Let’s cut to the chase…Gen Z has reinvented the wheel for social media marketing. As the next maturing generation, they make up the majority of the opinions that have a significant impact online. According to Smartly.io, 82 percent of Gen Z consumers use social media platforms as their main source of finding new brands, which is why it’s crucial to understand how to reach this audience when marketing fresh food.
Are your marketing efforts ready for the realities that come along with targeting Gen Z? Keep reading for a high-level list of what you need to know to better reach this evolving generation on social media.
Gen Z & Social Media: What You Need to Know
- Emojis and GIFs play a major role in their communication.
- Pro Tip: You can easily play into this by inserting more Emojis into your social media captions!
- Video content is a great way to grab Gen Z’s attention. However, keep in mind that most Gen Zers create their own content for personal use and understand the analytics behind each platform. Therefore, Gen Z will hold brands accountable to be authentic and transparent on social media.
- They are young foodies looking for ethnic flavors!
- Pro Tip: Include more international inspiration throughout your social media content to cater to their taste buds.
- They are quick to jump on trending topics like memes, sayings, and elements in pop culture and find new things to latch on to.
- Pro Tip: Be flexible and strike the marketing trends while they’re hot if this generation is on your target list! Just as quick as they are to jump on new trends, they’ll be just as quick to jump off – so don’t be late!
- Gen Z checks their social media about 100 times a day so remember to be present for them and offer a variety of content.
- According to Sprout Social, younger consumers want to “do something” or engage with other people’s posts.
- Pro Tip: Polls are a simple way to encourage audience interaction and learn more about them, too. Also, according to Marketing Charts, a survey of Gen Z social media users showed that 50 percent were more likely to engage with a social media post that offered a discount. Now, in the fresh produce industry, a discount isn’t always something we can promise! However, there are other out-of-the-box ideas that can engage your audience in this way… think of a giveaway or promotion!
- As a generation, Gen Z is very interested in how businesses align with the people that work for them. This helps them make buying decisions!
- Pro Tip: Highlight your employees to showcase them as part of your brand story.
- Gen Z likes to learn because they have always had access to the Internet, facts, and data.
- Pro Tip: Use as many opportunities as you can to educate consumers and help them learn something new and interesting about your products or company. Show that you are the expert in your field to earn their trust!
- Gen Z uses social media for entertainment!
- Pro Tip: Keep this in mind as you’re drafting social media content! If your messaging is too “salesy,” Gen Z will see right through it. Use this as an opportunity to stretch your marketing abilities by sharing humorous memes or TikToks that are trending.
Are your social media efforts aligning with the values of Gen Z? If not, give us a call! We’d love to help you assess your current marketing plan and find ways to target this new generation of shoppers.
