August 10, 2020
Last year, Gen Z officially took over the title of “largest living generation” – beating out Millennials and Baby Boomers. When we say large, we mean it! Born between 1997 and 2015, they make up almost 61 million of the U.S. population, which leads to marketers scrambling for ways to reach them effectively.
If you’re one of those marketers freaking out, don’t. There are multiple impactful digital marketing tactics you can use to interact with Gen Z. However, one may be more effective than others, and that’s SMS.
Like their slightly older counterparts, Gen Z has an emotional connection to their phones, but even more so. While Millennials can remember dial-up Internet and other fledgling technologies, most of Gen Z can’t. They’re the first generation to grow up with technology, and in particular, with smartphones. Consider these facts from various studies:
96% of Gen Z owns a smartphone and spend 4+ hours on their phone a day
78% consider their phones their most crucial device to go online
79% of Gen Z use their phones to shop online
95% visit or use social media exclusively with their mobile devices
25% of Gen Z had their smartphone before the age of 10
64% are more likely than other generations to trust text messages from brands
The list could go and on, but you can gather just how valuable Gen Z considers their cellphones. Add in the high deliverability, open, click, and response rates of SMS for all generations, and you have a recipe for success. Now, you need some ideas for texts.
Larger companies can use SMS for promotional purposes as well, but there’s a reason we’re calling out smaller organizations. Gen Z grew up in the shadow of the 2009 Recession, so they trust big brands less and appreciate frugality more. Smaller businesses can gain their trust quicker through SMS through unique opt-in campaigns then foster the relationship with coupons and promos codes.
In many ways, Gen Z and Millennials are similar, especially when it comes to older Gen Zers (think 22-23). You can get their attention by getting them involved in building your brand through text. For instance, when you send them an SMS, you can ask them to share it with their friends, spread the word online, or upload a screenshot of your message to social media. If you reward them with a coupon or exposure, you can create a capable army of “mini-influencers” with SMS’s power.
A lot of Gen Z is already in the workforce, with more entering every day. Take advantage of this by utilizing SMS throughout your interviewing or hiring process. We’ve already established they’re looking at their phones a large portion of the day, so if you need to get in touch for references, text them. You can also send follow-ups on interviews, next steps if they get hired, or onboarding messages via text. Whatever it is, capitalize on the fact that this massive generation of workers is coming your way.
These are just a few of many SMS campaign examples to connect with Gen Z. Because of their propensity to mobile devices, you’re likely to be successful with any text message campaigns. However, there are still things you need to consider to increase engagement, such as:
At Lynton, we’d be happy to help you brainstorm your Gen Z communication strategy, provide tips for winning SMS campaigns, and whatever else you need. Contact us here.