Generation Z, or Gen Z, is among the most important to target for mobile advertisers. Considering Gen Z comprises around 1/3 of the world’s population, this isn’t a generation you should overlook. The majority of this generation’s members can become loyal users of all types of mobile apps, from games to lifestyle and e-commerce apps.
If you’re not sure how to increase user acquisition among Gen Z, the following is a guide to this generation and gearing your mobile marketing toward it.
What Is Gen Z, Exactly?
There’s some debate about which age groups fall under Generation Z, but most agree that this generation has a 16-year span that begins in 1996 and ends in 2012. Based on these numbers, members of Gen Z, also known as Gen Zers or Zoomers, are between seven and 23 years old.
Recent studies on the generation have identified some unique characteristics among its members. Unlike older generations, Gen Zers tend to:
- Have at least one parent with higher education
- Enroll in higher education institutions
- Avoid seeking employment before reaching the ages of 18 to 21
- Live in urban locations as opposed to rural areas
- Be more diverse than previous generations, with nearly half of Gen Zers coming from an ethnic background
When it comes to Gen Zers as consumers, they are also different in a number of key ways. For example, Gen Z is more:
Value-Driven
Generation Z tends to have specific principles that influence how they interact with brands, products, and services, including the mobile applications they use. They take many issues seriously, including social issues such as civil rights and other broader causes such as maintaining online privacy. Ultimately, many Gen Zers want to improve the world and make it accommodating for everyone, and they want to see this attitude reflected in their favorite brands.
Tech-Savvy
Having grown up in the era of smartphones and other highly developed consumer technologies, Gen Z is the most tech-savvy generation yet. Gen Zers know how to use many types of tools to improve their daily lives, and they have the ability to pick up on new ones. They can do everything from communicating using text and other digital means to working with some of the most complex apps out there. As such, they’re more likely to connect with apps and other technology that they find useful.
Frugal
Many Gen Zers have either grown up in or were born around the recession of 2008 and felt its effects through their families’ struggles. As such, many have learned about the value of careful spending and saving. This has made many members of Gen Z particularly frugal as they work to secure a solid financial future. Even though many tend to save, they’re still often insecure about their financial welfare.
How Gen Z Connects With Ads
The different values and characteristics of Gen Z mean that they behave differently toward ads. Additionally, Gen Z encounters many brands and offerings on a daily basis, and Zoomers have for most of their lives. These aspects make it easier for members of Gen Z to dismiss ads as either scams or spam, which could prevent them from ever coming to know or trusting many brands. They’re often great at identifying good and bad opportunities based on their years of experience online, making it important for brands to be particularly careful in their approach to Gen Z advertising.
Also, keep in mind that Gen Z’s tech-savvy nature makes them less inclined to opt-in to any offers unless they’re certain they’ll benefit. Even if you do manage to get them into the top of the funnel and engage them, there’s no guarantee they’ll continue any further if they see no reason to do so.
However, with the right strategies, you can successfully market to Gen Z and convert them into active users who are loyal to your brand.
How to Advertise to Gen Z
Keeping Generation Z’s traits and behaviors in mind, you can take an approach to mobile marketing that truly connects with this generation. The following are some ways to get the most from your Gen Z-targeted advertising efforts.
Establish Your Brand’s Mission and Value, if Applicable
If your brand has a set of values and a specific mission, share them with your audiences in your messaging and creatives. Younger generations, including both Gen Z and Millennials, will be more eager to connect with you if you share their values and visions. Even if your brand doesn’t have defined core values, you should still make it clear what your audiences will get when they turn to you and download your application. In short, Gen Z wants to know what’s in it for both them and the world at large when they do business with you.
You can also help Gen Z relate to you by detailing your brand story. Through the power of storytelling, you can explain the why behind your business, including what motivated you to develop your business and app. This may involve a specific problem that you or your audience had, which your app could solve.
Focus on Social Media
Generation Z spends a lot of time online, and on social media in particular. One recent report found that 43% of Generation Z and Millennials are daily active users. While both generations may use social media on a regular basis, you need to know which platforms to target if you want to reach Gen Z. They use many of the same platforms as Millennials, but some platforms are particularly popular among Gen Zers over others.
According to one study, most Gen Zers tend to use YouTube most of all. The second most popular platform is Instagram, followed by TikTok and Snapchat. Among the most notable platforms is TikTok, which caters largely to Gen Z.
Using one or more of these platforms can be invaluable in your mobile marketing campaigns.
Use Influencer Marketing
Gen Zers want to be able to trust a brand of any kind before engaging with it, and they often connect with personalities over entities. Because of this, Gen Z often follows popular influencers on social media. These are individuals who have a unique personality and/or set of values that Gen Zers can connect with, making them potentially powerful assets for marketing an app.
There are all types of influencers out there in nearly every niche imaginable. Regardless of the type of app you sell, there’s an influencer for it who can help you advertise to wide audiences. Don’t dismiss smaller influencers, either. Even influencers in some of the smallest niches have a loyal following of Gen Zers and others, making their recommendation of your brand critical.
Influencers could promote your app by downloading it themselves and detailing their experience. They would do so in familiar language and by injecting their personality into their review, which would go a long way in getting Gen Z audiences to trust you.
Offer Compelling Sales and Discounts
Because Gen Z is unusually frugal compared to other generations, this generation is always looking for ways to save more money. If you want to appeal to Gen Zers and give them an incentive to do business, you should carefully structure discounts and sales.
To encourage user acquisition, you can offer a discount with a promo code, free shipping, or another enticing offer. If you find that users are dropping off after a while, you can also encourage them to return by offering a deal. For instance, delivery or e-commerce apps may send a notification indicating that “we miss you” and include an accompanying discount.
You can also send the occasional promotion to loyal users, which could significantly boost retention among Gen Z.
Time Your Ads Properly
Many members of Gen Z are still in school, with most being under the age of 23. This means you can count on them spending less time on their mobile devices during the middle of the day. To get the most from your ad campaigns, you may want to run them in the mornings or the evenings, once they’re likely off either school or work.
They also use different channels depending on the day. One study found that most Gen Zers tend to spend a lot of time on social media in the early hours of the day, as they want to connect with friends. However, another report concluded that Gen Zers are more responsive to general advertising in the afternoons and evenings, while they’re relaxed and at home.
Use the Right Strategies and Tools to Resonate With Gen Z
With the help of these and other strategies that target Gen Z more specifically, you can establish a stronger connection with this generation of mobile users. To get the results you want from your mobile marketing efforts, you also need effective marketing tools. One reliable tool that can help with your campaigns is AppSamurai, which is a comprehensive mobile growth platform.
To find out more about how AppSamurai can help you advertise to Gen Z and increase user acquisition and retention, sign up with us today.