The new digital generations have been stomping. When we thought we were finally understanding how to reach millennials, now it’s time to do  marketing for  centennials . Although many of them are still dependent on their parents’ credit card, it is time to get ahead of the competition and give your marketing a spin to attract the youngest. But who exactly are the centennials? In what social networks are they hiding? What are your consumption habits? Don’t worry, here I will tell you everything you need to know to  conquer the new generations with your  online advertising.

Who are the centennials?

As surely you have already deduced, the centennials or generation Z are the “little brothers” of the  millennials. Born between 1995 and 2010, they are a very diverse Ukraine Phone Number List generation, ranging from elementary school kids to twenty somethings looking for their first job. But their time is coming: it is estimated that by 2020, centennials will account for no less than 40% of consumers.

• To better reach a centennial with your advertising, you may be interested in downloading the free ebook:  Strategies for a better Advertising on Instagram .

These are some of the characteristics that can help us understand them better:

• They are 100% digital natives . The phrase ” digital native ” has been abused a lot , but the truth is that this is the first generation that does not really remember a world without internet or mobile phones; in fact, the youngest have already grown up with Facebook, Twitter and smartphones. In contrast, millennials were young enough to adapt to new technologies without a hitch, but they did live at least a few years into the predigital era.
• They are less consumerist than millennials . Members of the new digital generations value entertainment and experiences more than objects. In fact, 72% of them consider that having new things is overrated as long as the basic needs are covered. They also value fashion less than teens of a few decades ago.
• They are not compulsive shoppers . In addition to valuing material things less, they are also more responsible when it comes to acquiring them. Instead of being carried away by their impulses, they carefully analyze their purchase decisions, research, compare and, above all, rely on online reviews (95% of them consult them before making a purchase). Regarding their purchase criteria, most value quality over price.
• They are less idealistic and have more practical sense . If we compare digital generations with a family, millennials are like the older brother who has done all the crazy things and centennials would be the little brother who has chastened someone else’s head. Faced with the desire to travel, fulfill and change the world of millennials, Generation Z is much more attached to practical reality. Growing up before the crisis, millennials were raised with the conviction that a dazzling future awaited them, but their younger siblings know they better be realistic.
• They are committed to integration and sustainability . Growing up with the internet has made them easily accessible to people from all over the world and aware of the differences. In addition to this social awareness, the environment and the future of the planet are also important to them.

Centennials on social media

As with  previous digital generations , centennials use social networks in the majority. However, there are some  key differences with millennials  that we must take into account to adapt our social media plans to them.

They prefer fun content to interactions with friends

When millennials were teenagers, they used social media to update their statuses and see what’s new from their friends; in short, to strengthen relationships in your real life. Instead,  Gen Z spends more time using social media as a means of entertainment and content consumption .

For brands, this is a great opportunity to connect with centennials through the content they consume, but that does not mean that we should insert ads within them. Instead, we must bet on creating content that is capable of standing out from all the noise and that the users themselves want to consume and share.

They use less social networks, but spend more time on them

The number of social media platforms has grown steadily over the past decade but, surprisingly, centennials are more reluctant to join them than   previous digital generations. According to data from  GlobalWebIndex , members of Generation Z use on average 7 different platforms or social networks, compared to 8 of the previous generation. Instead, they spend almost 3 hours a day on social media, while millennials only spend 2 hours and 39 minutes.

They like to interact with influencers more than with brands

According to data from  We Are Social , centennials are more likely to use social media to keep up with what their favorite celebrities post, preferring to follow actors rather than brands. In contrast, millennials tend to follow the brands they like on social media, and are more likely to visit the brands’ social media pages and share their posts.

To take advantage of this trend in your  marketing strategy , think about how you can use the influencers most admired by centennials to promote your products and services, and don’t forget to take into account the power of  micro-influencers  (users with fewer followers in the networks than “classic” influencers, but with a closer relationship with each of them).

His favorite networks are Snapchat and Instagram.

Facebook  is the most popular social network worldwide among all digital generations except the centennials. Already in 2016, Snapchat surpassed Facebook as the most popular social network among American teenagers, and it continues to add users in the 12 to 17-year-old group. One of the main reasons for this preference is privacy. Millennials went headlong onto social media, but centennials are much more wary of what they share. For this reason, they are attracted to closed networks and with ephemeral content, which also explains the success of Instagram Stories among this generation.

10 tips from Forbes to sell to the new digital generations

1) Don’t create ads, create value

The  centennials  are even more critical with advertising that millennials . Since they have never known life without access to the internet and mobile technologies, they are aware of the price of their care. They have never sat in front of the television to watch the commercials, and they do not plan to do it online. Instead of advertising,  offer them resources, channels and profiles that give them what they are looking for , either through entertainment, information or tutorials. The key is to get them to interact with what you offer them voluntarily, instead of imposing your content on them.

2) Take care of appearances

If you claim that you are a  leader in your sector, you better have the design of your website and your mobile application be up to par . The new digital generations are native to the visual language of the internet, and they know how to perfectly recognize if you have not updated your page in the last 10 years. The  Z generation  does not want to tell them you’re the best: you have to get into them through the eyes first. For that, your website has to work perfectly from mobile phones, your profile picture has to be recent, the images clear and well adjusted … well, appearances matter.

3) Don’t sell, help

The  centennials  know perfectly the power of technology and the Internet. For them, becoming an online influencer is just as valid a career as studying a career. It is the reality that they see every day on their Instagram posts. And unlike other generations, this one has the tools to Phone Number List make your dreams come true. Many begin to build their brand image and build an audience when they are just teenagers .

For brands, these users are not only consumers, but also allies or even competitors. Therefore, when communicating with them, do not think about asking for things, but about helping them, empowering them and collaborating with them.

4) Be multiscreen

It was hard enough to hold the attention of millennials, but with centennials it seems almost a lost cause. On average,  Generation Y  used three screens (mobile, television and computer), but  Generation Z  has expanded this number to five.

With so many options to choose from, there is no hope of keeping their attention with content they don’t want to consume. For example, if you put a pre-roll ad, they will almost certainly move to another screen as it ends and you will have lost your chance to impact them.

5) Tell them the whole story in 8 seconds or less

It sounds dramatic, but according to the latest studies,  the average attention span of a Gen Z member is just 8 seconds .  So if you want them to click on your blog post, watch your video, or “Like” your photo, you need to be able to quickly convey what your content is about, why they are interested, and how you can help them or entertain them. If you want to win over the  centennials , you have to be  as short and simple as possible . Make sure to include your brand in the first few seconds, and trust the best creators to help you stand out on a crowded news wall.

6) Help them change the world

According to a recent study by Marketo,  60% of centennials want their work to have an impact on the world , and 76% are concerned about the human footprint on the planet. Although they are not as idealistic as their older brothers, there is no doubt that they are aware. At the same time, this generation is very capable of distinguishing authenticity from mere marketing. If you want to convey the social responsibility of your brand, you will have to practice what you preach and be willing to demonstrate it at every step.

7) Take advantage of social commerce

In the United States, large stores such as Macy’s, JC Penney or American Eagle are closing their physical stores and not because they are in crisis, but because of the boom in online shopping. As the new  digital generations take  their places,  online sales  are displacing traditional stores. 55% of those under 18 years of age prefer to buy clothes online, and  53% express the same preference to buy books and electronic devices.

Therefore, if you want to sell to this generation, you need to have your ecommerce ready and have a solid strategy to reach them through online channels.

8) Communities are more important than platforms

Why do young people today spend their lives hooked on mobile phones? Very simple: because it is the tool they use to communicate with their friends, whether they are from their environment or virtual. More than specific platforms,  users naturally gravitate towards the communities with which they share interests . So instead of obsessing over finding out which apps they use the most, consider what they are most interested in so you know how to find them.

9) celebrity marketing no longer works

The  marketing with celebrities  is a strategy “lifelong” to reach younger, but the rules are changing. The centennials no longer identify with famous lifelong, but with youtubers and influencers of Instagram. And even more,  63% of them say that they prefer to see real people and not celebrities in their ads . Again, the key to connecting with them is authenticity.

10) open your mind

As we have already discussed,  centennials  are a generation aware of differences and more inclusive than ever. And for brands, it’s critical to keep this in mind. There are many things you can do to  show more inclusivity in your marketing , from showing people of different backgrounds to using inclusive language. But deep down, it is a question of principles and values.