6 Facebook Marketing Techniques for Gen Z Audiences

You can’t deny that Gen Z should be a priority audience for business. But where Facebook marketing techniques and other digital strategies are concerned, winning them over with your usual playbook might not cut it.

To learn how to market to them with impact, we have to first understand what the “me is we” generation is looking for in terms of content they consume online. And by online, we mean it’s mostly on social media.

Because as digital natives Gen Z was born into a ripe internet age. And you can bet that they have a unique palate for content.

As a veteran social media agency in the Philippines, we see this more evidently than anyone. After all, the millions of Filipinos who continue to use social media heavily are the audiences of the brands we work with.

Key characteristics of Gen Z

To learn how to market to Gen Z, it’s vital that you first understand what drives their nuanced taste. What drives them to engage with content? Moreover, what do they expect from brands that are trying to capture their attention?

We look at a study into the characteristics of Gen Z from McKinsey to answer this. They found that Gen Z are truth-seekers in different facets of their lives.

And that this truth-seeking value influences their consumption of goods and online content.

In general, their consumption behavior has three drivers:

• Ethics. Meaning their choices based on how it affects the greater issues that concern them. In goods consumption, they look at the ethicality of a product or company. And for content, they consume and engage with thought.
• Individual expression. Products and content are all an expression of their identity. In terms of experience and products, the more personalized it is, the better for Gen Z.
• Access over ownership. As a practical generation, Gen Z values access to goods and content over owning them. For instance: They don’t want to buy videos, they want access to unlimited streaming services.

Facebook marketing techniques for Gen Z

So, that said, how do you market to Gen Z? What existing and emerging Facebook marketing techniques that work best for them?

Below are a few you should start using.

1. User-generated content

If there’s one thing that Gen Zs love, it’s that they want to express and define themselves using the tools they have at their disposal. That’s why this is leading our list of Facebook marketing techniques.

This is the core philosophy of User-generated Content (UGC). This refers to a Facebook marketing technique in which consumers actively participate in spreading information about a product or service in the form of social media posts and reviews. 

Consider for instance this story posted on the Belo page. Not only do they encourage their clients to share their personal experiences with the clinic, but they also foster a sense of community among those who avail their services.

UGS is after all not just about creating space for your clients and consumers to leave their opinions. It is more about inviting them to be involved with your brand to develop a personal relationship with them. Not only will this make you appear authentic and genuine, this type of content also boosts your social media traffic.

2. Videos are the go-to format

Speaking of interactive content, Gen Zs prefer content that they can relate to as well as get the information they need with great convenience. That is what makes videos superior to infographics when it comes to Gen Z Facebook marketing.

Luckily these videos don’t need to be created with high production value since it may even be helpful if the backdrop is a reliable setting such as a room inside the part of a house. 

This is the reason behind internet sensation Mimiyuuuh’s success which began with her taking videos of herself wearing ordinary and everyday clothes and speaking non-highfalutin local vernacular, which led to her video ads with Lazada.

Who thought creating a home-tour video which aims to sell different products that starts with a shot of her in a toilet will generate 7 million views?  

Only kween things. 💅

3. Use each social media platform differently

Your Facebook marketing strategy is bound to fail if you’re unable to synergize it with other social media marketing platforms. By now, you should understand that communications are carried out with nuances across platforms.

Your video content may be inspired from trends that are trending in other social media such as TikTok. Or you may even invite your audience to create user-generated content based on viral challenges.

It’s also important to pay attention to the advantages of other social media platforms outside the usual ones such as Instagram, Tiktok, and YouTube. One Facebook marketing strategy that draws inspiration from other sites besides this are live video streaming that is inspired by Twitch.

This live video content from Mary Kay Philippines ticks a lot of boxes in must-dos in Facebook marketing.

Live videos answer client FAQs while providing useful  information about the brand. It also makes the brand more interactive and personal with their audience. You might also consider partnering with gaming streamers such as Alodia Gosienfiao and Gloco Gaming who can promote your brand while several users are tuned in their live sessions.

4. Leverage tags effectively

Small-to-medium enterprises can’t compete with large multinational companies in terms of providing budget with their advertising campaigns but this doesn’t mean that they can’t dominate the marketing space offered by Facebook. 

One efficient way to boost your brand’s awareness and visibility is to leverage and capitalize on effective utilization of hashtags. You don’t always have to reinvent the wheel. You can simply employ existing tags often used by Gen Zs in their posts. 

A quick look on Facebook and Instagram search bars will give you an idea of the popular hashtags  and even the number of people who used them in their posts and stories.  Users can even directly follow these tags to monitor new trends on the topic. 

Not all Facebook marketing techniques require big budgets and boisterous productions. Most of the time it simply requires smart utilization of its built-in features.

5. Show and sustain support for causes

With personalities such as environment champion Greta Thunberg and political activist Sarah Jane Elago acting as helmswomen of different  movements both in and out of social media,  it’s no wonder why many Gen Zs are developing their own brand of politics – one that invites and encourages freedom of expression. 

What many dismiss as “woke culture” is in reality a hallmark of the Gen Zs.  It would help then if your brand advocates issues that interest them such as gender politics and the current state of laborers.

Look for instance this Facebook post from Ligo Philippines that encourages Filipino to register to vote.

Gen Zs love the interplay of a brand’s creativity and political stance. Your show of support doesn’t have to  be straightforward and in-your-face. Otherwise they would see this as pretense, and would even mock brands for joining the bandwagon for clout, such as how they poked fun at different brands suddenly becoming gender sensitive during Pride Month.

6. Catch their attention with humor

Gen Zs value things that speak in a language that they value: humor. This doesn’t simply mean dropping terms like “naurr”,  “shade,” “bussin’,” and “awit lods.” It’s about execution and the interplay of many elements such as memes and references to pop culture. 

Minute Burger’s Facebook page is replete with posts that depict characters from anime such as Attack on Titan.  Here not only is an iconic scene from the anime given a twist, it also portrays characters doing something recognizable where they are simply “chillin’” or tumatambay.

Another example of these intertextual approaches in Facebook digital marketing is the genius behind Angkas’s posts:

Many of their posts are layered with references to pop culture that also finds a way to get a statement across through the use of clever wordplay. This sensitivity and meticulousness to maintain equilibrium across satire, humor, and advocacy has since become not only just a trademark, but a personality of their brand. 

The content you post and share, even the ones your brand follows and likes, all work together to create your brand’s identity and personality. Each post should contain a story, one that not only talks about your selling points, but also introduces you to them.

Key takeaways

An important Facebook marketing technique you can glean from all these is that Gen Zs do not simply want to know what your brand has to offer. They are more interested in the experiences with your brand that help them trust you more. But also remember to keep your efforts:

• Humanize your brand. Gen Z, more than anyone, can spot a marketing stunt. So if you’re going in with heavy advertising jargons and features-focused in your communications, you will fail to relate. Humanizing your brand and injecting some personality in your communications is the key to passing their vibe check.
• Authentic and consistent. Truth-seekers as they are Gen Z values genuine messages, and they are particular with what actions follow-through from campaigns. In supporting causes they care for, make sure to remain consistent with it and deliver beyond your words and promises.
• Focus on community. Singularity may be one of their drivers for consumption, but remember: “Me is We” is their predominant way of seeing themselves and greater society. So involving yourself with one means involving yourself with their peers.

Marketing to Gen Z may still evolve in the coming months as they mature into adults with purchasing power and widened perspectives. What do you think should be the best approach to market to them in the near future? Let’s discuss it in the comments, or message us through Facebook, X, or LinkedIn.

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