How Gen Z is changing public relations

A large part of any public relations or marketing job is reaching audiences that align with your brand’s goals. One audience that has captivated and polarized brands in the modern era is Gen Z. 

Generations are often misunderstood and ill-defined, but Gen Z has gained a lot of ink thanks to largely being the first generation to come of age in a fully digitized world. Naturally, this changes the consumer behavior and commercial interactions of the young generation. 

To examine this, Vogue Business recently published a piece based on research conducted by Archrival, a youth culture agency. The study argued that “consumption today is an infinite loop of inspiration, exploration, community, and loyalty.” 

How can brands and comms teams address each of these pillars? Read on for Verde’s expert guidance on how to reach consumers in the online world, whether they are Gen Z or not. 

The New Consumer Journey 

The Vogue article states that inspiration and discovery are the first key ways to reach younger audiences. The online crowd is constantly bombarded by branded content (let alone all the other forms of content online these days). How can your brand break through the noise? 

Brands should find ways that lead to the natural discovery of their brand story or products by consumers. The obvious first step is to have a fully integrated communications plan that includes both public relations and digital marketing. At the risk of stating the obvious, a key way to reach younger audiences is being engaged on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. A brand’s presence on these platforms should be high-quality, strategic, and authentic. 

Though online audiences are more overwhelmed every day, they still value finding content that resonates, which is more reason to lean into your content rather than ignore it. Of course, working with influencers is a way to spread awareness and gain brand visibility. 

Don’t assume that Gen Z is only hanging out online though. They still enjoy in-person and brick-and-mortar experiences, according to the Archrival study. 

The next piece after inspiration and discovery is exploration. Once Gen Z finds out about a brand or product, they want to research it. The study mentions that Gen Z makes fewer impulse purchases online, instead preferring to do more research before buying. 

To do this, they are increasingly turning to TikTok or YouTube as search engines. This points toward the importance of a brand's social media presence again, as well as the value of product reviews and other content, both earned and owned. Reading comment sections are also a growing source of information for this generation. 

It’s not enough to place an advertisement anymore. Brands need to create a seamless experience from point of discovery to point of purchase, and this path is now more winding than linear. 

Overarching all of this is Gen Z’s desire for a sense of community. All generations were impacted by the isolation that the COVID-19 pandemic brought, but the digital natives of Gen Z have used the ensuing years to recognize the importance of community, both online and off. 

Setting up a retail location and expecting people to stop by on their trip to the mall is an outdated mentality. Gen Z wants to come to community-building events such as live music, influencer meet and greets, pop-ups, or gallery exhibitions. Give consumers a reason to interact with your brand. 

Finally, Gen Z is changing the way consumers think about brand loyalty. A points card is no longer the definition of loyalty. Gen Z is increasingly thinking of different forms of loyalty, such as recommending a brand to a friend or engaging with the brand on social media, even if they have not purchased from that brand. They also want it to be reciprocal (i.e., what will the brand do for me). 

One way that brands can achieve this is by sharing UGC (user-generated content) on social media. Once a purchase has been made, brands can share and engage with consumers' posts on social media. They can also purchase the UGC to use in owned campaigns, a tactic more reminiscent of influencer relationships. 

At the end of the day, this new consumer journey is a circle rather than a straight line, constantly cycling back on each other.

Additional Gen Z Considerations 

Gen Z is increasingly seeing through brand messaging that comes off as unauthentic. An author on Forbes recommends that PR pros build authenticity by “showcasing real stories, real people, and transparent messaging.” 

In the outdoor industry, it may not be enough to say that your brand makes the “best mountain bike” anymore. Tell Gen Z WHY it’s the best mountain bike. Tell a REAL story that they can resonate with that goes deeper than a marketing platitude. 

Gen Z also wants brands to be clear on what they stand for concerning social issues, sustainability, and other topics. Brands should be clear and transparent if and when they talk about these issues, and be very aware of the consequences of not meeting expectations or following up on commitments. 

In the PR realm, Gen Z has also shifted how large swaths of the population consume news and informational content. Many may assume that younger people do not read or consume news, but that’s not fully true. They are simply getting news and information from different sources. This is why PR pros must reach different publications than just the mainstream, traditional outlets. This can look like reaching out to Instagram accounts, Substack newsletters, and podcasters, just to name a few. 

Since younger audiences are spending more time online, they are also more aware of crises. As always, brands should run a tight ship and have a plan for when sentiment tilts toward the negative. 

Have you had success reaching younger generations? Reach out and let us know!