Youth Marketing: Top 10 Trends

Effective youth marketing involves strategically analyzing why your brand should reach out to younger generations, and developing tactics to do this effectively.

Each generation is different and has different interests and pain points, so it’s important to understand what makes each one tick from Baby Boomers to Gen Alpha (and the just-born Gen Beta!)

So let’s take a deep-dive into how to position your brand to appeal to younger generations.

• What is youth marketing?
• Why is marketing to youth important?
• Key benefits of youth marketing
• 10 key characteristics of youth marketing

This blog is based on our recent Marketing to the Next Generation webinar with Jane McDaid.

Here’s an overview of the different dataset generations in digital marketing terms, starting with the youngest. These are the broad characteristics of each generation:

• Generation Alpha (born 2010–2024): These are highly tech-savvy, having grown up with voice assistants, tablets, and digital ecosystems.They are arguably the generation most impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Generation Z (born 1997–2009): These tend to be diverse, socially conscious, and entrepreneurial. They were the first smartphone generation and are heavy users of social media. They are also known as ‘Zoomers’.
• Generation Y / Millennials (born 1981–1996): They witnessed the rise of the internet, social media, and mobile devices, and are adaptable, experience-focused, and value-driven.
• Generation X (born 1965–1980): Although they grew up with analog technology, they adapted to digital advancements. They tend to be independent, skeptical, and resourceful.
• Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964): These were born after the post-war ‘baby boom’, and grew up with traditional media, such as TV and radio. However, they adopted digital technology later in life.

The newest additions are known as Generation Beta, born between 2025 and 2040.

Note: In this blog, we’ll focus on marketing to Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

The first question you need to ask is: Are young new search insights for creators people my brand’s target demographic? If you’re selling a product or service that’s unlikely to appeal to youth (such as mortgages or vintage cars), then it doesn’t make sense to invest in expensive campaigns that are unlikely to lead to conversions.

Top tip: When developing any digital marketing strategy, it’s essential that you know your audience.

On the other hand, if young people could constitute a segment that you engage with, then targeting this highly influential and future-oriented demographic brings several benefits.

Consider these statistics:

• 91% of Gen Z social media users are on Instagram.
• 86% of Gen Z social media users are on TikTok.
• When they want to discover products, most Gen Z social media users use TikTok.
• Short-form video is the most popular type of brand content on TikTok and Instagram among Gen Z.
• 89% of Gen Alpha TikTok users scroll through short-form content on a daily basis.

1. Long-term customer loyalty: Younger cell phone number consumers are more likely to stick with brands they connect with during formative years. For example, Nike targets a lot of its products and messaging at younger people, and partners with influencers that this demographic respects.
2. Trendsetting: Younger generations are cultural trendsetters, shaping broader consumer behaviors and preferences.
3. Social media skills: Young people dominate platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, providing direct access to a highly engaged audience and opportunities for organic reach.
4. Early adoption of technology: Younger consumers are eager adopters of new technology and innovations. They provide valuable feedback for optimizing products, features, and user experiences.
5. Creativity and engagement: Younger audiences respond well to interactive and creative campaigns, such as gamification, augmented reality (AR), and experiential marketing. This can help to amplify campaigns through shares, likes, and discussions.
6. Openness to new ideas: Younger generations are more open to discovering and adopting new brands. They embrace innovation and are willing to experiment with unique, disruptive products.