If Generation Z, the younger generation, is in your target audience, there are a lot of things to think about. They are used to everything happening fast and they don't wait. For anything.
Generation Z is the youngest generation, born after 1996, and they were literally born into a digital world. They don’t appreciate smartphones, because it’s all they’ve ever known. If you have an old website that’s slow to load, you could lose their attention in an instant and never get them to come back. Information overload and getting things quickly without having to wait is normal for these young shoppers.
They have a reputation for having short attention spans and studies show that images work better on Generation Z than text. Personalization is key for this age group. In fact, 40% would leave a website if they don’t see something for them when they first enter the site.*
Get the guide: Optimize your marketing to reach each generation
They’re also engaged in the most channels at one time and don’t see an issue with jumping from Instagram or Snapchat to your website or your physical store. Facebook is decreasing in popularity for younger generations so make sure you are focused on Snapchat and Instagram if you want to get their attention. Videos work best, ideally with a duration of fewer than 60 seconds.
They also don’t trust physical advertising as much as the other generations but prefer word of mouth or influencer marketing. They’ll be more motivated to make a purchase if the recommendation comes from someone with a similar lifestyle and interest. Even though influencers are paid to promote a product, this generation believes they will get an honest review either way, as opposed to traditional advertising that’s always positive and less believable.
If this is your target market, you have to be one step ahead of them at all times, or at the very least keep up with them. Understand what AI can do for your brand in terms of giving them the optimal shopping experience, including a seamless app experience, personalization, automation, VR, and more.
*WPengine
We love all things customer and product data, and would love to chat about your brand’s individual challenges, and how our solutions can help.
