5 Tips on reaching out to Millennials and Gen Z

With a spending power that’s only set to increase, newer generations are a potential goldmine for your brands’ revenue.

Millennials and Gen Z are shaping the consumption patterns of the future, and it’s no surprise that brands all across the globe are scrambling to get their attention. Did you know that they had a combined spending power of nearly $3 trillion in 2020?

As digital natives, they’ve grown up under the ubiquitous influence of the internet, They have a strong social media presence and prefer to use their smartphones compared to their older counterparts.

It’s no surprise that content marketers have to adapt different engagement strategies to appeal to this growing sector of consumers. But, how do you do it right? Here are five tips.

1. Optimise for mobile

Google-Ipsos research revealed that Gen Z are mobile-first shoppers, with two in three respondents regularly making online purchases.

We’ve spoken about the importance of omni-channel content, and this holds true for this demographic of consumers.

With 93% of Millennials owning a smartphone and 78% of Gen Z saying that smartphones are the device they use most, you’ll want to ensure your branded content can be viewed on all mobile devices.

The first step starts with optimising your website or landing page for mobile viewing, making sure that it is easy to navigate, with succinct text, lots of visual cues, and a speedy load time.

2. Be active on social media

Social media networks have surpassed search engines as the go-to product research channel for Gen Z — it’s definitely time to build up your brand’s social media presence.

Start creating social media content regularly, be it carousels, social videos, or even through livestreaming. Better yet, you might want to consider boosting your content with ads. In fact, eMarketer predicts that digital ad spend across social media platforms will reach $517 billion globally by 2023, comprising 61% of total media spend.

We can see how trends are certainly headed in that direction. Almost half of Gen Z and Millennials have previously bought an item they’ve seen on a social media app or during a livestream. To them, social media functions both as a place to gather information before making a purchase and to shop.

It also seems like social media can be used to facilitate customer service queries. A survey by Sprout Social found that 60% of Millennials have used social media for customer service, by sending either a private message or posting publicly on a brand’s page.

Essentially, social media has become the go-to platform for posting queries, eliminating the need for lengthy email processes or phone calls, and allowing for more direct engagement.

3. Leverage micro-influencers, not celebrities

You may think that hiring a well-known celebrity is the way to boost exposure and reach in your marketing strategy. While star power does pull its weight, it might not be the most effective way to the hearts of this particular demographic.

A survey found that 78% of Millennials are sceptical of and not influenced by celebrity endorsements — many of whom are too rich, or too famous and live lives that are worlds apart from those of a regular consumer.

Since Gen Z and Millennial consumers tend to follow social influencers whom they consider most authentic and relatable, a better way might be to partner with micro-influencers in your campaigns.

‘Micro-influencers’ refer to influencers with fewer but highly engaged followers, and it’s precisely because of their smaller following that they are perceived to be more trustworthy than the typical Hollywood celebrity.

With authenticity and relatability being factors that 90% of Millennials consider when making purchasing decisions, and a growing preference among Gen Z for influencers who could fit into their ‘social bubble’, perhaps it’s time to rethink the criteria for your next brand ambassador.

4. Champion social issues

For the longest time, brand neutrality has been the norm when it comes to societal or political issues. While it might have been a smart strategy in the past when it comes to appealing to a broad audience, apathy is not going to cut it with Millennials and Gen Z.

Young consumers are conscientious and expect brands that they support to be purpose-driven. With social movements, such as Black Lives Matter, climate change, and LGBTQ being some prominent causes that they are passionate about, both Millennials and Gen Z believe that brands have a responsibility to make the world a better place.

In fact, almost 50% of Millennials prefer to purchase from a brand if their dedicated purchase supports a cause — take US shoe company Toms, which now donates 1/3 of its profits to grassroots efforts .

5. Create an experience

78% of Millennials would rather spend their money on experiences than coveted goods, which means that if you are creating content to appeal to Millennials and Gen Z, a good tip would be to focus more on the experience of using your products as opposed to the products themselves.

Instead of merely highlighting the benefits or features of your products, you can gamify your campaign and encourage customers to actively participate in and share their experience on social media platforms.

The Fitbit’s Goal Day Challenge is a good example. It challenges Fitbit users to achieve their daily steps goal counted through Fitbit, leveraging on the experience itself as a way to engage with their audience.

By encouraging users to share their own achievements on social media, a two-pronged effect results: social proof is provided for the brand, while a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) is induced in those who have yet to participate.

An ever-expanding market

The winds of change are blowing, and it’s a must that brands grow to understand the habits of and tap into the growing market of the newer generations, especially if they want to stay relevant.

We understand how to create content that appeals to Millennials and Gen Z. Want to start courting them properly today? Reach out to our CEO Simon Kearney at [email protected].


Read more from Click2View:

1. What makes for good thought leadership content?
2. Here are some tips on how to write a good blog.
3. Open rates might not be a useful metric anymore.

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Click2View is Southeast Asia’s premiere full-service independent B2B content marketing agency servicing clients like Microsoft, Google, Visa, Prudential, and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.