Influencer Marketing for Your Gen Z Audience

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Influencer marketing has been a buzz word long before 2018, but it was in that year that most companies started investing in them.

Different industries may choose different personalities as influencers. They may also have different campaign plans or techniques. But in the end, they all have the same goal and that is using an influencer to reach out to their target market more effectively.

But online marketers never had an easy job with influencer marketing mainly because they don’t know what their target audience likes. Especially if you want to tap into Generation Z.

Let’s try to get to know more about this generation, what they look for in an influencer, and how your company can tailor out your influencer marketing strategy for them.

Gen Z is about Technology

This generation was the kids at the birth of technology. This means that they haven’t experienced the world without it. Gen Z is about technology.

Planning for an influencer marketing strategy for this bunch would mean that you make use of technology as much as possible; the latest possible. You should choose an influencer that is not so far behind with technology and social media.

A perfect influencer for Generation Z are those who have the best camera shots or video editing skills because this shows that they are adept in using the technology available to them. Tap those who knows the latest and coolest platform. Say for example, Tiktok. Teens have been spending a lot of time creating content from them lately. It would be amazing to dive into the bandwagon and find influencers who can use the platform to not just promote your product, but also have a wider reach to your target market.

Generation Z can easily spot a noob to an expert, and they’re not hesitant to call it out and call it as it is. If you don’t want to be shamed, then look for an influencer that can be considered as an expert.

But the great thing about this Generation Z is that they may be vocal, but they do it in a way that you’ll learn from them. So do social listening as much as possible so you do not only know what this generation want, but also how they want you to do it.

Yep! They’re in control and they love it when they do.

Get Influencers Who Takes a Stand

This generation we’re talking about is “woke” individuals. We cannot take their consciousness for granted. They are mostly idealist individuals who stand for something. And that is one thing you should look for in tapping an influencer.

Look for someone who also knows to take a stand in social issues especially in gender and class equality and environmental issues. They don’t have to be overly political. They just have to know their stand not only to appeal to your greater market but to take a stand on what they personally believe even if it means they might anger or turn off some groups.

This is a very tricky factor since most influencers would dive into an offer if it pays or if the perks are really good. Companies can also easily tap on an influencer if they can get a good one that won’t cost them that much. Anything politically or socially correct can’t easily be considered. And this is where companies get it wrong.

You can actually do interview with these influencers. Casually ask them of any causes that they find important or what issues do they want to fight for in their given platform. Also, if your company takes a certain stand at issues, you can ask your influencer how they feel about it. Naturally, you would know if you and your influencer would match and would agree on these issues.

But why is this so important to Generation Z when this has nothing to do with marketing?

Inclusive. Radical. That’s What Gen Z’s Are.

Like we mentioned above, Generation Z-ers are “woke”, radical individuals. They don’t just stick to the status quo – they question it. They also think out of the box and beyond. This generation may not have lived in the age when women were rallying for their rights, nor were they there in the earliest gay movement, but they are aware. They know their history far more than what the textbook context has taught them. Hence, the radicalization of this generation led them to be a generation of inclusivity.

In all aspects, the people in Generation Z is concerned with inclusion. We are talking about class structure, race, culture, religion, ethnicity, and gender; the intersectionality of one’s being. These may be too grand of an idea to grasp for an influencer, but inclusivity matters.

Your companies marketing efforts should be inclusive – including influencer marketing. Probably, the perfect influencer would be someone who intersects different social aspects. For example, a lesbian, black, middle-class, Christian. It doesn’t have to be all that in one person. It could be all that in different persons (that is if you can afford multiple influencers). The important thing is there is a varied representation.

This generation may still look up to celebrities but when it comes to influencers, they’re done with the rich, white, and famous individual. They want someone they could closely relate to. Someone that obviously knows their struggles; not someone who pretends to be or promotes something out of script.

Tips for an Effective Influencer Marketing for the Generation Z

Now that you know what this generation is like, here are few tips that we can give you so you can effectively carry out an influencer marketing plan. This also serves as a rundown of all our points above.

Know the latest social media platforms. We cited Tiktok as an example a while ago. You can explore on same platforms and see how viable it is to market in it. For an in-depth take on Tiktok and using it for online marketing, you can read about our previous blog here.
Incorporate recent or updated techniques on filming and editing. Check on how other vloggers do their videos or shoot their photos creatively and look into how you can use it and maximize these techniques on your campaign.
Learn from Generation Z. Confused on what to do exactly? Have a focused group discussion with Gen Z-ers. Listen to what they have to say to get ideas and learn from them.
Influencer from their generation. The easiest way to reach this particular generation is to get an influencer that is one of them. There are many young and creative influencers out there that can pull off a great marketing stunt. Never underestimate this generation. They may be young but they know their thing very well.
Listen to how they communicate. This generation has a language of their own. They have their own terms and other colloquialisms for whatever is going on around them. Be it serious social issues or hobby terms in fashion and social media. If you know how they speak and be able to converse well, they will surely listen.
Tap info influencers who understands the importance of all these. While you do your own research and understand your target maker, the challenge now is to find influencers who gives importance on learning about all these like you do. What you learned and mapped out must be properly interpreted and implemented by the influencers you hire to do the marketing for you. Learning about Generation Z should be as important to your influencers.