‘Tis the season for holiday marketing! As we hurtle towards Black Friday, make sure you’re ready with a marketing plan that speaks to Gen Z.
Get social
55% of Gen Zs have bought something after seeing it on TikTok – and there’s no time like the present to start building your brand persona on Gen Z’s favorite app. From organic social to paid ads, there are plenty of ways to maximize your TikTok presence over the holidays.
Before you even start posting, it’s important to do some work on your TikTok voice – your brand might adopt a very different messaging style on TikTok, and that’s ok. Scrappy, unfiltered and humor-led is key – try not to curate your content too rigidly, and don’t fall into the trap of reposting content from other social platforms over on TikTok.
Maybe you get the entire team involved, to offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse at life at your brand. Or perhaps you’ll work with Gen Z micro and nano-influencers to give your product an authentic voice. Whatever you go for, make sure you stay reactive – trends move quickly, and the holiday season means there’ll be plenty on the way for you to jump on.
Get personal
This holiday season, Gen Zs are more likely to buy a personalized gift than any other gift type – Student Beans research shows that in 2021 73% expressed an interest in this type of gift. This, of course, says a lot about the type of gifts young consumers are in the market for – but it also says a lot about what kind of messaging they prefer.
Gen Zs are digital natives – they’ll sniff out a blanket, one-size-fits-all marketing message like nobody else. This cohort responds best to a shopping experience loaded with personal touches. Give them the chance to participate – online or in-store – with gamification and experiential elements. Cultivate incentives that speak directly to them and their price points. And make sure they have plenty of opportunities to contact you as they progress down the funnel – this generation is big on customer service.
Embrace the cost-of-living crisis
This year, the cost-of-living crisis and impact of rising inflation will play an influential role over what Gen Z spend their cash on. However with 77% of US and 73% of UK students planning to splash the cash this Black Friday, we’ve no doubt that Gen Z will be retail ready.
A whopping 99% of students will be on the hunt for student discounts to boost their savings this Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
In particular, 84% of UK and 90% of US students will be searching for additional student discount they can apply on top of Cyber Week sales items – whilst 79% of UK and 85% of US students will be looking for higher than usual student discounts.
By showing students you understand the struggles they’re facing and putting in place discount schemes to support students through the impact from rising inflation, you’ll begin to develop brand loyalty that lasts a lifetime. And what’s more, our brand partnerss who boost their student incentive typically see a 20% increase in average order value.
Build that trust
One of the biggest challenges for disruptor brands trying to get Gen Z onside is establishing trust – but Black Friday is the perfect time to capture their attention. Don’t underestimate the value of Trustpilot reviews and customer testimonials – but it’s equally important to put a (Gen Z) face to your brand if you’re a new kid on the block.
Student Beans research shows that Gen Zs prefer nanoinfluencers – creators with smaller but highly-engaged followings, who speak to a certain niche or subculture. 68% of Gen Zs also share discount codes with their friends – it’s always worth exploring referral codes to help spread the word.
Don’t overpromise
Gen Zs are living in a unique world – it’s possible to get groceries within 20 minutes, an entire outfit by lunchtime, or a new sofa within 24 hours. And while 52% of Gen Zs say that next-day delivery is a factor in their shopping decisions, just 7% say they won’t order unless it’s available.
The key takeaway? Don’t overpromise. If you know that supply issues will delay your Black Friday products arriving in time for Christmas, keep young consumers in the loop. Consider what you CAN offer to consumers, and push those products front and centre. Above all, Gen Zs want you to be transparent.
Want to learn more about students’ approach to Black Friday in 2022? Visit the Student Beans Black Friday Hub!