15 Essential Statistics About Gen Z That Will Help Marketers Win Their Trust In 2021

Generation Z includes anyone born between 1995 and 2012 and makes up a quarter of the U.S. population. As digital natives, Gen Z has grown up scrolling, and with 24/7 access to online resources, they are fast becoming the most well-educated and self-reliant generation yet.

Eight seconds is the estimated attention span of a Gen Z, but this doesn’t mean they aren’t analyzing at a meaningful level. Instead, this hypercognitive generation can use their digital filters to quickly access whether a brand, product, or TikTok reel is worth viewing further. What does Gen Z want from brands? With their early exposure to brands digitally, this means that marketing to gen Z in 2021 and beyond needs to be strategic, relevant, authentic, and engaging.

Why is Generation Z important to marketers?

Considering by 2025 it is estimated that 29% of the U.S population will be Gen Zers, it’s crucial to understand Generation Z consumer behavior to gain this demographic’s trust. This generation is more ethically conscious and ethnically diverse than previous generations. They look to brands that ensure sustainable sourcing, production, and labor. They prefer content that has real people, real sizes, and mixed cultures.

Authenticity and community-orientated attributes are important to Gen Z, with 85% of the generation using social media to learn about brands and products. Is it too late to become an influencer as a brand on platforms such as TikTok? Certainly not. Marketers need to be at the forefront of emerging trends if they want their brands to capture the attention of Gen Zers.

Below are 15 essential gen z stats marketers should know in order to win their trust in 2021. Understanding this generation’s influence in the consumer market and implementing a marketing strategy with them in mind is vital to converting Gen Z into loyal customers.

1. 88% of Gen Zers prefer omnichannel branded experiences.
2. 61% of this generation are willing to pay more for products that are produced with ethical and sustainable methods.
3. Gen Z are at the most diverse generation yet: 52% are non-Hispanic white, 25% are Hispanic, 14% are Black, 6% are Asian, and 5% are one or two more races.
4. 56% of Gen Z are more likely to try a product or service if their favorite online influencer recommends it.
5. 68% of Gen Z usually consider delivery times and options prior to completing an online purchase.
6. Gen Z will make up 30% of the US workforce by 2030 and is estimated to increase their per capita annual expenditure by 70% between 2020 and 2025.
7. Gen Z’s annual purchasing power is estimated as high as $323 billion in the US, with researchers believing this can grow by more than 4X when accounting for Gen Z’s influence within their household.
8. At 59%, Gen Z have the highest rate of advertising recall.
9. 66% percent of Generation Zers in a McKinsey survey believe that communities are created by causes and interests, not by economic backgrounds or educational levels.
10. 68% of Gen-Z expects brands to contribute to society.
11. 66% of Gen-Z says that product quality matters most to them when making a purchase.
12. 64% of Gen Zers will pay more for eco-friendly products, and 49% prefer to buy from local or independent retailers.
13. A National Retail Federation survey found that 36% of Gen Zers would create digital content for a brand, 42% would participate in an online game for a campaign and 43% would participate in a product review.
14. The same report discovered that 62% will not use apps or websites that are difficult to navigate and 60% will not use apps or websites that are slow to load.
15. 58% of Gen-Z is willing to pay more for products that are targeted to their individual personalities.

Expert Tips for marketing to Gen Z in 2021

Now you have seen some of the significant statistics that reveal just how much the Gen Z consumer will influence the future of marketing, let’s highlight some key tips for Gen Z marketing:

• When working with influencers, you must ensure that the chosen influencers share similar core values to your audience, as well as advocate for similar causes t your brand’s mission statement. This way Gen Z can relate and aspire to be like the influencer.
• Storytelling must be authentic, informative, and engaging. Gen Z can see through staged material and thus feels it is false and ultimately not helping to build an affinity with the brand.
• Create content with an 8-second attention span in mind. This doesn’t mean your content should only last for 8 seconds, because if you can gain the attention of a Gen Z in that timeframe, they will be happy to continue viewing/reading for much longer.
• An omnichannel experience is desirable for brand awareness and engagement. Be active on popular platforms such as TikTok and Instagram and keep up with trends, experimenting with content creation to gauge traction from Gen Zers.
• Be vocal about your brand values and ethical and sustainable practices, with opportunities for Gen Z to engage with your initiatives.

Final Thoughts

It is a misconception that the short attention span of Generation Z means they are not making pragmatic, meaningful decisions. This generation has lived a life of hybrid-connectivity between the physical and virtual worlds. They can identify authenticity, navigate platforms, and source information faster and more accurately than any other generation. Their moral compass embedded in them from previous generations, along with their interest in the future of the environment and equality for all people proposes they lean into brands that align with their values. Do you have any interesting Gen Z observations? Let us know in the comments below.