The new digital generations come stomping. When we already believed that we were finally understanding how to reach millennials, now it’s time to do marketing for centennials . buy youtube views Although many of them are still dependent on their parents’ credit card, it is time to move ahead of the competition and give a return to your marketing to attract the youngest.
But who exactly are the centennials? In what social networks do they hide? What are your consumption habits? Do not worry, here I tell you everything you need to know to conquer the new generations with your
Who are the centennials?
As I’m sure you have already deduced, the centennials or generation Z are the “little brothers” of the millennials .
Born between 1995 and 2010, they are a very diverse generation, ranging from elementary school children to twentysomethings who are looking for their first job. But its time is coming: it is estimated that by 2020, centennials will be no less than 40% of consumers.
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These are some of the characteristics that can help us understand you better:
- They are 100% digital natives . The phrase ” digital native ” has been abused , but the truth is that this is the first generation that really does not remember a world without internet or mobile phones; In fact, the youngest have already grown up with Facebook, Twitter and smartphones. In contrast, millennials were young enough to adapt to new technologies without problems, but they did live at least a few years into the pre-digital era.
- They are less consumerist than millennials . Members of the new digital generations value entertainment and experiences more than objects. In fact, 72% of them consider that having new things is overrated as long as basic needs are met. They also value fashion less than teenagers a few decades ago.
- They are not compulsive buyers . In addition to valuing less material things, they are also more responsible when acquiring them. Instead of being driven by their impulses, they carefully analyze their purchasing decisions, investigate, compare and, above all, rely on online reviews (95% of them consult them before making a purchase). Regarding their purchasing criteria, most value the quality over the price.
- They are less idealistic and have more practicality . If we compare the digital generations with a family, the millennials are like the big brother who has done all the crazy things and the centennials would be the little brother who has chastened in the head of others. Faced with the desire to travel, realize and change the world of millennials, generation Z is much more attached to practical reality. Growing up before the crisis, the millennials grew up with the conviction that a dazzling future awaited them, but their younger brothers know they’d better be realistic.
- They are committed to integration and sustainability . Growing up with the internet has made it easy for them to access people from all over the world and be aware of the differences. In addition to this social awareness, the environment and the future of the planet are also important to them.
Centennials in social networks
As with previous digital generations , centennials use social networks in a majority way. However, there are some key differences with millennialsthat we must take into account to adapt our social media plans to them.
They prefer fun content to interactions with friends
When the millennials were teenagers, they used social networks to update their states and see the news of their friends; In short, to strengthen the relationships of your real life. In contrast, Generation Z spends more time using social networks as a means of entertainment and content consumption .
For brands, this is a great opportunity to connect with centennials through the content they consume, but that does not mean that we should insert ads within them. Instead, we must bet to create contents that are able to stand out among all the noise and that the users themselves want to consume and share.
They use less social networks, but they spend more time in them
The number of social media platforms has not stopped growing in the last decade but, surprisingly, the centennials are more reluctant to join them than the previous digital generations .
According to GlobalWebIndex , members of Generation Z use on average 7 different social networks or platforms, compared to 8 of the previous generation. Instead, spend almost 3 hours a day on social networks, while millennials only spend 2 hours and 39 minutes.
They like interacting with influencers more than brands
According to We Are Social , centennials are more likely to use social media to stay up to date with their favorite celebrities, preferring to follow actors rather than brands. Millennials, on the other hand, tend to follow the brands they like on social networks, and are more likely to visit the pages of brands on networks and share their publications.
To take advantage of this trend in your marketing strategy , think about how you can use the influencers most admired by the centennials to promote your products and services, and do not forget to take into account the power of the microinfluencers (users with fewer followers in the networks than the “classic” influencers, but with a closer relationship with each of them).
Your favorite networks are Snapchat and Instagram
Facebook is the most popular social network worldwide among all digital generations … minus the centennials. Already in 2016 Snapchat surpassed Facebook as the most popular social network among American teenagers, and continues to add users in the group of 12 to 17 years.
One of the main reasons for this preference is privacy. Millennials threw themselves headlong into social networks, but centennials are much more suspicious of what they share. That’s why they are attracted to closed networks with ephemeral content, which also explains the success of Instagram Stories among this generation.
10 Forbes tips to sell to the new digital generations
1) Do not create ads, create value
The centennials are even more critical with advertising that millennials . Since they have never known life without access to the internet and mobile technologies, they are aware of the price of their attention. They have never sat in front of the television to see the ads, and they do not plan to do it online.
Instead of advertising, offer them resources, channels and profiles that give them what they are looking for , either through entertainment, information or tutorials. The key is to get them to interact with what you offer them voluntarily, instead of imposing your content.
2) Watch the appearances
If you say that you are a leader in your sector, you better make sure that the design of your website and mobile application are up to par . The new digital generations are native to the visual language of the internet, and they know how to recognize perfectly if you have not updated your page in the last 10 years.
The Z generation does not want to tell them you’re the best: you have to get into them through the eyes first. For that, your website has to work perfectly from mobile, your profile photo has to be recent, the images clear and well adjusted … in short, appearances matter.
3) Do not sell, help
The centennials know perfectly the power of technology and the Internet. For them, becoming an online influencer is a career as valid as studying a career. It’s the reality that they see every day in their Instagram posts.
And unlike other generations, it has the tools to turn your dreams into reality. Many begin to build their brand image and create an audience when they are just teenagers .
For brands, these users are not only consumers, but also allies or even competitors. Therefore, when communicating with them, do not think about asking them for things, but on helping them, empower them and collaborate with them.
4) Be multi-screen
It was already difficult to maintain the attention of the millennials, but with the centennials it seems almost a lost cause. On average, generation Y used three screens (mobile, television and computer), but generation Zhas expanded this number to five.
With so many options to choose from, there is no hope of maintaining your attention with content you do not want to consume. For example, if you put a pre-roll ad, it will almost certainly go to another screen as it ends and you will have lost your chance to impact them.
5) Tell them the whole story in 8 seconds or less
It sounds dramatic, but according to the latest studies, the average attention span of a member of Generation Z is only 8 seconds . Therefore, if you want them to click on the post of your blog, watch your video or “like” your photo, you need to be able to quickly convey what your content is about, why they are interested and how you can help them or entertain them.
If you want to beat the centennials , you have to be as brief and simple as possible . Make sure to include your brand in the first few seconds, and trust the best creators to help you stand out in a saturated news wall.
6) Help them change the world
According to a recent study by Marketo, 60% of centennials want their work to have an impact on the world , and 76% are concerned about the footprint of humans on the planet. Although they are not as idealistic as their older brothers, there is no doubt that they are aware.
At the same time, this generation is very capable of distinguishing the authenticity of mere marketing. If you want to transmit the social responsibility of your brand, you will have to practice what you preach and be willing to demonstrate it at every step.
7) Take advantage of social commerce
In the United States, large stores such as Macy’s, JC Penney and American Eagle are closing their physical stores … and not because they are in crisis, but because of the rise of online purchases.
As new digital generations are taking their places, online sales are displacing traditional businesses. 55% of children under 18 prefer to buy clothes online, and 53% express this preference to buy books and electronic devices.
Therefore, if you want to sell to this generation, you need to have your ecommerce ready and have a solid strategy to reach them through online channels.
8) Communities are more important than platforms
Why do young people today spend their lives hooked to mobile? Very simple: because it is the tool they use to communicate with their friends, whether they are their environment or virtual.
More than the concrete platforms, users gravitate naturally to the communities with which they share interests . So instead of being obsessed with finding out which applications they use the most, consider what they are most interested in to find out how to find them.
9) Marketing with celebrities no longer works
The marketing with celebrities is a strategy “lifelong” to reach younger, but the rules are changing.
The centennials no longer identify with famous lifelong, but with youtubers and influencers of Instagram. And even more, 63% of them say they prefer to see real people and not celebrities in their ads . Once again, the key to connecting with them is in authenticity.
10) Open your mind
As we have already commented, centennials are a generation that is aware of differences and more inclusive than ever. And for brands, it is essential to take this into account.
There are many things you can do to show more inclusiveness in your marketing , from showing people from different backgrounds to using an inclusive language. But in the end, it is a question of principles and values.