The youth of today is the most conscientious and brand-aware that young people have ever been. We don’t need to tell you that the next generation has immense purchasing power. And in fact, young people are aware of this too.
Besides being more brand aware and value-driven, next-gen consumers are continually evolving. They learn and unlearn new views, develop their opinions, and look for ways to conscientiously support their values through the brands they choose to support.
So how do you win young buyers in this new age? We’ll discuss how you can influence sales with youth marketing.
What is Youth Marketing
Youth Marketing is marketing targeted at teenagers and young adults. Between Gen Z and Millennials, this target audience possesses a spending power of £350 billion in the US alone.
Because buying habits change drastically with the quickly evolving youth, this group is often broken down into smaller age segments. Each segment has products and campaigns explicitly catered to them.
Marketing to young people is essential not only because of their own purchasing decisions. They are also valuable consumers that influence the buying behaviours of their friends and families. Teens and young adults often advise their parents and influence new purchases, fashion, and vacations. The youth decides what is trending. Gaining popularity with this age group is therefore often vital to driving sales.
What makes Gen Z stand out
Gen Z is now the core target group when we discuss the youth of today. They are not an audience that can easily be misled or converted. Loyalty has to be earned. Gen Z grew up with the internet at their fingertips, wherever they go. They know how to research your brand and the competition, and gain fast insights about what brands are the most convenient and well-aligned with their values.
A good product alone is no longer enough. Gen Z cares about the values you project and how your business impacts the world.
47% of 16-24-year-olds would stop buying from a brand that harms the environment. This is in line with the general movement of the world. 64% of consumers would boycott a brand or buy from it due to their stance on a social or political issue.
Brands that want to influence sales with youth marketing must pay special attention to their branding and make an earnest effort to do their part. Gen Z has spent their lives separating authentic brands from inauthentic ones – you won’t fool them with empty words.
How to succeed at Youth Marketing
If you want to succeed in youth marketing and win buyers in this target audience, nothing is as crucial as understanding your young consumers. Up-to-date market research is vital to ensuring your efforts achieve results.
In general, here are a few current practices that are common to youth marketing:
Follow and Engage with Key Influencers
Gen Z values authenticity, and so their purchasing decisions are influenced by the people that inspire them. Young consumers who show an interest in your brand and share their social media purchases should be a priority. Brands should follow and engage these young influencers and make an effort to reward their loyalty.
Mobile marketing
The vast majority of teens worldwide own smartphones, and 71% use their mobile devices exclusively to get on the internet. It’s no surprise then that the mobile experience should be a key focus for youth marketers.
Be authentic
We’ve already mentioned that Gen Z is better than any generation before recognising a brand’s values. Now is the time to be fierce and honest about your values and appeal directly to the niche of youths that share them. It’s a time to invest in social and political issues and positively impact the world.
Turn to the Experts in Youth Marketing
If young people make up a large part of your audience, youth marketing can influence sales and win you, loyal customers. To achieve this, understanding your target audience is vital.
At Zak, we understand the influence and power of youth today. That’s why we have started Selfhood, a network of young consumers that share their insights at the speed of their evolving culture. We are the youth advertising agency that communicates directly with young influencers and consumers to help brands create campaigns that speak to them.
Get in touch today to see if Selfhood could help your project find its audience.
