3. Focus On Engagement Over Follower Count
Gen Z is far less brand loyal than its predecessors.
They’re frequently served content from social media main pages like TikTok’s For You page, Instagram’s Discover tab, and YouTube’s Recommended page.
An eye toward individual post engagement and visibility can be a better indicator of success than follower count by profile.
From a local experience (LX) perspective, this also means that there can be value in creating profiles for local stores to build a more personal connection with those locations.
Showing the location, offers, or events specific to that store and the people who work there could encourage more engagement.
For example, the TikTok profile for a Barnes and Noble location in Canton, Connecticut, has 15,600 followers and nearly 686,000 likes on its posts.
Democratizing content creation in this way can be a great way to generate more overall engagement, especially at the community level, and foster a sense of ownership with your staff.
4. Use Video To Your Advantage
Video marketing is a primary purchase driver for the Gen Z demographic. Not only does this audience like to watch videos, but they can also compel them to take action and purchase a product or service.
The previously cited report from Morning Consult found that over half (53%) of GenZers have purchased an item shown in a review video, and 40% have done the same from haul videos.
“Get Ready With Me (GRWM)” videos also inspire purchasing, with 37% of respondents saying this has led to a purchase as well.
The video purchasing trend aligns closely with the fact that Gen Z prefers to engage with platforms that allow for easy video creation, such as TikTok and Instagram.
When creating videos, it’s important for your business and any influencers you partner with to remain authentic and genuine.
Gen Zers are quick to abandon ship and take their money elsewhere if they feel a brand is being deceitful or if an influencer’s testimonial appears forced.
This is why it’s crucial to partner with influencers within your niche and who already have an understanding of your industry.
It’s beneficial to also examine the influencer’s reach and average post engagement to ensure your dollars are being well spent.
Scripts should also be avoided as this can appear inauthentic. Give influencers or your employees talking points to cover during their video, but stray away from regurgitating a word-for-word speech.
Your videos should be conversational, fun, and valuable for the intended audience.
5. Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Let’s say that you successfully build the authentic connection and positive association necessary to attract a Gen Z buyer.
At the local level, their experience begins when they open a new tab on their computer or switch apps on their photo to search for your brand – and there’s a strong chance that they are turning to Google to do that.
In a 2022 study of local consumer search behavior (Disclosure: I work for Rio SEO), we found that:
47% of Gen Zers said they very frequently use Google Search and Google Maps to find information about businesses in their area.
65% of the most frequently searched information on local business listings is the business address/directions – followed by reviews (56%), hours of operation (54%), and website (54%).
68% of Gen Zers conduct online searches a few times per day.
65% of Gen Zers want to travel 10 miles or less for a business’s products or services.
To progress your Gen Z leads from social media marketing into conversion, managing your LX and optimizing with your Google Business Profile (GBP) is key.
Your GBP should be optimized for mobile and up-to-date, with correct store hours and addresses with GPS directions, as well as quick visibility into in-store inventory, payment options, and other store highlights.
6. Create Short-Form Content
Capturing the attention of a Gen Z audience can be daunting as they prefer quick and short snippets of information. Gen Z isn’t interested in consuming cumbersome videos.
They crave content that’s easy to digest and gets to the point right away.
Businesses should focus on incorporating short-form content into their social media strategy, such as 10-, 30-, and 60-second videos on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
Each of these formats is designed to entice the viewer in a short timeframe, ensuring they don’t tune out before your message is delivered.
Incorporating current trends can also help capture Gen Z’s attention.
A video from TikTok creator Jools Lebron gained lightning-speed traction when she modeled her “demure” workplace-friendly makeup. She quipped the look was “Very demure. Very mindful.”
The video’s popularity has since skyrocketed, prompting businesses and consumers alike to adopt and insert the phrase into their everyday jargon.
Businesses have since capitalized on the trend, adding the phrase into their own posts and videos to stay current with the Gen Z audience.
Popular, renowned brands such as Netflix, Zillow, and Lyft hired Lebron for marketing campaigns, where she uses her now iconic phrase “very demure, very mindful” in ads for the respective businesses.
While the demure trend may not last much longer before the next viral video steals the spotlight, it’s crucial for businesses to pay close attention to what’s trending to captivate Gen Z’s attention across their most visited social media platforms.
In Conclusion
The key takeaway is this: Gen Z social media marketing requires striking a balance between adaptability of medium and consistency of voice to bring in an engaged audience.
Optimizing online, social media, and local experience will equip brands to convert that audience into customers.
The brands that make both sides a priority will be the best poised to break through to this notoriously elusive generation.
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