Generation Z — a great unknown for many and a target to reach for others. Discover how to stop this new generation from ignoring your website and business, and why you should start caring about them today.
"Slay", "kekw", "bae", "beef", "BBE", "crush", "ship", "ghosting", "ily", "ty", "goals", "cringe", "farming", "GG", "fire", "F" and "cheating". Do any of these words ring a bell? No, they are not onomatopoeia or anything like that. If you know fewer than 5 of these words, sorry not sorry, but you are not up to date with the vocabulary Gen Z uses.
A fossil?
In the eyes of this generation, it might.
But do not worry. Even if you do not master this slang or apply it to your website, you still have plenty of opportunities to make your website Gen Z friendly and stop them from "ghosting" your online business. Keep reading because we will explain everything in detail.
Generation Z, also known as "centennials" or "zoomers", are people born between 1997 and 2012. It is the generation that falls between Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) and Generation Alpha (born between 2012 and 2025).
It is currently one of the generations gaining the most prominence in the market. That is why it is important for companies and online businesses to get to know their habits, preferences and online behaviours well.
Generation Z was born and grew up in a purely digital world. They are used to navigating the internet naturally and finding any information almost immediately. This means they have very high expectations when it comes to websites.
In short, people of this generation value speed, ease of use and personalisation in websites. They also expect businesses to have an active and interesting social media presence. For that reason, you should keep these three aspects in mind:
As we explained, this generation is used to immediacy. That is why they also expect websites to load very quickly and be intuitive to use. A slow-loading website has a lot to lose: they will most likely abandon the page and look for another that offers something similar more immediately.
They are also people with great multitasking abilities and are used to using multiple devices at the same time: phone, tablet, computer…
They are also very selective with their time. What does that mean? That they do not want to waste their time on just anything. That is why, first of all, your website must be designed in a simple and intuitive way, with an attractive design and interesting, personalised content.
Secondly, you need to offer them fast and direct communication that helps them resolve any doubts or questions they may have. They prefer to communicate through chatbots, text messages and direct messages on social media. So a chatbot or a form will be a good option for communicating with them easily.
Another thing Generation Z values enormously is personalisation on websites. They expect to find relevant, personalised content and for brands to understand and anticipate their needs.
Why is it so important for them? Gen Z likes authentic brands and businesses that offer something of value, provide a unique experience and adapt to their tastes. They also greatly value transparency in brands and want to be treated as individuals, not as an anonymous and stereotyped group.
For this reason, personalisation should be present in all stages of the buying cycle. From advertising, their homepage, product pages, to the purchasing and post-purchase experience.
Generation Z grew up with social media and expects companies to also have an interesting online presence. They feel more comfortable interacting with brands through social media and consider them more approachable, since they can contact them to resolve their doubts and respond to their comments.
In addition, this generation is heavily influenced by the opinions of their friends, other people and influencers on social media. That is why it is crucial for brands to be able to generate UGC (User Generated Content): content created by real people who are aligned with the brand.
And lastly, posting once every 5 days is not enough. They expect brands to be quite active and to have a well-established personality on social media.
Despite Generation Z seeming like a great unknown, brands are increasingly betting on getting closer to and connecting with this audience. They are adapting their marketing strategies to update and adjust to their style, their way of seeing life and their needs. And perhaps you should be doing the same.
In fact, many brands consider Gen Z the "golden goose" for these reasons:
Gen Z is made up of young people but they are already starting to have their own purchasing power. They are money-conscious individuals and many of them have an entrepreneurial mindset. They represent almost 8 million people according to Spanish statistics and account for more than 25% of the world's population. Things are coming.
As we have mentioned, Gen Z is very present on social media and in culture in general. This translates into great influence not only over their older siblings, the Millennials, but also over Generation X. It is the generation that in recent years has been driving current trends and the opinions of others. And they know it. That is why they are an important audience for brands that want to reach a wider audience.
Generation Z loves the ephemeral, the innovative and the creative. They are always looking for new and different things. They constantly reinvent themselves and embrace the unknown fearlessly, with a lot of curiosity. For this reason, they are a very interesting audience for those brands or businesses that want to launch exciting and innovative products or services to the market.
This generation breaks with traditional consumption patterns. They care a lot about social causes and the environment, and they take this very much into account when making purchasing decisions, alongside price and the utility of the product or service. Therefore, brands or businesses that share those values and work for those causes will be more likely to attract their attention and loyalty.
In conclusion, Generation Z has arrived to change the rules and is increasingly gaining presence and influence in our society. What is the best approach then? Embrace this new way of seeing things, understand it and be part of it.
This generation, used to having everything at their fingertips, to speed, personalisation and social awareness, represents a great opportunity for many sectors and those who close themselves off to it may fall behind over time. The downside is that when they try to connect with this audience later, it may already be too late. Do not be that person.
Of course, not all brands or sectors will align with the needs or tastes of Gen Z. But those that can should try to connect with them for all the reasons we have shared above.
Tell us — is your business focused on Gen Z? Are you planning to capture their attention? We would love to hear from you here or on our LinkedIn.
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