- Staying relevant and successful is every business’s priority.
- Utilizing social media to get a good picture of what is important to people is perhaps the most essential way to keep your organization up-to-date.
- In its new 2023 Trend Report, Instagram revealed the topics, issues, and trends that matter most to Gen Zers on the platform.
Staying relevant and successful is every business’s priority, but it’s by no means easy.
For business leaders, it’s necessary to be attuned to the desires of consumers, but it’s also key to stay on top of current trends. Utilizing social media to get a good picture of what is important to people is perhaps the most essential way to keep your organization up-to-date.
With over 2 billion monthly active users, the social media platform Instagram gives a very visual picture as to what young society prioritizes.
In its new 2023 Trend Report, Instagram revealed the topics, issues, and trends that matter most to Gen Zers on the platform.
“Brands that elevate sustainability in fashion, authentic expression in the metaverse, global culture and more, could have Gen Z’s attention in the physical world and online,” according to Instagram.
According to the report, here are the best ways to keep your business relevant and thriving:
1. Understand that Gen Z consumers care deeply about societal issue
This generation is a generation of activists; in 2023, a majority of Gen Z will shop to support causes they care about.
Gen Zers have strong political points of view, and as more young Americans reach voting age, there will be increased visibility and activism for political issues which Gen Z is passionate about.
Ensuring that your business isn’t tone-deaf to current issues and politics is invaluable. Also taking a stand during tumultuous political times can greatly help or hurt your business — depending on what side you take. Put a great deal of thought into your messaging and how to respond to current issues.
2. Young people care about sustainability
Gen Z is keenly aware of the degradation humanity is causing to the environment, and they want to do their part and help mitigate it.
Thrifting and recycling are huge with younger people; creating excess waste is not popular, and is deeply frowned upon by these consumers. For companies that don’t have any sustainability initiatives, this could harm their reputation and eventually their business model.
Sustainability initiatives can include:
- Using recycled furniture in your offices
- Going paperless
- Pledging to cut your carbon emissions
- Making your company vehicles electric
- Installing automatic light and water shut offs in the office
3. In-person experiences drive community for this generation
“Gen Z social media users are excited about realizing their digital relationships,” according to the report.
Nearly one third of Gen Z users look forward to in-person experiences, like creator conventions and meet and greets.
Holding in-person events is beneficial for businesses who want to connect with Gen Zers; they greatly value and enjoy a sense of community.
Future-forward businesses will continue to see success
Of course, meeting the desires of all age groups is helpful, and also sometimes necessary.
But the future relies on the youngest members of society, and how they see the world really dictates what businesses and business models will thrive.
The great news is marketing to a younger audience isn’t so hard, especially when their wants and needs are so clearly outlined and explained.