Ways SMS Allows Businesses to Reach Gen Z

According to recent research from the National Census Bureau, more than half of the total U.S. population now consists of Millennials and younger. Most of us are already familiar with Millennials, but what about their successors?

Generation Z, also called Zoomers, Gen Z, Centennials and iGen, are the new kids on the block, and they’re growing up fast. The oldest members of Gen Z are entering the workforce for the first tim— and with the rise of online shopping, the generation as a whole has more purchasing freedom than any previous generation.

While businesses need to take advantage of any opportunity to connect with Gen Z, Zoomers are known to avoid the traditional means of communication. As a result, SMS messaging is the best method for how businesses should communicate with Gen Z.

What’s Special About Gen Z?

While official cutoff years vary from source to source, most Gen Zers were born after 1995. Both Gen Z and their predecessors, the Millennials, are digital natives, meaning they mostly grew up online—in fact, 25% of Gen Zers had a smartphone before the age of 10.

Experts predict that Gen Z will become the nation’s largest demographic cohort by 2034, which makes capturing their attention and fostering brand loyalty a key priority for many businesses.

The challenging part has been determining how businesses should communicate with Gen Z, as Zoomers are notoriously difficult to connect with using traditional methods like email marketing and broadcast advertisements. That’s where SMS comes in.

Why Using SMS to Reach Gen Z is Effective

According to a study by Concordia University, 96% of Gen Z owns a smartphone, and more than half spend at least 10 hours on an electronic device every day. Since most of that time is spent texting and chatting with others, text communication with Gen Z from businesses should be a no-brainer.

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.

Gen Z also expects brands to reach them on their terms using their preferred channels. Luckily, SMS marketing provides an excellent opportunity to do so. Communicating with Gen Z via SMS texts puts you in a good spot to integrate yourself into their contacts, which puts you on the same level as friends and family.

On average, Gen Zers use multiple devices to communicate, from laptops equipped with texting software to their smartphones. As a result, the chances of your messages being opened and read are high. The key is sending the right message and making sure it gets the right response.

How to Get the Messaging Down

In general, being forthright is the best way to communicate with a Zoomer. This generation values transparency and longs to be treated as capable adults—as a result, most Gen Zers reject company-fed messaging in favor of authentic, inclusive communication.

Just like their preferences, Gen Z’s texting behaviors are authentic, casual and personable. If you know what you want to say but need some inspiration for how to say it, here are some tips for the best way to communicate with Gen Z:

• Use emojis sparingly: Overusing emojis is a classic texting crime. They’re still just as popular as they were last decade, but Gen Z tends to use them as a seasoning, not the main course.
• Stay business-casual: Gen Zers respond well to familiar communication. Taking a friendly, casual tone is usually your best bet. That being said, you should still use proper punctuation and grammar to maintain a professional image—unless your branding calls for a more alternative writing style.
• Avoid abbreviations: With old-school instant messaging and flip phones out of date, the original abbreviations are falling out of fashion with them. If they’re part of your branding, that’s fine—just make sure you only LOL when you mean it.
• 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 steer clear of niche slang terms like “cheugy” to avoid sounding condescending.

What About Millenials?

SMS is also a helpful tool for communicating with Millennials, who were born from approximately 1981 to 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. Similarly, 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.

Ideas for SMS Marketing

If you’re looking to get the most out of your SMS marketing strategy, we’ve got you covered. Here are some ideas that will appeal to both Millennials and Gen Z:

• Text reminders: Retargeted marketing is just as effective over text as it can be through email. For the generations that rarely check 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: Many Millennials prefer the convenience and ease of two-way text engagement. Creating a text-based customer service line is an excellent way to provide value to the younger generations.
• Surveys: One great way to boost engagement with Millennials and Gen Zers is to send customer surveys to your SMS subscribers. Both Millennials and Gen Z are 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.

Trust Red Oxygen for Easy Business Communication With Gen Z

Whether you’re looking to improve your workplace communication method or hone in on your Gen Z consumer base, Red Oxygen can help you. Red Oxygen’s SMS service lets you send text messages straight from your computer—no developer required.

The average SMS message is 160 characters in length, but Red Oxygen can support messages of up to 765 characters when necessary. Plus, replies can be set to land in your inbox and as a text to your phone, so no matter what generation you are, you’ll see them.

If you’re in need of some SMS marketing help, we’ve got you covered. Request a free trial today to see how simple it is to send SMS texts with Red Oxygen. Do you still have questions? Feel free to contact us for answers.