Now that we’ve put ourselves in the POV of a Gen Zer (read our previous article here if you haven’t!), you may wonder which social media platforms are best suited for your brand to target this demographic. Is there really a need to be on all platforms? We can already hear your social media managers cry at the thought of the monthly content plans they have to prepare, just so your brand doesn’t get forgotten.
So here’s a breakdown of the different social media platforms that might help you out:
Tik Tok
With Gen Zers viewing significantly more video media on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, it’s time brands start exploring video content to keep up with this generation.
It should come as no surprise to you but several studies have shown that people have a shorter attention span these days. That means brands only have a few seconds to cut through the marketing clutter to capture their audiences’ attention. In a survey conducted by McKinsey & Company, 70 percent of the Gen Zers surveyed in Asia-Pacific said they “learned about new brands via video-based social media at least once a month”. If you are looking to launch an awareness campaign targeted at this demographic, TikTok might be it for you. Apart from brand awareness, videos also play a big part in influencing their brand and product purchase decisions so think about what connects well with your audience.
YouTube
YouTube is easily one of our most visited sites today – or any other day – but you might ask, how does it differ from TikTok as a video-based platform?
YouTube users typically use the platform to learn something – to become more knowledgeable about a certain topic or simply to escape stresses of daily life. Since the videos are generally longer than those on TikTok, the audience invests more time in them and naturally forms a deeper engagement with your content. The algorithm also favours videos that are longer, as well as channels that update their content regularly. Brands are more likely to achieve desired results if your video content aligns with the interests of your target audience.
Well, aren’t most of our Facebook friends mere acquaintances? Though most Gen Zers still hold a Facebook account, you may realise that they generally don’t engage in much commenting and sharing of content on the platform.
We can say that consumption of media on Facebook is largely passive and a “like” on the post is usually the most you can expect from this demographic.
Nevertheless, it isn’t an abandoned platform by the digital natives. After all, Statista has also reported Facebook to be the most popular social media platform used in Singapore. But what sets these Gen Zers apart from other generations is their short attention span. Probably just 2 to 3 seconds more than that of a goldfish!
As users generally still view content put on Facebook (whether it’s memes or the latest news), it still offers brands a platform to build brand awareness and brand recall. But to form a real connection with this demographic, brownie points would go to brands that create snackable content, preferably with a focus on video.
This is where we can see Gen Zers’ online identities, highly curated by themselves. Besides allowing users to socialise and express themselves with the various app features, Instagram, or IG, also functions as an aesthetically driven platform. Well, IG may very well be the new Pinterest as Gen Zers look to the posts on IG as a source of inspiration for their bullet journals, room decor and even fit checks! Brands can consider focusing on the aesthetics of their IG content to satisfy these visual creatures.
IG is also the go-to platform if you are looking to drive engagement. It’s not uncommon to see Gen Zers commenting on posts of family, friends and even people they may not know personally (think: influencers, celebrities and brands!). But let’s not forget that there are also other factors that contribute to engagement! Your likes, shares and saves. Though IG focuses a lot on aesthetic visuals, content matters too. Remember, these are digital natives we’re talking about here. If you are managing an IG account at work, try posts like giveaways and tips – these generally do well in driving engagement for brands. And you might even gain new followers with good content.
Back to the question: Is there really a need to be on all platforms?
You might hate to hear us say this but… it depends. Wait, hear us out! Social media platforms are not created equal and there is no one-size-fits-all plan when it comes to devising a strategy. First, ask yourself: What am I looking to do here? Having a clear idea of your marketing objectives would certainly help to assess the suitability of platforms and narrow down on your brand channels to focus on. Once you’ve got that down, resource allocation and target setting should come in next. This would help you craft your content marketing strategy in an organised manner, covering the platforms you are on, the manpower and budget required, and targets to be achieved within a specific time frame.
We know it takes time and effort to produce good content and we definitely don’t want to risk a creative burnout for sure! So instead, look at your content as a means to build a connection with your audience. Speak to them in the way they understand and relate to. Be authentic, not perfect. As compared to their millennial counterparts who grew up with cable and passive advertising, these digital natives choose what they want to watch. Instead of putting out passive advertisements on your social media, find ways to interact and engage with your audience. This could be in the form of IGS polls, user-generated content or even tapping into the use of branded hashtags to run social media contests!
Well, these are just some tips off the top of my head. But if this article got you hooked on finding out more about devising a good social media strategy (or an engaging content mix), drop us a line and we can help you out. And that’s all for now, besties!
As the Content Marketing Executive at The Outsiders Co. (now Superminted), Jasmine is a storyteller who translates her love for learning into content that is entertaining and relatable for the audience. She believes in connecting with the audience through the words she pens – or types
