Successfully Tracking Gen Z Online Habits

Summary

Successfully Tracking Gen Z Online Habits

MarTech Podcast ™ | Release Date: November 25, 2024
Host: Benjamin Shapiro
Guest: Jennifer Silverberg, CEO of Smart Commerce and Co-host of the CPG Scoop Podcast

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Introduction

In this episode of the MarTech Podcast ™, host Benjamin Shapiro engages in an insightful conversation with Jennifer Silverberg, CEO of Smart Commerce. The discussion centers around understanding and effectively tracking the online habits of Generation Z (Gen Z), a demographic increasingly pivotal for brands aiming to drive e-commerce growth.

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Understanding Gen Z's Online Habits

Jennifer Silverberg begins by defining Gen Z, emphasizing their unique position as digital natives who have grown up with the internet, smartphones, and social media. Leveraging insights from ChatGPT, she outlines three core characteristics of Gen Z:

1. Digital Prowess: Gen Z is highly tech-savvy, accustomed to constant connectivity.
2. Social Media Influence: Their interactions are heavily influenced by digital content rather than real-world experiences.
3. Early Adulthood Dynamics: With ages ranging from 12 to 27, Gen Z is navigating critical life milestones, such as entering adulthood and, for some, parenthood.

Notable Quote:
Jennifer Silverberg at [03:43] – “Gen Z is online. They're not just only influenced by social media as in the people that they know. It is all of the content creators that are producing content around the things that they are interested in.”

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Leveraging Influencers for E-commerce

The conversation delves into the strategic use of influencers to connect with Gen Z consumers. Jennifer emphasizes that while social media presence is essential, authenticity and relevance are paramount. Brands must collaborate with influencers who resonate with Gen Z's values and lifestyle to foster genuine connections.

Notable Quote:
Jennifer Silverberg at [10:47] – “If you're going to earn my attention, particularly as a Gen Z, you have to be telling me something I want to know.”

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Marketing Mythbusters: Beyond Social Media

Shapiro introduces the "Marketing Mythbusters" segment, challenging the notion that social media alone suffices for effective Gen Z marketing. Jennifer counters by highlighting the importance of incorporating physical engagement methods alongside digital strategies.

Key Points:

• Physical Mail and Samples: Contrary to heavy reliance on digital, Gen Z appreciates tangible interactions such as physical mail and product samples, which create emotional connections.
• Real-life Events: Participating in events where Gen Z gathers allows brands to engage directly, fostering deeper relationships beyond the digital realm.

Notable Quote:
Jennifer Silverberg at [05:46] – “They like mail, they don't like email. They like actual physical mail. They like real experiences.”

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Gen Z's Shopping Behavior

Exploring Gen Z's purchasing patterns, Jennifer outlines their preference for online shopping over traditional retail experiences. This demographic values convenience, instant gratification, and the ability to access products swiftly across multiple platforms.

Key Insights:

• Multi-Platform Shopping: Gen Z utilizes various online platforms like Amazon and Temu for their purchases, reflecting their desire for diverse options and ease of access.
• Immediate Gratification: They expect products to be delivered quickly and seamlessly, valuing time as a critical component of cost.
• Digital Saving and Influencer Impact: Features like saving items on Pinterest or Snapchat facilitate immediate purchasing decisions influenced by trusted influencers.

Notable Quote:
Jennifer Silverberg at [07:28] – “When you think of a store as a place you go to buy a thing, they think of their phone as a place where you go to buy a thing.”

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Secret Sauce for Engaging Gen Z

Jennifer shares her strategies for creating impactful campaigns targeting Gen Z. She underscores the importance of:

1. Capturing Attention Quickly: Given Gen Z's short attention spans, conversion pathways must be immediate and intuitive.
2. Humanizing the Brand: Treating Gen Z as individuals rather than mere consumers fosters trust and loyalty.
3. Partnering with Credible Influencers: Collaborations with trusted influencers help brands become integral partners in Gen Z's lives, especially during pivotal life transitions.

Notable Quote:
Jennifer Silverberg at [08:48] – “They have the shortest attention spans of anyone. So I would say you have to make sure that your conversion methodology… has to be right there because they are on to the next thing.”

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Commerce and Influencers Integration

The discussion highlights the intertwined relationship between commerce and influencer marketing in reaching Gen Z. Jennifer advises brands to develop their own media presence and create content that aligns with Gen Z's interests and values. This approach ensures that brands remain relevant and authoritative in the digital spaces where Gen Z spends their time.

Key Strategies:

• Media Brand Creation: Building a content-rich media brand helps in sustaining engagement with Gen Z.
• Authentic Content: Providing valuable and relevant information through influencers positions brands as trusted allies.
• Physical and Digital Synergy: Combining digital influencer strategies with physical touchpoints enhances brand presence and consumer trust.

Notable Quote:
Jennifer Silverberg at [10:47] – “Commerce, influencers and a younger generation, Gen Z are all very closely tied together.”

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Conclusion

The episode wraps up with Jennifer Silverberg promoting her podcast, CPG Scoop, and inviting listeners to engage with Smart Commerce for data-driven insights into Gen Z behavior. Benjamin Shapiro reiterates the significance of understanding and adapting to Gen Z's unique online habits to drive e-commerce success.

Final Takeaway:
To effectively market to Gen Z, brands must adopt a multifaceted approach that blends authentic influencer partnerships, immediate and convenient online shopping experiences, and meaningful physical interactions. By doing so, brands can build lasting relationships with this influential and dynamic demographic.

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Resources & Further Information

• Jennifer Silverberg's LinkedIn: LinkedIn Profile
• Smart Commerce Website: smartcommerce.com
• CPG Scoop Podcast: CPG Scoop

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Disclaimer: This summary is based on the transcript of the MarTech Podcast ™ episode titled "Successfully Tracking Gen Z Online Habits" released on November 25, 2024. All quotes are accurately attributed and timestamped as per the provided transcript.

Transcript

[Benjamin Shapiro]

The Martech Podcast is a proud member of the iHear Everything Podcast Network. Looking to launch or scale your podcast, iHear everything delivers podcast production, growth and monetization solutions that transform your words into profit. Ready to give your brand a voice? Then visit iheareverything.com.

[Jennifer Silverberg]

From advertising to software as a service to data, across all of our programs and clients, we've seen a 55 to 65% open rate. Getting brands authentically integrated into content performs better than TV advertising. Typical life span of an article is about 24 to 36 hours. If we're reaching out to the right person with the right message and a clear call to action, then it's just a matter of timing.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Welcome to the Martech Podcast, a member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network. In this podcast, you'll hear the stories of world class marketers that use technology to drive business results and achieve career success. Here's the host of the Martech Podcast, Benjamin Shapiro.

[Jennifer Silverberg]

Welcome to the Martech Podcast. I'm your host, Benjamin Shapiro. How are you everybody? Today we're going to talk a little bit about what's happening in influencer content. Joining me is Jennifer Silverberg, who is the CEO of Smart Commerce, which is a Martech platform that helps CPG brands drive more conversions. She's also the co host of the CPG Scoop podcast. So we're going to learn a little bit about what's happening with the younger demographic, Gen Z. So to start off, we're going to basically break our conversation how we do these live streams. We're going to break them into two separate topics. The first topic is going to be understanding what's happening, leveraging influence for E Commerce and making sure that everybody understands leveraging influencers for E Commerce. We're also going to break our conversation into the second part, which is making sense of Gen Z's online habits. But before we get to today's interview, I want to tell you about what I'm listening to. Ever wanted to sit down to a candid conversation with marketing leaders from the world's biggest brands? The Current Podcast is your chance. On the Current Podcast you'll find exclusive interviews with the experts and trendsetters who are on the front lines of digital advertising and they always leave the ad tech jargon at the door. So subscribe to the current@ww, the current.com or anywhere you get your podcasts today. Jennifer, I want to bring you back and move on to another game that we like to play when we're talking about Gen Z. What I want to do is a game we call role play. I want you to put yourself in the mind of someone in Gen Z and talk to me a little bit about what your buying habits are. How do you think about the world and what's important to you when you're looking for products and services?

Well, I understood from the very beginning that I was voting with my dollars. They've definitely come up with that. Wow, I wish I were better at role playing. I'm not great at this. I absolutely believe that anything that I want, that there's a way for me to get it. And I believe that I should be able to get it very quickly and easily. I know that there are 15 different ways to get it and I don't have to go to it. I expect it to come to me. I do want to know about the company that I'm buying from, but at the end of the day, I still am going to make a decision based on really the total cost to me. And I'm smart enough to know that a cost isn't just in dollars, but cost is also in time. So you're sharing your screen here?

I am, I am. That was actually intentional. The reason why I'm sharing my screen is let's talk about what Gen Z actually means. And of course brought up our friend ChatGPT just to define Gen Z. So Gen Z, Generation Z, commonly referred to as Gen Z, includes individuals born between 1997 and 2012. The generation is characterized by growing up with the Internet, smartphones and social media as part of their lives, making them highly tech savvy and accustomed to constant connectivity. The reason why I wanted to bring up the definition was I think that there are three components that ChatGPT brings up and when we're role playing, it is, I'm young. I grew up after 1997. How old does that make me? Thirteen. I'm kidding. It's a little older than that. But it's not just I grew up with the Internet. It's not just I grew up with a smartphone. I have social media. And so as we talk about the connection between not only I'm always connected, I always have access to the Internet, but I always am influenced by what is happening in the digital world as opposed to the real world around me. You know, if I'm role playing, I'm like, I'm Gen Z. I'm relatively young, I've got some disposable income. I think the guy on this podcast sounds old. I also have social media and I'm used to Snapchatting been on TikTok, I'm just going through my feed. I'm always being constantly influenced by what's happening. Better thumb on the pulse of what's happening in the entire world. Much more digital, much more influenced and probably more influenced by people that I don't necessarily know. So let's move on to our second segment today, which we're calling Marketing mythbusters. As we're starting to think about what is important to Gen Z, I'm basically making the case that, hey, all social media all of the time, that's really where we should be marketing to Gen Z if we're trying to sell products to them. Am I right? Can you bust my myth? Is it social media or bust when it comes to marketing to Gen Z?

No, I think social media for sure. But you have to be there. You're not going to be successful without being there, I'll say that. But there's also this weird undercurrent that's starting to happen. They like mail, they don't like email. They like actual physical mail. They like real experiences. They are going to events at a much, much higher rate and they're interacting with each other IRL in those events. And if you can be present there, you have an opportunity to create an emotional connection that they're missing through the social media. And so I think some of the brands are doing some really interesting things by being either physically present in the form of mail or sampling or that kind of thing, something that someone can hold or being at an event where Gen Zs are with each other in real life. They're also becoming parents. So it's a really, really interesting time to be interacting with them and setting brand choices. So for a lot of the brands, the lifetime value of a Gen Z is huge right now. So they can afford to over invest in creating that relationship and setting that relationship early, both through social and through other mechanisms.

They're 12 to 27 years old. I had ChatGPT do the math on that as well. 12 to 27 years old. They've been in the digital world since they were fetuses. Right? They've always had social media. There's always interaction. But they're not going to the mall like you and I did in high school to like try on the clothes before we decide if we buy them. So it makes sense. This notion of something physically got sent to me. I get a tangible physical thing or I get a product sample that I get to try. That's the experience that we had to seek out. They want Everything immediately. They want it on demand, it shows up at their door. It feels like a bonus.

And when you think of a store as a place you go to buy a thing, they think of their phone as a place where you go to buy a thing. And when I was in high school and I thought, I need new shoes, my first thought was, I'm going to go to the mall and I'm going to go look for them. Their first thought is, I'm going to go online and see what's out there. I'm going to go look on Amazon, I'm going to go look at temu, I'm going to go look at whatever. And TEMU is a symptom of that group and the way that they think. I want entertainment in the form of goods as well, which is kind of an interesting concept when I think about.

The online shopping behaviors. And maybe I'm not in Gen Z, but most of the time when I'm like, I want to go buy a thing, I'm going to look for it. And then you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to go to Instagram and see now that I've dropped a digital breadcrumb that I'm in the market for something, let's go see who's paying to market those products and services to me. And I generally find products I like a little bit better. Hey, way to go, Facebook meta. All right, we're going to move on to our last topic for today, our last segment, which is behind the Curtain. Jen, you're a prolific podcast host talking about cpg. You also are the head of the smart commerce company helping people actually sell this. When you are putting together campaigns for your customers, specifically, if they're targeting Gen Z, what's the secret sauce for you? What are you doing to actually get in front and make a lasting impact in front of the Gen Z digital customer?

They have the shortest attention spans of anyone. So I would say you have to make sure that your conversion methodology, whether it's saving something on Pinterest so they don't lose it, or saving it to TikTok, or making a video out of it right away, or buying it right away or dropping it in a cart or whatever, has to be right there because they are on to the next thing. Do not expect them to remember it and to bring it back up. Beyond that, I think it's treating them like a human rather than like a consumer or a target. So there again, what I'd said earlier, and this bridges the two topics that we're talking about is I would be much more likely to put an influencer in front of them in the context of an ad or ratings and reviews. They love reviews because a lot of the products are new to them. Imagine you have the Gen Z that's just buying their first house and they have a whole set of cleaning supplies they have to learn about. They have to learn about lawnmowers and how to take care of plants and all these things that they actually don't know anything about. And the place that they're going is online and some of the ads that they see and some of the influencers they see to help teach them about this. Some of their parents didn't take care of their car. They weren't the ones who took care of their car. They don't know how to put oil in the car. They don't know that they're turning to online for everything. So if you become the partner that they need to show them and to tell them the things that they need to learn at this kind of critical juncture as they become adults. I know the 12 year olds aren't becoming adults yet, but certainly the 18 to 27 year olds are on that cusp. I would be trying to find ways to partner with them at that point and get them to invite me into their lives. It actually was funny that you started this whole thing out by saying we were going to talk about influencer content and the word content and the word commerce are very, very closely knit together. Now again, if you're going to earn my attention, particularly as a Gen Z, you have to be telling me something I want to know. And telling me now that you can get my clothes 10% brighter is absolutely not something I want to know. What I want to know is something really interesting about your detergent. Why should I consider this? Why is it important? How does it fit into my life?

I think the big takeaway here is that commerce, influencers and a younger generation, Gen Z are all very closely tied together. Gen Z is online. They're not just only influenced by social media as in the people that they know. It is all of the content creators that are producing content around the things that they are interesting. And that's the opportunity for brands to reach them is if you're not creating a media brand, if you're not creating content, if you're not in the places where Gen Z is, and let's be clear, the social media platforms and it's TikTok and it's Snapchat and it's Instagram, probably not so much. Twitter, probably not LinkedIn as much. They don't like their email. But if you send them something physical, you might have a bigger brand impact. Like these are younger people that grew up with all of the influences of the entire world being thrown at them at once. And to master an e commerce strategy for them, you need to be in the places where they are working with the people that they consider credible and that can be their friends and family. It can also be some of the big influencers that are creating content on the subjects that they want. Jennifer, the last thing I want to ask for you give me your shout outs, your call outs, anything you want to promote before we let you go.

I'll do a call out. Come listen to CPG Scoop. We have some great conversations over there as well. In fact, I'd like to invite you, Benjamin, to come over and be a guest on CPG Scoop. The other thing I would love to invite is Benjamin asked me when I jumped on here, why are you doing this podcast? What are you hoping to get out of it? And I said it's a way to start conversations that make us smarter. And I invite anybody who's listening on here. I'm Jennifer. @smartcommerce.com, it's pretty easy. Reach out and start a conversation if you want to jump on. Just a conversation about something you disagreed with me on or something that you think we should have said a little bit more about or ask about our data we have. I used the word crap ton yesterday and somebody laughed at me. But we have a crap ton of data. I mean just a ridiculous amount of consumer behavioral data like how they actually behave, not how they say they're going to behave, but what we actually see them doing out in the world. From a commerce standpoint, if you have a question and you want us to mine that data to get an answer, we are happy to do it. So please reach out. Please feel free to reach out anytime.

All right, Jennifer, thanks for coming on the podcast that wraps up this episode of the Martech podcast. If you're watching on the live stream, thank you so much for joining us. Feel free to leave your comments. If you get them in real quick, we'll try to respond. If not, we'll send you the messages back on LinkedIn, YouTube, wherever you're writing or watching. If you're watching the pre recorded video, we still do get the comments and we'll write you back if you have any questions. If you're listening on the podcast, thanks for listening to my conversation with Jennifer Silverberg, the CEO of Smart Commerce. If you'd like to hear more from Jennifer, you can find a link to her LinkedIn profile in our show Notes. You can visit her company's website, which is smartcommerce.com A special thanks to the Current Podcast for sponsoring today's interview. If you're looking for candid conversations with marketing leaders from the world's biggest brands, then give the Current Podcast a listen. On the Current Podcast you'll find exclusive interviews with experts and trendsetters who are on the front lines of digital advertising, and they always leave the ad tech jargon at the door. So subscribe to the [e-mail] or anywhere you get your podcasts today. Just one more link I want to tell you about. If you didn't have a chance to take notes, head over to martechpod.com we've got show notes, quotes the descriptions of all of our guests. You could subscribe to be the next guest speaker on the Martech Podcast. You could sign up for our newsletter and if you haven't subscribed yet and you want a daily stream of marketing and technology knowledge in your podcast feed. We publish episodes every day, so hit the subscribe button in your podcast app and we'll be back in your feed tomorrow morning. If you're on the live stream. Hey, subscribe like do all the things. Five star reviews. We appreciate you joining us. And that wraps up the episode of the Martech Podcast. That's all for today, but my advice until next time is just focus on keeping your customers happy.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Thanks for listening to the Martech Podcast and Ihear everything Production Looking to launch or scale a podcast like this one for your brand? Then visit iheareverything.com.