7 Rules to Follow When Marketing to Gen Z

Gen Z — the first digitally native generation — has rewritten the rules of engagement for brands. They’re hyper-connected, values-driven, and have a zero-tolerance policy for anything that feels inauthentic. If you’re still using traditional marketing playbooks, you’re already behind.

To win with Gen Z, brands must go beyond surface-level campaigns. They need to foster genuine connections, deliver personalized experiences, and prioritize purpose over promotion. This generation doesn’t just buy into products — they buy into stories, values, and communities that resonate with who they are.

The opportunity is immense: Gen Z wields roughly 17.1% of the total global spending power, at $57.6 trillion, and they’re influencing the purchasing decisions of older generations, too. But earning their attention and trust requires a thoughtful, strategic approach that reflects their digital habits and cultural expectations.

Drawing insights from Viral Nation’s social-first experts in community management and influencer marketing, are seven essential rules every marketer needs to know to thrive when marketing to Gen Z. Nail these, and you’ll not only win their engagement — you’ll earn their loyalty.

1. Don’t Try to Imitate Gen Z Language

Authenticity is non-negotiable when marketing to Gen Z. While it might be tempting to sprinkle your brand messaging with the latest slang, overusing trendy terms can come off as forced and disenguine, not to mention off-brand. This generation can spot inauthenticity a mile away, and nothing turns them off faster.

Instead of trying to sound like them, focus on crafting a social persona that reflects the core of your brand identity. A social persona that is confident, relatable, and true to your brand’s core values will go beyond the surface-level connection of imitation to create lasting resonance.

Pro Tip: Our community management team has been the highest success when practicing social listening. Monitor cultural trends, but don’t chase them. Add value for Gen Z audiences rather than trying to keep up with their evolving vernacular.

Insight to Act On: Brands that embrace a consistent social persona and brand voice build trust over time. If your messaging aligns with your values, you’ll resonate without having to reinvent your tone every quarter.

2. Win Engagement with Creator Partnerships

Gen Z’s trust is hard to earn and even harder to keep, but creators — especially micro- and nano-influencers — hold the key to unlocking their loyalty.

To succeed, partner with creators who align with your brand’s mission and values. Focus on building long-term collaborations rather than one-off sponsorships to ensure authenticity and continuity. The best creator partnerships feel organic, not transactional.

To optimize creator partnerships for brand fit, go beyond surface-level performance metrics like likes and shares. AI-powered tools like Viral Nation Secure™ scale creator vetting, analyzing creator alignment with a brand’s values, tone, and mission to find organic fans and maximize brand-fit. Secure uses advanced sourcing and vetting capabilities to ensure creators are not only credible but will authentically resonate with Gen Z audiences.

Example: Consider e.l.f. Cosmetics’ “CEO for a Day” campaign featuring Mikayla Nogueira for the relaunch of the viral Mikayla Marriage Material Lip Duo. By tapping into Mikayla’s community-leader status and deep connection with her audience, e.l.f. outdid the performance of the products’ initial launch, transforming the relaunch into a moment of celebration that led resonated widely with Gen Z consumers — selling out 50K units in just 10 hours.

3. Create Shareable and Reproducible Content

Gen Z lives for content that’s entertaining, shareable, and — most importantly — reproducible. By crafting content that invites participation, you’re not just broadcasting a message; you’re creating a movement. Organic sharing has been proven to result in higher reach, engagement, and ultimately conversion. Viral Nation’s social content team underlines the power of UGC to drive social commerce:

“Creating moments that generate UGC is essential to a brand’s social strategy. By successfully doing so, brands can harness consumer content and engagement that is agile, high-volume, and authentic. Brands who prompt audiences to generate UGC will organically extend the conversation to social and ultimately maximizing the ROI of the campaign. If you want to understand the voice of a brand on social, you must look at those who follow it.”

• Brandon Lentino, Viral Nation VP, Creative & Experiential

Bonus Tip: Consider gamified content that rewards participation. Small incentives, like giveaways or recognition, amplify the shareability factor.

4. Put Your Values Forward

Gen Z isn’t just buying products; they’re buying into brands that reflect their values. Issues like sustainability, diversity, and social justice aren’t optional add-ons for this audience — they’re essential criteria for trust and loyalty.

But remember: walking the walk is more important than talking the talk. Gen Z will hold you accountable for performative activism. Brands looking to anchor brand ethos in social values relevant to Gen Z can showcase their commitment through transparent actions, meaningful partnerships, and measurable impact.

Example: Patagonia’s unwavering focus on environmental sustainability has made it a favorite among younger consumers. From their iconic “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign to their activism on climate policy, they’ve built a brand synonymous with purpose.

What Marketers Should Know: Gen Z isn’t afraid to research a brand’s claims. Providing evidence through certifications, partnerships, or impact reports — can make all the difference in earning their trust.

5. Leverage Proactive Community Management

Brand marketing to Gen Z will benefit from adopting accessible and responsive social media strategies. Gen Z want two-way conversations, not one-sided advertisements. A proactive and social-first community management strategy prioritizes real-time interactions that add value and build relationships.

Proactive engagement goes beyond responding to comments; it involves fostering an active, vibrant community by engaging both on and off your brand’s channel. By joining relevant conversations in your target community, celebrating user-generated content, and addressing customer questions or concerns quickly, brands demonstrate that they’re not just listening, they’re part of the dialogue.

Why It Matters: Viral Nation’s social-first community management teams have found that proactive community management can drive a 20-30% increase in customer lifetime value (CLV) by fostering stronger relationships and loyalty. Brands that prioritize engagement see lower churn rates and benefit from community-driven feedback loops that inform future strategy.

Action Plan:

• Use social listening tools to track sentiment and uncover engagement opportunities.
• Create dedicated channels for community interaction, such as exclusive groups or interactive Q&A sessions.
• Respond to negative feedback transparently and highlight user success stories to foster loyalty.

Case Study: Wendy’s Twitter strategy is a masterclass in community engagement. By combining humor, quick responses, and culturally relevant commentary, they’ve built a loyal following that actively engages with their content.

6. Practice Precision Marketing

Gen Z has grown up with personalized digital experiences, and they expect the same from brands. Generic, one-size-fits-all campaigns won’t cut it. To win the attention of your target audience, you need to deliver hyper-relevant content tailored to specific passion points and behaviors.

Leverage data insights to create precise audience segments and craft campaigns that speak directly to their needs. Tools like AI and machine learning can optimize targeting and improve relevance across platforms.

Precision marketing powered by first-party data and AI tools allows brands to anticipate Gen Z’s needs, driving up to a 25% improvement in campaign effectiveness. Personalization isn’t just an option: it’s table stakes for engaging this audience. But precision isn’t just about technology; it’s about empathy. Social listening and feedback loops allow marketers to fine-tune messaging for maximum relevance.

Example: Spotify’s annual “Wrapped” campaign delivers personalization every year. By giving users a snapshot of their listening habits, they’re delivering value while creating a shareable moment that resonates deeply with Gen Z.

7. Tug Heartstrings with Emotional Marketing

Emotions drive decisions, and Gen Z is no exception. Whether it’s nostalgia, humor, or a heartfelt story, emotional marketing has the power to make your brand memorable.

However, the key lies in striking the right balance. Overly sentimental content can feel disingenuous, while humor that misses the mark can alienate your audience. When it comes to emotional marketing, brands should remain rooted in their established brand ethos and social persona to tell a story or call to a cultural moment that is rooted in humanized connection while balancing professionalism.

Gen Z Marketing for a Social-First World

Winning over Gen Z requires more than clever campaigns; it demands authenticity, creativity, and a deep understanding of their values. By following these seven rules, your brand can build meaningful connections with this influential generation. Remember, Gen Z doesn’t just want to consume content—they want to engage, participate, and advocate for brands that align with their identity. Make your brand one of them.

With the right mix of strategy and execution, marketers can turn Gen Z’s complex expectations into opportunities for lasting brand loyalty.