Generation Z  drives marketers crazy with their unique behaviors and media usage habits. In North America alone, this group of people has a total spending power of $4.4 trillion, with $1.9 trillion in revenue so it’s no wonder brands are trying to figure out how to find the best. best Gen Z communication strategies to reach them.

As the most connected generation, Gen Z is often referred to as a “digital native” due to their familiarity with technology from an early age. While it’s easy to think of Gen Z as a homogeneous group, they are a diverse crowd, and understanding what drives them is key for marketers trying to target them. this age group. Knowing their media usage habits can help marketers create campaigns that give this demographic what they want.

In this article, we’ll break down who Gen Z is, what brands are doing to target them and outline some of the common Gen Z media trends in 2023.

Gen Z Media: What does Generation Z think?

Gen Z is a new generation that has different motivations for media consumption. They are driven by the values of authenticity, democracy, personalization, collaboration, convenience, and sustainability. A national survey by BBMG and GlobeScan revealed that, at a ratio of 5:1, Gen Z does not trust businesses to act in the best interest of society, and nearly a quarter cannot recall. a brand they consider purposeful.

Snapchat also found that Gen Z has five core values:

• Earn money
• Happy
• Accomplish the goal
• Take care of your health and happiness
• Prioritize relationships

These values show that Gen Z wants a healthy work-life balance to ensure they have time to spend with friends and family.

5 media trends Gen Z will incorporate in 2023

Gen Z’s unique media habits have created several essential trends for marketers to include in their strategies. Here are some Gen Z media trends marketers need to watch out for in 2023:

Optimizing content for mobile first

75% of Gen Z consider mobile as their device of choice. Gen Z media is mobile-first, and this generation is more likely to interact with content designed for mobile devices, such as videos, images, and GIFs. 25% of respondents in a study said they spend more than 5 hours a day on mobile devices. And not only do they use this time to shop and surf, but they also use it to text and chat with friends, play games, and access news and entertainment.

Nike has done an incredible job in conquering Gen Z consumers with a holistic, mobile-first approach. Customers can shop directly from Instagram using the View Store button that takes them to the product page.

Lesson learned:  Create apps for e-commerce stores, make it easy for Gen Z to shop directly from Instagram and TikTok, and make sure your site is mobile-friendly. Create mobile-friendly content accessible on all devices.

Nearly a quarter of Generation Z follow social media influencers, and the majority say social media is where they often learn about new products that interest them the most. Generation Z also considers influencers on TikTok, such as reviewer Vo Ha Linh with 3.1 million followers on TikTok, as celebrities that many Gen Z trust when making purchasing decisions.

Knowledge of the product they’re promoting and relevance to the audience they’re promoting makes influencers more appealing to 55% of Gen Z. 55% of Gen Z individuals say recommendations from Influencers are one of the most important factors in their purchasing decision.

Value of opinion

50% of Gen Z firmly believe that brands should take a stand on social issues like climate change, racial justice, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Businesses should “serve the community and society” rather than simply “create good products and services”. Brands are also more likely to be prioritized by Gen Z than everyone else to make a difference by “using their voices to advocate or speak out” on the most pressing issues of the time. grand.

Back in 2017, Fenty Beauty released 40 shades of foundation colors, corresponding to skin tones from Europe, Asia, and America…. consistent to a focus on holistic beauty. Since then, Fenty Beauty has become the standard of equality and representation in cosmetics.

Lessons Learned: Speak up on pressing issues and create meaningful partnerships with organizations that align with brand values. But choose the cause carefully and follow through. Generation Z values authenticity, so empty promises won’t have an impact on them. Maintain your support as part of the corporate culture and share stories that illustrate your impact.

Social media platforms as search engines

Gen Z is the world’s first truly digital native, so it’s no surprise that they use social media platforms as search engines. Gen Z prefers visual learning to traditional text-based learning. Nearly 40%  of young people ignore Google and switch to TikTok or Instagram. The intuitive nature of these platforms makes it easier to quickly get answers and ideas.

Adobe Express has some tutorials, such as creating a phone background, on their TikTok profile. Users can watch and recreate the same design with short, engaging videos.

Lesson learned:  Use multiple platforms and optimize Gen Z media content for each. Create images that capture their visual nature, such as short videos and easy-to-understand stories.

User-generated content at the top

Content creation is at the core of Gen Z’s digital habits.  60% of TikTok users are Gen Z and they are creating, consuming, and sharing content non-stop. Gen Z prefers user-generated content because it feels more authentic, helping to build trust with the brand. 70% of Gen Z consider user-generated content when making purchasing decisions.

Gone are the days when celebrities printed a pre-written sentence for an advertisement. Young consumers today want to see their friends use the product and talk about it.

Starbucks regularly reposts videos from customers who have used or recommended Starbucks products in their content. In particular, Christmas time is full of customers posting content with Starbucks holiday-themed mugs and seasonal drinks like white chocolate mochas.

Create fun content

Think how many trending videos we’ve seen on TikTok over the past year. Dance challenges, recipes, and lip-sync battles seem to continue to evolve and inspire users to create new content. 68% of Gen Z use TikTok and 81% of Gen Z use TikTok to find funny or entertaining content, and it’s no surprise that they look for fun content.

Lesson learned:

• Capture Gen Z humor and have fun with your content.
• Get creative and look for unique opportunities to engage Gen Z
• Use trending audio and visual formats to create new content and increase your chances of going viral.

As this generation is seen as the biggest consumers of the future, it is important to be aware of Gen Z media trends to appeal to them. Understand what interests them and use the right content on the right platforms to reach them. Experiment with different types of content and marketing strategies to determine what works for your target audience. Whatever you do, make sure you’re authentic and interesting. Generation Z tends to prefer funny, creative content that matches their experience. Keeping your content engaging, relevant, and true to your brand identity is key to capturing the attention of Gen Z.