Gen Y and Z are individuals who are constantly on social media. Therefore, your brand should have a strong presence on its social apps to reach them. In addition, because they are a generation that has grown up with social media, they know how to differentiate between sponsored and authentic content.
With the increase in content creation among Gen Y and Zers, they are more vocal about how they feel about a product and will call out a brand if it is dishonest. Additionally, they buy products and services they feel connected to, and a brand has to appear relatable to grab their attention.
If your brand wants to connect with this target market, then your brand should create content as if your company is part of this age group. When people see that a company is trendy and understands what they like and how they talk, they will be more convinced to buy from your company.
You might wonder what it looks like when a company is relatable to Gen Y and Z? Here are some examples.
DuoLingo:
DuoLingo, a language learning mobile app and website, does a great job of staying relatable and fun on TikTok. Instead of posting TikToks about why you should use their website, they make TikToks that go along with popular Tiktok trends. By having someone dressed up as their mascot, Duo, and having them do funny actions, they have earned millions of views and a memorable brand image. DuoLingo took the time to understand what TikTok users like to see, and they were able to make viral videos around language learning that were relatable to users. As a result, more people are aware of DuoLingo and what they offer, and people have a positive association with the brand. Additionally, the mobile app increased in downloads, earning DuoLingo the top spot on the “Learn a New Language” list on the Apple App Store.
Ben and Jerry:
One thing that upsets Gen Y and Zers is when companies use social issues as a marketing campaign tactic. In doing so, it is clear that these companies do not care about the issues; they use them to appear trendy. For example, Ben & Jerry’s, a dessert company selling ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet, did a great job connecting with Gen Y and Z. The company stood out since it made it clear that they care about the social issues they post about and have a history of being at the forefront of critical social issues. In addition, their website has information on the social issues they support, including their stance and ways for people to take action.
Additionally, they have donated money to the social causes they support. Many competing companies focus solely on branding and sales rather than giving back to important causes. Ben & Jerry’s stood out to Gen Y and Z for being an ethical business which caused people to want to support the company by buying more flavors of their ice cream.
Aerie:
Aerie, an intimates and apparel clothing company that American Eagle Outfitters owns, also did a great job relating to Gen Y and Z. Customers finding out how many images are edited on clothing websites made it hard for them to trust how the clothes look. So, Aerie created the #AerieREAL campaign, encouraging people to post photos of themselves and use the hashtag in their descriptions. They wanted to promote self-love and found this campaign a great way to showcase all their customers. With the campaign, they stopped editing their models’ photos and picked “Role Models” that represented real women. In doing so, they were inclusive to all, including disabled individuals. This campaign made Aerie stand out to many Gen Y and Zers since they like seeing people who look like them in marketing content. These individuals prefer to see actual, authentic representations of people rather than images of edited models. So, by doing this campaign, Aerie made its brand relatable to many.
You might be wondering… how my company can achieve this and increase our digital engagement?
An essential part of creating relatable content is understanding what kind of content Gen Y and Z want to see. By paying attention to trends on social media apps and thinking about how your company can put its twist on them, your company will come off as relatable. For example, on Instagram, your company should utilize the stories feature and reels. Stories are a great way to reshare customers’ posts, and many people enjoy watching stories when they are on Instagram. Additionally, more videos appear on users’ feeds due to Instagram’s new algorithm. So, to ensure your customers see your posts, make short Reels that are fun to watch! Another great way to connect to Gen Y and Zers is by using TikTok trends, just like DuoLingo did. For YouTube, making videos explaining why your product or service can benefit your customers can be helpful. You build trust and encourage potential customers to purchase from you by having persuasive content and answering potential customers’ questions. Finally, it is all about understanding each social platform and what type of content is popular.
The wording in your company’s content is a significant factor in what is considered relatable to Gen Y and Z. For example, your target audience will get bored if they don’t feel connected to the words or tones you use on social media. But, if you utilize trending slang that they use and use them correctly, they will consider your brand to be cool. Also, using an upbeat tone in your videos and trending audio will allow Gen Y and Z to relate to your content even more.
Gen Y and Zers love feeling important and like they are a part of your brand experience. Inviting them to make content around your brand is also essential. By telling them what to post, such as prompting them to make a video showing them doing a specific action around your brand, they will be more open to creating and posting a video. Furthermore, asking customers to share their thoughts makes them feel heard. This could be a written review, a survey submission, or asking them to make a TikTok reviewing your product. Remember to make it easy for your customers to create the content; by doing this, you are encouraging them to create seamless content for you as a brand and for them as a customer. This way, you increase digital engagement and learn how your customers truly feel about your products. Also, you can see what kind of content your customers enjoy creating. Using this, you can create content that your customers like, which will improve how consumers and potential customers see your brand.
In conclusion, by connecting to Gen Y and Z, you are opening up your brand to new opportunities and target audiences. By focusing on what they like to do and see on social media, you will grow your company’s social standing and increase digital engagement with your customers. As a result, you will have an increase in sales, and your brand will be relatable to your target audience.
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