Born in the mid-1990s to the early 2010s, Gen Z is the first generation to have been raised in an all-digital world. They’re now entering adulthood and making their mark as consumers – and their influence is evident in every sector of our economy.
With their distinct attitudes, values, and expectations, Gen Z is actively shaping the future of business and is challenging marketers to adjust to a new type of client profile.
And of the ad networks succeeding in breaking into the ‘Zoomer audience today, Digital audio -which has been growing 71% in the last seven years-has is fast becoming one of the favourites. Here’s why.
- Audio advertisements are mobile-friendly
Gen Z is a mobile-first generation, and it’s no surprise that they spend significant time with their phones. Digital audio advertisements such as podcasts and music streaming ads are easy to access via mobile devices, which makes them a great way to connect with this group of people.
Audio streaming ranks as Gen Z’s number one mobile activity, and 64% of Z’s and Millennials now call themselves regular audiophiles. (Reflecting that trend, the amount of advertising for podcasts has increased by 47% over the past year). Furthermore, 94% of people who use Zoom mention their music listening as an essential element of life.
Therefore, it is no surprise that ads for audio have found their place to be a hit with Gen Z: because it’s clear that they’re all an assortment of audiophiles in the first place.
- Gen Z despises displays
Gen Z has easily been exposed to more ads than any other demographic. The negative of Gen Z is today, a lot of Gen Z have been conditioned to dislike ads on the internet. Particularly advertisements that display.
About two-thirds of Z’s users use ad blockers. If they get a chance to view an ad, most of their attention is focused on finding an option to block it. The same approach to avoiding ads extends to video, too. According to the same survey, Zoomers will choose the skip button over the play button 99 per cent of the time when given a choice.
Audio ads, however, aren’t bothered.
Since the early days of radio, advertisements on audio have always been a cherished element of the listener experience. Therefore, they’re usually not seen as being too intrusive or irritating. Also, the non-hands-free characteristic of the listening experience of music or podcasts can make their advertisements difficult to avoid.
For the majority of this reason, it’s not unusual for an audio advertisement to have listen-through rates (LTRs) in the high 90s, which is to say that over 90 per cent of viewers will be able to enjoy a 30-second ad campaign throughout.
Plenty of time to capture the most disoriented of Z’s focus.
3.Multitasking = multiple touchpoints
Gen Z is famously known for being a multitasker. However, the benefit of the fact that they are constantly multitasking, especially about ads on audio, is that you can successfully market these amid various kinds of things – working out or commuting, having a party, and doing homework, you name it.
You’ll likely have plenty of chances to connect with these people, considering the average Zoomer can clock nearly four hours of listening to music daily. An entire 40 minutes more than anyone else.
- Audio advertisements are getting more personal.
It’s not that Gen Z hates all online advertisements. It’s the overly-promotional and general types in particular.
If asked about it, 81 per cent of Z’s admitted that they would prefer highly customized ads. After a lifetime of being repeatedly bombarded by ads featuring celebrities and advertisements, they prefer to hear from brands who are genuine and direct to them directly.
To fulfil those requirements, today’s audio technology has become more precise in offering targeted choices based on interests, behaviours, and other information about the context to enhance your messages to be more relevant and personalized for your listeners.
- Gen Z is emotional.
Gen Z is a dynamic group. Gen Z is a very passionate bunch, and one of the best ways to reach out to their wallets is by reaching out to their heart. Most Gen Z is more likely to purchase from brands that align with their values, as brands today rely more on audio forms to communicate their stories.
We’ve already established that Gen Z isn’t the biggest admirer of display advertisements; however, only some information can be communicated in an image and only a couple of words. If you are looking to make an impact with younger, disengaged viewers, it’s best to have authentic voices doing the talking.
For a crowd of people who love music and podcasts and are always on their phones and on the move in their “feels,”–audio advertisements show that they can connect to Gen Z on a more profound emotional level. This should assist any company in establishing trust with future generations of customers.