Gen Zs can be pretty hard to decipher. There are new trends to keep up with every week, new slangs that replace old ones, and somehow someone is always getting cancelled. If you're not kept in the loop, you'll be sure to fall behind. Even now, I’m hesitant to namedrop someone or something because I’m pretty sure it’ll be considered irrelevant once you read this.
How do you keep up?
Well, there’s one thing you need to understand.
At their core, Gen Zs are digital natives. They were the first generation to grow up with the Internet at their disposal, and for many of us, surfing the net comprised a large part of our childhood and adolescence. Navigating the world wide web is second nature to us.
This online-oriented upbringing is bound to have some implications that affect how we consume media as compared to other generations.
Once you understand this, it’ll be easier to recognise and understand the key characteristics that make Gen Z the way they are.
The generation with trust issues
Our days playing Club Penguin and watching Deal or No Deal were interspersed with exposure to every type of pop-up ads, display ads, and infomercials you can think of. Every type of advertisement trying to get us to click this, to buy that, to subscribe to them—we’ve seen it all.
Because of that, Gen Z are considered the least trusting generation when it comes to companies trying to sell them something. Of all the consumer brands that Morning Consult analysed, Gen Z displayed lower trust for 95% of these brands as compared to the rest of the adult population.
Recommendation: In order to win them over, you have to earn their trust, slowly but surely. It will take time.
Be real
How do you earn their trust? Well, there are a few ways, but the one word you have to keep in mind is authenticity. Whatever you choose to do, you have to mean it with every ounce of genuineness.
It’s the reason why user-generated content works so well for this generation, and is the same reason why podcasts work too. For a generation that is used to overly produced content from brands and channels subjected to rounds of revision and approval, there is a charm to original, authentic, and real content that just hits different.
Gen Zs appreciate the candid, unfiltered nature that is so characteristic of podcasts. There may be a team working on the script, the production, and editing, but at its core, it’s just two people talking. It’s no coincidence that some of the most trendy podcasts among Gen Zs are chatcasts, where you listen in on casual conversations between a duo or group of hosts as if you’re a fly on the wall. It’s immersive, personal, and on some levels, parasocial.
A pretty good example of what makes chatcasts so good is one called Suburb Talks. In their own words, they are “a group of best friends sitting down and talking about anything and everything from past childhood experiences to our own opinions on relationships”. It’s true; there isn’t really a way to sum up exactly what their podcast is about. At their core, they’re friends chatting, bantering, and having fun, who just so happen to be recording the process of it all. While it does help that the group mainly comprises Gen Zs, it’s the unfiltered essence that is able to bring out the rawness of their feelings and the reality of their relationships with each other.
Recommendation: Lean into what makes you human, it’s often whatwill make you stand out.
Expectations of a hyper-customised experience
As we’ve mentioned, Gen Zs are digital natives. These heavy and regular users of social media have become so accustomed to the algorithms that they expect all aspects of their online browsing experience to be as specific and tailored to them.
In order for you to stand out, you need to compete on the same level. Your offerings need to be on par in terms of customised they are perceived to be.
Fret not, there is an easy way to go about this. One thing you need to know about Gen Zs is that their identity is shaped by the fact that they’re Gen Zs, it’s shaped by their individual interests, hobbies, values, and goals. Think about it this way: two 18 year olds are technically both Gen Zs, but if one is a Harry Styles fan and the other is a Kanye West fan, they most likely frequent different spheres of the Internet.
Recommendation: Identify psychographic factors like values, goals, desires, and lifestyle choices and segment your audience based on that.
Once you've identified your psychographic segments, it's time to find the podcasts that cater to those segments.
With Podseeker's podcast database and podcast email list, you have every type of podcast and their relevant contact information at your fingertips. We remove all the hurdles so that you have all the information you need to make the right decision and reach out to the right podcast for you.
Stand firm on issues you believe in
Another thing that Gen Zs care about is societal issues, like environmental sustainability and racial injustice. But you have to be genuine about it (remember our earlier discussion!). A simple Instagram post with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter won’t cut it anymore. Brands need to embody and emulate the values that they claim to preach.
Take Ben & Jerry’s, for example. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) is a huge part of their branding, and they put their money where their mouth is. They’ve been donating 7.5% of their annual pre-tax profits to their home-established Ben & Jerry’s Foundation from as early as 1985. They work with Fairtrade International and Milk with Dignity to ensure that all farmers part of their supply chain are treated ethically and receive fair compensation. Their packaging is certified to prioritise sustainability and protect biodiversity. All these initiatives take time and effort, time and effort that not every company is willing to put in. Gen Z customers know this, and it’s a differentiating factor that defines whether they choose to patronise your business or not.
(It’s a plus point that their Chunky Monkey is delicious too.)
Recommendation: Know what you believe in, and commit to it.
TikTok is the new Google
Broadly speaking, at least. What I mean by that is that Gen Z are beginning to view and use social media platforms as a search engine tool. Instead of going to Google and typing in ‘best new restaurants to try out’, they’re watching TikTok videos and looking at Instagram carousels for the same result.
This makes it all the more important for you as a brand to be out there on every social media platform, especially the ones that your segment frequents. Make TikTok videos, post on Instagram. If you’re in tech, be on X and Discord.
Recommendation: Build your cross-channel communication.
In Conclusion
When you break it down, what Gen Zs really care about is connection.They connect with each other with similar interests, hobbies, and values, and connect as a generation through inside jokes in the form of memes and trends.You have the potential to connect with them if you play your cards right.
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