According to data from 2021, Millennials were one of the largest generational groups in the Australian population, holding a share of 21.5%. In 2023, more than half of the U.S. population consisted of Millennials and younger. Although you are likely already familiar with this generation, what about their successors?
Generation Z, also called Zoomers, Gen Z, Centennials and iGen, are the new kids on the block who’re growing up fast. The oldest members of Gen Z have already entered the workforce, and with the rise of online shopping, the generation as a whole is set to have more purchasing freedom than any previous generation.
While marketers must seize any opportunity to connect with this growing generation of consumers, SMS messaging is the best method for businesses to communicate with Gen Z.
Which Characteristics Set Gen Z Apart?
Most Gen Zers were born after 1995, but official cutoff years vary from source to source. Members of this generation are the first true digital natives as they have been exposed to the internet and social networks since a very young age—in fact, Zoomers typically own a smartphone by age 12.
Experts predict that Gen Z will become the world’s richest generation by 2030, with their spending power growing by $12 trillion USD. Because of this, capturing their attention and fostering brand loyalty should be a key priority for your business.
However, the challenging part has been determining how best to communicate with Gen—they’re notoriously difficult to reach via traditional methods like email marketing and broadcast advertisements. That’s where SMS comes in.
Why Using SMS to Reach Gen Z is Effective
As 96% of Gen Z own a smartphone, SMS gives you an extensive reach. Additionally, member’s screen time averages just over seven hours a day. Since most of that time is spent messaging others, text communication allows your business to connect with Zoomers in a way that feels natural to them.
This generation expects personalized attention from brands. If they don’t get it, they’re happy to take their business elsewhere. The same goes for communication in professional spaces—Gen Z expects to be kept in the loop when it comes to important work messages and announcements but tends to dislike using email.
Here are some additional reasons why text messages are one of the most effective ways to reach Gen Z:
- High level of personalization: This generation expects personalized attention from brands. If they don’t get it, they’re happy to take their business elsewhere. Crafting personalized SMS messages is easy—you can use your recipients’ names, share customized offers from your business and more.
- Align with Gen Z’s preferences: This generation wants brands to reach them on their terms using their preferred channels. As Zoomers favor texting over phone calls, SMS marketing provides an excellent opportunity to do so. The same goes for communication in professional spaces—Gen Z expects to be kept in the loop when it comes to important work messages and announcements but tends to dislike using email.
- Likely to be seen: On average, Zoomers use multiple devices to communicate, from laptops equipped with texting software to their mobiles. As a result, the chances of your messages being opened and read are high. Plus, 44% of this generation looks at their notifications within a minute of receiving a text.
With SMS being a welcomed form of communication, sending texts to Gen Z puts you in a good spot to integrate yourself into their contacts, elevating your business to the same level as friends and family. However, the key is sending the right message and making sure it gets the right response.
How to Market to Gen Z via SMS
If you’re looking to get the most out of your SMS strategy, we’ve got you covered. Here are some ideas for marketing to Gen Z through text:
- Text reminders: Retargeted marketing is just as effective over text as it can be through email. For the generation that rarely checks their inboxes, it’s likely to be even more effective. Send gentle nudges every so often about products they may have left in their online cart or remind them of sales.
- SMS-based customer service: Creating a text-based customer service line is an excellent way to provide value. With SMS, you can share everything from purchase confirmation details and shipping updates to time-sensitive notifications. Additionally, research shows that Zoomers prefer engaging in dialogue with brands. Texting’s two-way messaging capabilities can help your business offer enhanced customer experiences.
- Surveys: One great way to boost engagement with Gen Zers is to send customer surveys to your SMS subscribers. This generation is known for wanting to make themselves heard, so reaching out to them for feedback through their preferred channel is a great way to meet them in the middle.
- Coupons and promotions: You can gain Zoomer’s trust through an opt-in campaign and send coupons and discount codes to nurture the relationship. With financial stressors being one of the main stressors for Gen Z, a promotion can go a long way. Coupled with the fact that 64% of this generation trust texts from brands, this approach can be highly impactful—just remember to personalize your offers where possible.
- Recruitment updates: Beyond using SMS to drive sales and communicate with customers, it can also be a powerful tool in your recruitment marketing efforts. If you need to send interview follow-ups to your Gen Z job candidates, sending an SMS is a great way to do so. You can also share the next steps if the recipient is hired, action items for onboarding processes and more.
Tip for Sending SMS Messages to Gen Z
If you know what you want to say but need some inspiration for how to say it, follow these best practices for the best way to communicate with Gen Z:
- Be forthright: This generation values transparency. As a result, most Gen Zers reject company-fed messaging in favor of authentic and inclusive communication.
- Use emojis sparingly: Overusing emojis is a classic texting crime, and so is using generic ones such as “😂.” Instead, be selective about when to include emojis in your business’s text communications. You can also get creative and conceptual about which ones you use. For example, “😭” can show overwhelming happiness, and “☠️” can mean you are dying of laughter.
- Stay business-casual: Gen Zers respond well to familiar communication, so a friendly and casual tone is usually your best bet. That being said, you should still use proper punctuation and grammar to maintain a professional image. If your branding calls for a more alternative writing style, you can write your content in all lowercase to mirror Gen Z texting habits.
- Avoid abbreviations: With old-school instant messaging and flip phones out of date, the original abbreviations are also falling out of fashion. If they’re part of your branding, that’s fine—just steer clear of using “LOL,” as Gen Z views this as passive-aggressive.
- Learn the lingo: Zoomer-dominated online spaces like TikTok have given some words a whole new meaning. Make sure to do some basic research on words like “elite” to see how Gen Z is creating their own language. It’s also a good idea to be cautious of using niche slang terms like “cheugy” to avoid sounding condescending.
Is SMS Effective With Millennials?
SMS is also an effective tool for communicating with Millennials, who were born roughly between 1981 and 1995. As a result of growing up during the internet explosion of the early 2000s, most Millennials prefer texting over all other forms of communication, including emails, phone calls and social media messages.
Texting is more convenient than other methods—it has the speed and flexibility that email and social media messages simply lack. Like Gen Z, Millennials dislike phone calls because they see them as disruptive to their environment and work. Sending marketing communication over SMS will help you maximize your potential for capturing a loyal Millennial customer base. However, ensure you adjust your strategy to resonate with this generation specifically.
Trust Red Oxygen for Easy Business Communication With Gen Z
Whether you’re looking to home in on your Gen Z consumer base or improve your workplace communication methods with members of this generation, Red Oxygen can help you. Our SMS service lets you send text messages straight from your computer—no developer required.
Plus, with features like two-way texting and personalization capabilities, our solutions can allow your business communications to resonate with Zoomers. Replies can also be set to land in your inbox or as a text to your phone, so no matter what generation you are, you’ll see them.
Request a demo today to see how easy it is to send SMS texts with Red Oxygen. If you still have questions, feel free to contact us.
