You know where they are. Gen Z and Millennials have grown up on the internet for most (if not all) of their lives. These internet natives have technology wired into everything they do. And it’s not just desktops and laptops. People spend, on average, 3 hours and 40 minutes on their phones every day. Here are some strategies this newer generation of consumers expect to see.
Apps
Ninety percent of that 3 hours and 40 minutes users spend on phones is in apps, with 34% of their time spent on some sort of social network (which is an excellent reason to have a social media presence), and 14% of the time focused on productivity/news. At the most basic level, people use apps to gain information, meet a need, and solve a problem. Look at these apps already designed by companies that help their current consumers.
Kraft’s iFood Assistant simplifies the process of searching for recipes, how-to-videos, and ingredient lists by compiling them all in one place. Mobile users only use browsers 10% of the time they spend on their phone. Kraft simplifying the search process for recipes and other resources draws in users and, in turn, the app helps sell their product.
Apps that offer virtual reality and augmented reality are also huge. L’Oréal’s Makeup Genius helps people find the right shade for them without even opening the wrapping by offering the opportunity to try on new looks virtually. Not only are they helping people find the right product to buy, they are helping them find the best L’Oréal product, and that drives sales.
How could your CPG brand offer an app to help your customers make decisions or learn more about your products?
Voice Assistants
It may not garner the biggest group of users yet, but there has been growth in the number of people who use voice assistants to shop. Almost 30% of consumers use a voice assistant to shop, and experts say that number stands to grow. The first thing you can do is improve your SEO to help people find your company through voice searches.
If you want to take things to the next level, however, you can take hints from other companies that have already created Alexa Skills for their consumers. Alexa Skills are applications that give Alexa increased capabilities.
For example, Purina has created an Alexa Skill that gives users access to all the information that they would need to help select a furry friend. Users can ask Alexa for information such identifiers such as “dogs that are good with children,” “dogs that don’t shed,” and even “dog breeds that are good in apartments.” Users can also search for information by asking about specific breeds or by asking about the breed’s group. The information can then be retrieved on your mobile device.
Tide is also in the Alexa Skills arena with the Tide Stain Remover Skill. This skill provides step-by-step information for removing over 200 different stains. The instructions can be sent to your mobile device for closer examination.
These companies are early adopters of a technology that continues to grow. It’s important to take advantage of these opportunities to reach this new tech-savvy generation before your competitors do.
Emojis
This may sound ridiculous, but emojis might just be one of the easiest and most effective things that you can do to endear your business to a new generation of consumers. In today’s world of information overload, people don’t spend the time to read and reflect to get the full emotional weight of what is being said. Maybe a joke falls flat. Maybe your post about being one of the best businesses in town comes across as bragging instead of sincerely thankful for everyone’s business. Missing the tone of a social media post is common, and this is where an emoji comes in.
With a single character, you can express the emotion behind the message that you’re trying to convey. As a bonus, you become more relatable to the generations that rely heavily on emojis to communicate. When you use emojis, you’re really “speaking their language.” In case you need a little help deciphering that message, here’s a good list to get you started.
How will you reach your CPG Millennial and Generation Z customers? Make changes now so you can keep up with the wants and wishes of younger buyers as they come into their spending power.
