How social media is helping brands connect with Gen Z audiences

QuickFrame by MNTN

As Gen Z increasingly dominates the digital marketplace, brands are expanding the role of social media in their marketing mix. The platforms, it turns out, have become a primary place to engage with the generation’s shoppers.

“We refer to them as digital natives because they spend a ton of time on their devices,” said Catharine Meketa-Poirot, managing vice president at QuickFrame by MNTN. “They’ve also grown up with the ability to shop online for everything they need, so they don’t go into stores as much as some of the other generations.”

Online commerce is changing with this generation — influencers and everyday consumers, promoting and shopping for particular products on social media apps, are helping expand digital commerce. Brands seeking to connect with Gen Z must make the most of all social media has to offer — including video formats and AR technologies as social media continues to evolve. The brands that deliver authentic experiences are the ones that will keep Gen Z close and coming back for more.

Regarding Gen Z consumers, brands are exploring social media campaigns beyond traditional words on a screen. They’re trying out new interactive technologies to engage users in the marketing experience.

For instance, AR lenses are growing in popularity, especially among fashion and beauty brands. These social media features are helping brands attract, engage and entertain Gen Z audiences, especially within popular fashion and beauty channels.

“These features are allowing this audience to try on lipstick or foundation and put it against their skin,” said Meketa-Poirot. “They can also try on clothing before making the purchase. But those [features] can be pricey for brands. I think at the end of the day, if your budget doesn’t allow for things like that, it could be just as simple as just using video more than stills on reels.”

Yet these technologies can be expensive, and not every brand can effectively employ them in marketing campaigns. But, according to Meketa-Poirot, brands lacking a large budget can still increase engagement through interactive social features such as video and commerce tools.

Gen Z engages with interactive media, such as videos, more frequently than any other format on social media, so brands need to prioritize this content. It may shift around strategies, but it’s critical to engaging these younger audiences.

Engaging Gen Z with viral content

Video is likely to perform better with Gen Z audiences than anything static, said Meketa-Poirot, as it helps draw users into the brand experience. Additionally, the effectiveness of video with Gen Z viewers is encouraging many brands to produce content for TikTok that can be adapted to other social media platforms rather than the other way around (which has historically been the dynamic).

Brands are also testing various social platforms and platforms within the metaverse itself to see what resonates most. Testing and iterating overall is a recipe for success with Gen Z viewers, who often support brands that continually produce fresh content that resonates …read more

Source:: Digiday