Z terminology. However, both versions emphasize a smooth banking experience, but are tailored to attract different segments.
- Connect With Tech
Gen Z is very comfortable in digital spaces and uses the internet to do research, make purchase decisions, and explore all aspects of the brand experience. This means brands need to be engaging in ways that connect to Gen Z’s high-tech and mobile-first lifestyle by creating cohesive brand presence, where the online experience is on par with the in-store experience.
To leverage Gen Z’s high level of tech usage, brands will want to optimize the mobile-forward channels, such as SMS, Push Notifications, Email, and Web Pages. Once you’ve onboarded a specialized Generative AI platform for marketing content, the solution can assist with actually creating and enhancing variants of the content for each of these channels that will quantifiably increase engagement with GenZ, driving behavior—from going paperless to completing a loan application, paying a bill, or completing a retail purchase.
Persado Essential Motivation leverages a decade of specific insights and data that can support your brand in creating the content that effectively resonates with your Gen Z audience on the channels Gen Z is already fluent in using.
- Value Their Values
Gen Z is in tune with current cultural conversations and the trends shaping our times, such as economic disparities, climate concerns, brand inclusivity. As a result, Gen Z leans socially progressive—and puts their money into brands who align similarly. Brands can highlight their values and engage with customers through narrative storytelling, particularly in marketing. Gen Z customers are more likely to engage with brands that speak to them through genuine narratives.
Using a financial services company as an example, narratives could include:
Inclusivity:
Fostering diversity across all customers
“Investing — for absolutely everyone”
Social consciousness:
Addressing awareness about social issues and acting with care “Welcome to investing with impact”
Community:
Creating a sense of belonging to the brand family
“We’re invested in you”
Persado can effectively support your brand’s values, voice, and storytelling by providing language that connects to your audience, then weaves it seamlessly into your marketing content. Creating a narrative for your brand provides a compelling element that supports consistency and brand loyalty. Then, tracking and analyzing which narrative content performs best can take your relevance and engagement to the next level.
Going Forward
The coveted Gen Z segment will continue to shape its identity for years to come. After all, the older end of the generation is a few years into the workforce, while the youngest are still in middle school. Brands need to stay adaptable and embrace the needs of this generation, but not lose sight of their own voice in the process.
Marketing pros can best engage with Gen Z by being open to using trending language, embracing technology, and connecting on values. Implementing these strategies will help build a framework that supports the brand and its Gen Z audience now and in the future. Authentically.