How to Change Your Brand Messaging to Reach Generation Z

Fuse released new data today on how to reach Generation Z. According to Forbes, Generation Z will account for 40% of all consumers by next year. As marketers, it’s important to understand these consumers’ habits, interests, and behaviors to create a successful and targeted content strategy. Our study this month of 1,000 Gen Zers can help brands to optimize their content to reach teens and young adults.

CONVERSATION: Capturing attention through headlines

Headlines are important. According to Inc., brands have only about three seconds to capture the attention of Gen Z at the beginning of a video or article. Newswhip recently noted a trend of successful headlines that target Gen Z as being “conversational;” they cited Elite Daily‘s top articles of the year, where headlines contained additional context, slang, or advice.

Fuse’s survey indicates that Gen Z consumers are most drawn to “best of” headlines, followed by language such as, “why x people do x…”

COMMUNITY: Desire to see real people, even if they are paid influencers

As reported by AdAge, Oracle’s Moat measured audiences and engagement for influencer campaigns and found that videos created by influencers averaged more than triple the level of viewership (7.5 seconds) than brand content (under 2 seconds). On that note, Nike was referenced in Mavrk‘s recent benchmark report, stating that the brand’s successful influencer-generated content serves as a seamless extension of the brand by incorporating emotion-driven in-moment activations.

Fuse’s survey also pointed to Nike as one of the best in utilizing authentic influencers in their 2018 marketing content.

Brands That Are Best at Utilizing Influencers According to Gen Z

CHANGE: Turn a moment into a movement

According to Pew Research Center, Gen Z is the most educated generation to date and as they move into adulthood, their attitudes toward emerging trends are often driven by social change. Our survey found that nearly half of Gen Z actively supported at least one or more social causes in 2018. While it carries some risk, marketers should consider creating content that conveys support of causes young people most care about.

Top Gen Z Social Causes in 2018

• Gun Control
• #MeToo
• Black Lives Matter
• LGBTQ Rights
• Climate Change
• Fight Against Cancer
• Women’s Rights / Gender equality
• Animal Rights
• Hunger
• Immigration

CULTURE: Speak to Gen Z’s love of pop culture

Fulfilling Gen Z’s love of anything pop culture through light-hearted, humorous, and eccentric content is always a good strategy. This can be in the form of stories, memes, GIFs, or videos. According to freelancewriting.com, the top ten topics to pitch to teenage magazines include: celebrities, latest teen styles, music, reviews, top 10 lists, makeovers, love life, beauty, college life and parties.

According to our survey, in addition to pop culture, Gen Z has a broad spectrum of other interests.

Gen Z Content Preferences