Generation Z and what every business should
know about them
By Sarah K
Smartphones are essential to their lives
We’ve all
read about the Millennials who make up the largest part of the modern
workforce, but what about Generation Z consumers who will soon be taking their
place?
Generation
Z are defined as the internet users aged 16 to 20. They’re new on the block and
are even more immersed in the online world than any generation before them.
As a
business owner, if you’re going to sell to them, you need to know some things
about them:
Unlike any generation before them, this
demographic are the first to be raised entirely in the smartphone era. They do not know
life before them or without them and so for 96% of this population, their smartphones are
considered a ‘necessity’ - like oxygen!
On average they spend at least 3 hours 38 minutes*
online on their smartphone devices each and every day. That’s 50 minutes longer than the
average for other demographics and longer than they spend on laptops, PCs and tablets put together.
They now spend longer each day online via their smartphones than all other
devices combined. That’s not to say that they don’t use other devices, as they
move across different screens throughout the day.
So you need
a multi-device strategy, critically with mobile functionality as paramount.
They prefer online TV rather than broadcast TV
Content and
services have to be available on demand. Generation Z are not used to having to
wait for scheduled programmes.
So you need to make sure your content is easy to find and adds value.
YouTube is the favourite social media platform
of Gen Z but they use Facebook too!
Unlike the
generation before them, who used social media to check on their friends and
update their status, Gen Z use social media for entertainment. Almost every Gen Zenner has visited YouTube in
the last month so you need to start using it to advertise your services.
You may be
pleased to know that Facebook is not actually for ‘old people’ as was being
said by the Millennials. In fact Facebook is used by 9 out of 10 Gen Zenners
every month for social activities*.
With recent
changes to Facebook’s algorithms, it’s really important to link your posts
across the different platforms so make sure you’re regularly posting to
YouTube, Facebook and Instagram at least!
Influencer marketing makes the most impact
amongst the Gen Z
Although they’re
marketing aware, Gen Z are particularly
engaged by celebrity vloggers and their endorsements. !4% of Gen Zenners state
that they find out about new brands from Vlogs, 19% they were guided by
celebrity endorsements and 17% they used updates on a brand’s social networking
page.*
*data from https://blog.globalwebindex.net/marketing/generation-z/?utm_content=67006727&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
