Snapchat has this week published a new research report, conducted in partnership with CASSANDRA, which looks at Gen Z shopping trends, including product discovery behavior and their expectations of brands.
And while most of the findings are as you would expect, there are some relevant notes that marketers should take into consideration when looking to connect with the next generation of consumers.
First off, the research shows that friends and family are the most common source of insights for product discovery:
As per Snap:
“Over a quarter of Gen Z said they first heard about a new brand from a friend or family member’s recommendation.”
That’s not overly surprising – family and friend recommendations have always been key in the discovery process – though it is interesting that influencer posts ranked the lowest here. Could that mean that Gen Z consumers are becoming more wary of influencer/brand partnerships? Could that also point to UGC being a better way to go for your future campaigns?
The research also shows that Gen Z consumers are more likely to head to a brand’s website than their social profiles.
Again not overly surprising, though Snapchat does note that user reviews are particularly important in certain sectors:
“When it comes to what goes into their bodies, though, Gen Z takes a different approach. User reviews are their go-to resources for more on new beauty brands, and family and friends are most reliable for learning more about new food brands.”
But it’s this element that may hold the most insight for marketers looking to maximize their appeal to younger audiences. According to Snap’s research, a majority of Gen Z consumers would stop using a brand if that business was found to be practicing unethical processes.
Much has been made about the next generation’s social conscience, and the need to showcase where your company stands on certain issues in order to solidify your appeal. These stats further underline the same – if there are ways to showcase your brand’s stance on relevant issues, and its contribution to the greater good, it may well be worth investigating to maximize your business appeal.
The research also showed that 73% of respondents indicated they would be interested in a new brand if their friends were talking about it, while interestingly, 46% of respondents said that they had shared about a positive brand experience, and 40% indicated that they’d recently shared a good customer service experience with their friends or family.
That may suggest that the next generation is also increasingly aware of how their opinion can benefit brands and are looking to reward good businesses through positive social mentions.
As noted, the findings are not revolutionary, they likely won’t transform your approach to Gen Z marketing. But there are some interesting points and notes to consider, some worthy indicators that can help in your strategic planning.
You can read more about Snapchat’s “New Brand on the Block” report here.
This article was originally published by our friends at Social Media Today.
