In today’s market, every customer segment represents an opportunity. Among these, one stands out for its potential to shape the future: Gen Z.
In 2020, Gen Z made up 40% of global consumers. This number is growing – they’re now set to become the largest consumer group ever.
This is significant.
And while it might seem like young consumers are most loyal to the biggest and brightest brands, small businesses shouldn’t lose hope.
In fact, the opposite is true.
In this blog, we’ll discuss why small businesses should prioritize Gen Z and provide some handy tips on how to win over this generation.
Small Businesses: The Heart of Local Economies
Small businesses are often the lifeblood of local economies. They drive innovation and, due to their size, often have loyal customer bases. It might be easy for some businesses to sit back and relax, but for brands just starting out and wanting to make a name for themselves, the hard work starts here.
Small businesses need to show they’re in demand. You might have fewer resources than your larger competitors, but this isn’t the end of the road. This is where a solid marketing strategy comes into play. We can help with that, by the way.
The Power of the Algorithm
Thanks to the power of algorithms, anyone can go viral. The TikTok algorithm has changed the game. It’s not about how many followers you have – almost anyone can go viral if the content is right.
For small businesses, TikTok has been a game-changer. By the end of 2024, TikTok is expected to have over two billion daily active users. For context, that’s almost a quarter of the Earth’s population.
The primary users of TikTok are Gen Z.
According to our data, 83% of those aged 16-24 use TikTok. With short content, visual storytelling, and in-app communities, we found that trust increases on this app: 30% of Gen Z trust TikTok creators more than creators on other platforms.
Creative, Short-Form Video is Dominating Social Media
We’ve said it once, and we’ll probably say it a thousand more times: young consumers value authenticity.
There’s nothing as authentic as seeing a product visualized, tried, tested, and reviewed by other users.
Small businesses should leverage this to capture Gen Z’s spending.
TikTok allows you to tap into the content your audience wants to see – and no kind of content is too niche.
Incorporate hashtags that are relevant to your small business. Use SEO features to optimize your content.
Don’t worry if you don’t see results right away. Community management is a powerful way to build valued customers, so ensure you’re replying to comments, staying active, and using the algorithm to find out what’s trending in your space.
This approach helps build a strong brand and ensures long-term customer satisfaction.
Budget Isn’t Everything
If you’re worried about not having a huge marketing budget to spend on influencers and the latest equipment, don’t panic!
TikTok provides small business owners with a great opportunity. Gen Z isn’t receptive to perfectly curated content. Sometimes, the content with the least spend goes viral.
In the UK, small-business food brand Dohhut has become a popular Gen Z spot. The trick? Stripped-back social media marketing.
Their Instagram account has amassed 93,000 followers. Their content strategy is simple: behind-the-scenes videos, all filmed on an iPhone, and a few shots of their doughnuts being ripped apart to reveal the goodness inside.
