6 Strategies To Draw A Gen Z Audience on Instagram

As a content creator, you’ve probably done a lot of research into the preferences of different generations, including Gen Z. You probably also know that Gen Z social media audiences favor technology, have extreme climate anxiety, and have a different outlook on big brands.

However, you might be under the impression that you can only market to Gen Z on TikTok. Even though Gen Z loves TikTok, they have a sizable and considerable presence on other platforms, including Instagram.

If Instagram is your social media app of choice, you can reach a Gen Z audience using a few simple tips:

1. Accept That Conventional Marketing Strategies Won’t Cut It

Knowing what Gen Z prefers to see from a brand is one thing. It is another thing to tailor your marketing strategy to appeal to a Gen Z audience.

Firstly, you must accept that conventional marketing won’t work. Cutting corners won’t do the trick. Clever ads and words won’t trick Gen Z into buying your product. You must be willing to step far beyond the traditional marketing box to succeed with a Gen Z Instagram following.

2. Create Attention-Grabbing Content (Using UGC)

Gen Z is content-crazy, in a good way. They are always looking for something new, presented in a way they like to access information. The secret to creating content that a Gen Z follower will immediately click on is to use UGC (user-generated content).

Gen Z has little interest in celebrities making big bucks with product promotion. Instead, they want to see their peers using and reviewing products. In fact, 70% of Gen Z social media users actively search for UGC before buying from a brand.

3. Embrace Your Inner Creator (And Don’t Aim For Perfection)

Instagram is a visual-first platform that makes content creators immediately assume that all photos and videos must be picture-perfect. Keep in mind, though, that Gen Z users gravitate towards authenticity instead of perfection.

However, this is not to say that Gen Z users don’t want to see polished videos and images taking over their feed. Instead, they want brands to embrace their niches and create content with communities in mind.

This also means you must find what interests Gen Z the most on Instagram and create genuine human content they can relate to.

The best way to do this is to inject your unique voice and personality into every post. Doing so will allow Gen Z followers to get to know you and instantly recognize your brand.

4. Bring The Fun

Gen Z wants to protect the planet and is vocal about social issues. This, however, doesn’t mean that they don’t want to let their hair down and have fun on Instagram. Use Instagram trends and challenges to draw Gen Z followers to your profile. And you can use humor and fun to keep them coming back.

You can also go far outside the box when planning fun content for Gen Z audiences. For example, you can create puzzles set to trending music. The end result can be a picture of one of your best-selling products, including a discount code. Or, if you want to increase engagement on your profile, you can set up quizzes based on Gen Z interests.

If you want engagement to skyrocket, set up a recurring challenge. Choose a topic Gen Z loves, build a challenge that lasts a few weeks, and add a hashtag or two to make it discoverable.

If you have a new or limited-edition product on the horizon, post a couple of teasers to build excitement. As you plan fun posts for your Instagram account, remember the goal: drawing a Gen Z crowd to interact with your posts and eventually buy your product.

5. Don’t Zero In On the Sale

One of the biggest marketing mistakes brands still make is going straight for the sale. Sometimes, they’ll add a cute little ditty to a post, and then suddenly push a strong call-to-action like “Buy Now!”

If you insist on pushing your product, you will instantly turn off any online audience, including Gen Z. You'll also waste your time if you prioritize getting more sales over drawing followers with valuable content. Position yourself as a responsible market leader who can entertain on social media long before you get to the selling part.

This doesn’t mean you need to post how-to videos or sing-along tunes for months. What it means is that all your strategies must be conversation-based, favoring engagement and feedback. This will allow you to gain incredible insights into what Instagram’s Gen Z audiences want to see.

6. Put a Little Effort Into Your Instagram Videos

Instagram is going big with video content, which is also what Gen Z loves. Videos are highly engaging and shareable, two cornerstones of Gen Z content creation. Use Instagram videos to share your brand’s social mission and values.

Let your followers know what you’re doing differently to help protect the planet and vulnerable communities. Prove that you are putting in the effort to do your part, however small it may be.

Allow your audience to make suggestions on how you can improve your mission. When you give Gen Z the chance to contribute their ideas, you make them a part of a bigger conversation. This creates trust, which is another cornerstone of Gen Z content.

You can also get familiar with Augmented Reality technology. Gen Z loves AR content and is more likely to share AR videos. Lastly, get a non-celebrity influencer or two onboard. If you partner with a trusted Gen Z influencer, you can combine forces to create even better Instagram videos and draw a wider Gen Z audience.

Conclusion

It can be tricky to create effective marketing strategies for drawing a Gen Z audience. Gen Z is a digital-first generation born into a world of online advertising. You won't fool them with old-school marketing strategies, and they can spot disingenuous brands a mile away.

Therefore, if you can get the fundamentals of Gen Z marketing down and gain this generation’s trust, you will be well on your way to massive Instagram success.