Name: How to reach the visual generation
Uploaded: 2022-12-02T14:06:42.793Z
Duration: 560.27
Description: Gen Z is at the helm of the digital landscape, innovating trends and redefining what it means to be engaging. Known for being the 'visual generation', it's more important than ever for brands to create visually engaging experiences that meet their needs. Lenox Powell, Content Director at Semrush, pinpoints how to best reach this visual generation and why authenticity is key to getting it right.

Visual Generation_Final.mp4

Visual Generation_Final.vtt

English

{{00:00:00}}
So you really have to think

{{00:00:03}}
What do they care about?

{{00:00:04}}
Where are they engaging online?

{{00:00:06}}
And then experimenting.

{{00:00:08}}
Starting small, but experimenting
with how they would resonate

{{00:00:12}}
with what you're trying to offer.

{{00:00:23}}
How do you define the visual
generation, and how is it

{{00:00:26}}
different from other generations?

{{00:00:28}}
Well, Gen Z grew up with visual.

{{00:00:32}}
So, they are very much a
digital first generation.

{{00:00:35}}
They grew up with mobile video, mobile
technology, and you take a generation

{{00:00:39}}
like millennials, they remember a
time when mobile video didn't exist,

{{00:00:44}}
especially if you kind of put it into
context that YouTube was founded in 2005.

{{00:00:49}}
So for Gen Z, they're very comfortable
and familiar with mobile and

{{00:00:54}}
visual, and kind of putting their
life out there into the world.

{{00:00:58}}
But I would also say most
generations now are more visual.

{{00:01:04}}
I mean, for everything from Facebook,
to Instagram, to Snapchat, even people

{{00:01:11}}
who have kids and grandkids who are,
you know, in the millennial or Gen Z

{{00:01:17}}
generation, in order to connect with
them, they have to be more visual.

{{00:01:21}}
So, I would say it's no longer
a kind of a specific generation.

{{00:01:26}}
It's, they're just far more familiar
and comfortable with it and it's second

{{00:01:30}}
nature to them, where other generations
have adapted, and so I think everyone

{{00:01:35}}
is pretty much more visual now.

{{00:01:37}}
So how can brands, you know, design
their social media strategies to be more

{{00:01:41}}
visual appealing to this generation?

{{00:01:45}}
Google actually did a study in 2021
that talked about this quite a bit,

{{00:01:51}}
even comparing millennials versus Gen Z.

{{00:01:54}}
And something they emphasised is how
important authenticity is to Gen Z.

{{00:02:01}}
They are far more willing to engage
with and embrace less than perfect

{{00:02:07}}
selfies, and they want to know, you
know, kind of the raw elements of things.

{{00:02:12}}
They want photo captions far more
than posed pictures or filters.

{{00:02:16}}
So I think that when someone is putting
together a social media strategy

{{00:02:21}}
of any kind, if they're trying to
reach Gen Z, authenticity is really

{{00:02:26}}
the key and they have to think about
you know, really what that means.

{{00:02:30}}
That's a hard thing for brands who
want to put their best foot forward.

{{00:02:35}}
They don't always want to show the
warts and all of, of their, their brand.

{{00:02:40}}
So I think that that's something to
really consider and to think about.

{{00:02:44}}
How to push it beyond
kind of a comfort zone.

{{00:02:47}}
Does visual mean just video, or are there
other things we should be thinking about?

{{00:02:51}}
It encompasses so much more.

{{00:02:54}}
Visual is really an umbrella term, so
I think motion graphics are a big one

{{00:02:59}}
that is important for reaching Gen Z.

{{00:03:01}}
I think the other thing too is
creating visuals, images, graphics

{{00:03:08}}
that simplify the complex.

{{00:03:10}}
So whether it's infographics,
but also that tell a story.

{{00:03:14}}
And so, I think those are some key
elements that we have seen that

{{00:03:18}}
are important for beyond video.

{{00:03:21}}
Because sometimes video is
intimidating for companies.

{{00:03:23}}
They're like, well, we don't have
a budget for this, or, you know,

{{00:03:25}}
do we do it really grassroots?

{{00:03:27}}
But, many have graphic designers, and so
thinking about from a visual perspective,

{{00:03:31}}
telling the story, making and engaging,
making it fun, simplifying the complex.

{{00:03:37}}
And while we are talking about
Gen Z and younger generations,

{{00:03:40}}
I really do believe that that
applies to most every generation.

{{00:03:43}}
They want that.

{{00:03:44}}
There's just so much noise out there.

{{00:03:46}}
So the more we can tell the story and show
the story visually and in an impactful

{{00:03:51}}
way, the more effective it'll be overall.

{{00:03:54}}
So you mentioned, you know, the noise.

{{00:03:55}}
How can you grab the attention of
this generation, as you know, they're

{{00:03:59}}
really used to sort of scrolling
and kind of flipping off, uh, you

{{00:04:04}}
know, a page extremely quickly.

{{00:04:07}}
How can we do that?

{{00:04:09}}
Sun Rush actually did a study that
looked at the most effective TikTok

{{00:04:14}}
videos that influencers were using.

{{00:04:16}}
And while this is not a panacea answer,
it's definitely there are four key

{{00:04:20}}
areas that we uncovered with our data.

{{00:04:22}}
One was, these viral videos,
the person was speaking within

{{00:04:26}}
the first three seconds.

{{00:04:28}}
And, like one in three of the viral
videos, it was speaking within

{{00:04:32}}
three seconds was very effective.

{{00:04:33}}
The other one was one on one.

{{00:04:35}}
So, most of the videos, 60% of
it, I think they had somebody just

{{00:04:40}}
speaking one on one or engaging one
on one; music within the first three

{{00:04:44}}
seconds; and then the fourth one kind
of gets back to that authenticity.

{{00:04:47}}
They were, the videos were very
real and authentic and genuine.

{{00:04:51}}
And those are definitely ways that
this generation is telling the

{{00:04:57}}
world that if you wanna catch our
attention, these are the things to do.

{{00:05:00}}
Okay.

{{00:05:01}}
And I guess, how can marketing
managers and social media managers,

{{00:05:05}}
you know, properly utilise you
know, platforms like TikTok and

{{00:05:09}}
reels to their brand's advantage?

{{00:05:12}}
It's definitely going to
vary from brand to brand.

{{00:05:14}}
There is no one size fits all.

{{00:05:16}}
So, for example, Markerly, which
is an agency, they did a study

{{00:05:21}}
looking at how influencers and
celebrities used both reel and TikTok.

{{00:05:25}}
And influencers and celebrities tended
to have very good performance on

{{00:05:31}}
both TikTok and reel, but theirs was
actually more effective on TikTok.

{{00:05:36}}
Then, they also looked at the
same content, same everything,

{{00:05:40}}
that was used by the NBA.

{{00:05:42}}
And the NBA had three times more
performance from reel than TikTok.

{{00:05:49}}
So exact same everything
but different industries.

{{00:05:53}}
And so, it's going to be, the
most effective approach is

{{00:05:56}}
going to be test and learn.

{{00:05:57}}
Other than marketing on these platforms,
are there other techniques that

{{00:06:01}}
would appeal to a visual audience?

{{00:06:03}}
Definitely having a mobile friendly
website, and being a mobile friendly

{{00:06:09}}
brand, but the website is critical.

{{00:06:12}}
I would also say, ensuring
that the content is also

{{00:06:16}}
mobile friendly and swipeable.

{{00:06:19}}
So that's a big one that has come up
is, so many brands are still kind of,

{{00:06:24}}
they're using the kind of the old school
PDF format for something like an E-book.

{{00:06:29}}
But having it be more visual
and mobile friendly, and being

{{00:06:32}}
able to swipe for the content.

{{00:06:33}}
So there's a lot of platforms
that make that possible.

{{00:06:37}}
And how can more traditional legacy
brands build a marketing strategy

{{00:06:41}}
that's more visual friendly?

{{00:06:43}}
The authenticity is a big one.

{{00:06:46}}
And it's like, well, how do you
bring that into a visual element?

{{00:06:48}}
And there's a lot of ways to do that.

{{00:06:50}}
But however it's approached,
the authenticity has to

{{00:06:53}}
be a key component of it.

{{00:06:55}}
I would also say that, especially
for legacy brands, kind of getting

{{00:07:01}}
back to kind of the PR component or
wanting to put your best face forward,

{{00:07:06}}
that is going to be a challenge for
some brands because they're so used

{{00:07:10}}
to talking about how wonderful their
brand and their products are, and

{{00:07:14}}
millennials and younger millennials
and Gen Z, they've just heard all that.

{{00:07:19}}
They don't want to hear
that same song and dance.

{{00:07:21}}
They really want to hear what's
going on behind the scenes?

{{00:07:24}}
What hasn't worked
effectively with the brand?

{{00:07:27}}
They want to connect with the
brand and they want to connect

{{00:07:29}}
from a community perspective.

{{00:07:30}}
So it is far beyond visual,
and it's more of how are you

{{00:07:34}}
communicating with this audience.

{{00:07:36}}
And I would say also, you know, weaving
in kind of social responsibility.

{{00:07:42}}
That's another thing for legacy brands,
and any brand for that matter, to

{{00:07:45}}
really think about how can they tie
in what they're doing as a brand,

{{00:07:49}}
and its impact on the world for this
audience, because that is, those are

{{00:07:53}}
things that they really care about.

{{00:07:55}}
And I guess, do you have, you know, one
last piece of advice that you could offer

{{00:07:58}}
to those wanting to engage, you know, with
the Gen Z market in their marketing plan?

{{00:08:02}}
Kind of, not necessarily gone are the
days, but Gen Z is really moving away

{{00:08:07}}
from filters and posed pictures and they
want the less than flattering selfies.

{{00:08:13}}
And they want the, they want the
story, and they want to feel like a

{{00:08:17}}
part of a community, and they want
to own their own data, and they want

{{00:08:22}}
to own their own identity online.

{{00:08:24}}
And so, there is no one size fits all
answer to do that, but it's, in order to

{{00:08:30}}
make that, set that path, brands really
need to think about what that means for

{{00:08:34}}
them and how they can connect with them.

{{00:08:36}}
And I was just having this
conversation with someone who is

{{00:08:39}}
trying to reach both, probably a Gen
Z audience and also a Gen X audience.

{{00:08:45}}
And, when we talked about it, really
the best recommendation I know to give

{{00:08:50}}
at this point is: they're different
personas and it's a different audience.

{{00:08:54}}
And so you really have to think about
who this audience is, what do they care

{{00:08:59}}
about, where are they engaging online?

{{00:09:01}}
And then experimenting, starting small,
but experimenting with how they would

{{00:09:07}}
resonate with what you're trying to offer.

{{00:09:08}}
Amazing.

{{00:09:09}}
Well, really, really great
insights and I thank you, Lennox,

{{00:09:11}}
for being here and joining us.

{{00:09:12}}
So thank you.

{{00:09:12}}
Thank you.

Starting small, but experimenting
with how they would resonate

How do you define the visual
generation, and how is it

So, they are very much a
digital first generation.

They grew up with mobile video, mobile
technology, and you take a generation

like millennials, they remember a
time when mobile video didn't exist,

especially if you kind of put it into
context that YouTube was founded in 2005.

So for Gen Z, they're very comfortable
and familiar with mobile and

visual, and kind of putting their
life out there into the world.

But I would also say most
generations now are more visual.

I mean, for everything from Facebook,
to Instagram, to Snapchat, even people

who have kids and grandkids who are,
you know, in the millennial or Gen Z

generation, in order to connect with
them, they have to be more visual.

So, I would say it's no longer
a kind of a specific generation.

It's, they're just far more familiar
and comfortable with it and it's second

nature to them, where other generations
have adapted, and so I think everyone

So how can brands, you know, design
their social media strategies to be more

Google actually did a study in 2021
that talked about this quite a bit,

And something they emphasised is how
important authenticity is to Gen Z.

They are far more willing to engage
with and embrace less than perfect

selfies, and they want to know, you
know, kind of the raw elements of things.

They want photo captions far more
than posed pictures or filters.

So I think that when someone is putting
together a social media strategy

of any kind, if they're trying to
reach Gen Z, authenticity is really

the key and they have to think about
you know, really what that means.

That's a hard thing for brands who
want to put their best foot forward.

They don't always want to show the
warts and all of, of their, their brand.

So I think that that's something to
really consider and to think about.

How to push it beyond
kind of a comfort zone.

Does visual mean just video, or are there
other things we should be thinking about?

Visual is really an umbrella term, so
I think motion graphics are a big one

I think the other thing too is
creating visuals, images, graphics

So whether it's infographics,
but also that tell a story.

And so, I think those are some key
elements that we have seen that

Because sometimes video is
intimidating for companies.

They're like, well, we don't have
a budget for this, or, you know,

But, many have graphic designers, and so
thinking about from a visual perspective,

telling the story, making and engaging,
making it fun, simplifying the complex.

And while we are talking about
Gen Z and younger generations,

I really do believe that that
applies to most every generation.

So the more we can tell the story and show
the story visually and in an impactful

way, the more effective it'll be overall.

How can you grab the attention of
this generation, as you know, they're

really used to sort of scrolling
and kind of flipping off, uh, you

Sun Rush actually did a study that
looked at the most effective TikTok

And while this is not a panacea answer,
it's definitely there are four key

One was, these viral videos,
the person was speaking within

And, like one in three of the viral
videos, it was speaking within

So, most of the videos, 60% of
it, I think they had somebody just

speaking one on one or engaging one
on one; music within the first three

seconds; and then the fourth one kind
of gets back to that authenticity.

They were, the videos were very
real and authentic and genuine.

And those are definitely ways that
this generation is telling the

world that if you wanna catch our
attention, these are the things to do.

And I guess, how can marketing
managers and social media managers,

you know, properly utilise you
know, platforms like TikTok and

It's definitely going to
vary from brand to brand.

So, for example, Markerly, which
is an agency, they did a study

looking at how influencers and
celebrities used both reel and TikTok.

And influencers and celebrities tended
to have very good performance on

both TikTok and reel, but theirs was
actually more effective on TikTok.

Then, they also looked at the
same content, same everything,

And the NBA had three times more
performance from reel than TikTok.

So exact same everything
but different industries.

And so, it's going to be, the
most effective approach is

Other than marketing on these platforms,
are there other techniques that

Definitely having a mobile friendly
website, and being a mobile friendly

I would also say, ensuring
that the content is also

Marketing to the youth

Expert Insight

Gen Z is at the helm of the digital landscape, innovating trends and redefining what it means to be engaging. Known for being the 'visual generation', it's more important than ever for brands to create visually engaging experiences that meet their needs. 
Lenox Powell, Content Director at Semrush, pinpoints how to best reach this visual generation and why authenticity is key to getting it right. 

Gen Z

Branding

thumbnail_Lenox-Powell_495788_1660076274.png

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Lenox Powell

Discover insights from other experts

Content Director

As a digital first-generation, Gen Z thrives in a visual-friendly environment. Powell outlines how to make your brand's social media strategy more visually appealing. 


 Making social more visual

With so much readily available content, it's important for brands to cut through the noise and deliver content to their target audience. Considering the pace Gen Z moves through social media, Powell advises the best way to grab their attention using video. 


Grab Gen Z's attention

In the social media sphere, there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to high-engagement content marketing. Powell reveals how 'test and learn' can be the best strategy.


Leveraging TikTok to your brand's advantage

Gen Z is deviating from filters and posed pictures and are becoming more vocal about wanting to be part of a brand's community. Powell urges brands to know who their audience is, what they care about, and where they are engaging online.