Trying to reach Gen Z through print, television and radio is like shouting “Hey Siri!” to a newspaper – it’s ineffective and frustrating when there’s no response. But even when it comes to online there are some surprises with the ways Gen Zs actually want to be connected with. So instead of wasting your time, take these tips based off Year13’s exclusive YouthSense research to learn the best ways to reach Gen Z.
Forget traditional media:
There was a time in living memory for anyone aged over 30 where it was pretty much impossible to go a day without flicking through a magazine, tuning the radio or sitting down in front of the box to enjoy some commercial or cable television. The oldest Gen Zs, now 24, would’ve just caught the last gasps of breath of this dying analogue age before digital started to dominate. But most of them missed it. And the habits they’ve grown up with carry through to today. The diagnosis for traditional media is grim. Daily, just 7% of Gen Zs read print, 22% listen to radio and 26% watch television. If you’re trying to reach Gen Z in either of these mediums, you’re not gonna have much success.
Make social media front and centre:
There’s no hiding where all the eyeballs have gone. 95% of Gen Zs say they use social media everyday – 42% spend over three hours on it and 39% between one and two hours a day. In fact, just 1% of the Gen Zs we surveyed say they never use social media. There’s no doubt that to connect with Gen Z you have to be doing it via social media.
But where on social media?:
Instagram! 95% of Gen Zs say they use it regularly compared to YouTube (79%), Facebook (74%), Snapchat (74%) and Twitter (14%). The results show that over a quarter of Gen Zs don’t use Facebook or Snapchat regularly. This means they’re not as useful as many might think in connecting with the youth market. When asked where they most like to see ads online, Instagram was number one with 45% of young people saying they like seeing ads there. This was more than Facebook (28%), YouTube (19%) and Snapchat (11%). Between Instagram stories and the feed, there’s no better place to try and reach Gen Z.
What shouldn’t I do?:
Take it from us, don’t try to connect with Gen Z through music streaming… Gen Zs hate it. On services like Spotify and Soundcloud if you’re not a premium paid member then you’ll be hit with ads after every few songs. 84% of Gen Zs say they don’t like ads in music streaming, compared to 46% who don’t like them on social media. Positively for Spotify these ads would drive many people to sign up for a premium account just to avoid them. Not positively for those paying for these ads is that they’re not well received by those who they’re intended for. So you’ve got to ask yourself, what’s the point of advertising if you’re disrupting someone’s zen music experience and annoying them?
So what else can I do to connect with Gen Z?:
Download our free report What Gen Z Actually Do Online to get all of our research into Gen Z’s media consumption habits and how they like to be connected with online.
As well, come to our Youth Engagement Summit in Sydney in March to find out how to position your brand at the forefront of the youth market, future-proof your organisation and learn how Gen Zs make decisions about their futures.
Hear keynote speakers and panelists discuss:
- What the future of work will look like when Gen Z runs the world and how to make your organisation an employer of choice in the new decade.
- How education has shifted from students simply learning content to it becoming a solution for the social problems of today.
- How formative experiences from travelling and career advice to gap years can help create a better tomorrow.
