If you’re marketing to Gen Z, forget everything you know about traditional advertising. This generation grew up with smartphones in their hands, social media in their daily routines, and instant access to nearly anything. That means your polished ad copy and your “we’ve been in business for 30 years” badge don’t impress them.
They value speed, relevance, authenticity – and they can spot a fake pitch a mile away.
So if your brand feels even slightly out of touch, they’ll scroll past without hesitation. But don’t panic. You don’t have to dance on TikTok or speak in memes to earn their attention. You just need to approach your marketing through a different lens.
Here are five smart, strategic ways to reach Gen Z without trying too hard.
- Be Where They Actually Are
First, meet them on their turf. Gen Z doesn’t open Facebook. They barely read traditional blogs. And they’re not going to click on a banner ad or open an email blast unless it’s ridiculously relevant.
Instead, their digital attention lives in a few key places:
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Discord
- Snapchat
- SMS
So if your brand is still focused on legacy platforms or content that takes 10 minutes to digest, it’s time to shift. Short-form video and interactive content are king here. That doesn’t mean you have to be a full-time content creator, but you do need to repurpose your messaging into bite-sized, scroll-stopping pieces that actually get seen.
Start small and shoot quick behind-the-scenes videos. You can showcase real people using your product, or ask a Gen Z team member what kind of content they’d actually stop and watch.
- Authenticity Isn’t a Buzzword
Gen Z has been sold to their entire lives. But what they’re really buying into is realness. They don’t want brands pretending to be their friends. They want brands that act like humans and are aligned with their values.
You don’t need a perfectly polished brand voice. You need an honest one. That might mean:
- Showing bloopers and mistakes
- Admitting when you mess up
- Taking a stand on social issues (but only if it’s real, not performative)
- Ditching the jargon and writing how people actually talk
When you stop trying to sound like a “brand” and start sounding like a person, Gen Z is much more likely to listen.
This is also where influencer marketing comes in, but not the old kind with perfectly filtered Instagram models. We’re talking about micro and nano influencers with loyal, engaged communities. These creators have the trust of their followers, and they can introduce your brand in a way that feels like a recommendation, not a pitch.
- Prioritize Mobile-First Everything
Gen Z grew up on phones. Not desktops or even tablets – smartphones.
That means your entire user experience – from discovery to checkout – must be mobile-first. Your website should load fast and guide them through the process without friction.
And if your checkout process is clunky or slow? They’re gone. This generation has zero patience for poor UX. If a video doesn’t load instantly or a form asks for too much, they’ll bounce before you can blink. So optimize for speed, test everything on mobile, and make buying as seamless as possible.
- Offer Payment Options That Reflect How They Live
Younger consumers want flexibility. They use debit cards, split payments with friends, and some even prefer paying with crypto.
If you’re trying to signal that your brand is forward-thinking and Gen Z-friendly, consider accepting cryptocurrency as a payment method. Bitcoin and Ethereum may not be everyone’s default yet, but for this demographic, crypto represents innovation and autonomy.
Gen Z sees themselves as participating in a cultural shift. And when your business accepts crypto, it shows you’re tuned in to that evolution.
You don’t have to become a blockchain expert overnight. Just explore payment gateways that support crypto or work with partners who can help you integrate it securely.
Working with a Web3 influencer marketing agency is one smart route if your product is tech- or finance-oriented and you want to speak Gen Z’s language without faking it.
Even if only a small fraction of your customers use crypto, this positions you as a brand that gets it – and that goes a long way with Gen Z.
- Think Fast, Act Faster
Gen Z moves quickly. Memes evolve by the hour and attention spans are short. If your team takes three weeks to approve a social post or six months to launch a campaign, you’re missing the window.
To win with Gen Z, you need speed and agility. That might mean loosening the reins a little on your content approval process or building a system where your social media manager can post in real-time without waiting for ten layers of feedback.
It’s okay if not everything is perfect. In fact, Gen Z prefers it that way. Rough around the edges feels more relatable than overly rehearsed.
Make Gen Z Your Sweet Spot
Gen Z catches a lot of flack for their idiosyncrasies, but don’t let that make you jaded. They are a lively bunch that will soon represent billions in spending power. By getting familiar with how to market to Gen Z, you’ll set your business up for long-term success.