How To Reach Generation Z with Digital Advertising

 

Generation Z has entered the consumer world and their footprint in the digital world is easily overlooked by most of your competition. So how do you connect with the generation who was born after 1995?

 

First you have to know more about their digital habits.

 

Generation Z will use their smartphone before anything else. They’ve grown up with handheld digital devices, and that’s their go-to source for information and shopping. Gen Z watches less TV than any other generation, so traditional advertising is out the window. In addition, they go out of their way to avoid ads by using ad-blocking software. Brands can reach them via email, social media, and online ads.

 

They are connected to the internet 10+ hours per day, and you need to tap into that connection. Mobile marketing is a necessity to access their interest. Everything about your product and campaign must be mobile friendly. Consider video ads, as they watch twice as many videos on mobile as any other demographic. They also use up to five screens at any given time: smartphone, TV, laptop, desktop, and tablet. If your ads aren’t engaging, they’re going to look elsewhere until it ends.

 

You have eight seconds or less to capture and keep their attention so your ads need to be brief and to the point. Visual displays and storytelling are a must. Remember that a story doesn’t have to be “storytime”. It simply needs a problem, a way to solve it, and the outcome. Overall, they need to provide value to the Gen Z’er.

 

Gen Z and you don’t have the time to waste on ads that miss the mark, so you must include Geofencing and Device ID targeting in your digital marketing plan.

 

Geofencing is where you create a virtual fence around a location that will target ads to the customers in that location. Stores like Target, Michaels, and Walmart will use geofencing to give offers to customers who use their app. Movie theaters, malls, and theme parks do the same. It gives you a chance to target those in your local area. Some companies will even create a geofence around the competition and provide counteroffers for sales.

 

A device ID is a unique identifier that can be attributed to an individual mobile device that is typically accessed through opt-in apps. Device IDs are real, verified users with data you can use to create a more comprehensive shopping, buying, and sharing experience. This data can help you segment your audiences based on their unique interests, app categories, mobile behaviors, and more to develop a more comprehensive personalized user experience.

 

Your digital advertising model must adapt to this new, powerful generation. They want to change the world, and you can show them how.

Reference:  Vision Critical’s 2016 Generation Z Statistics Report