How to attract Gen Z to boost sales

Gen Z are true digital natives. Born between 1997 and 2012, they were born into the internet era and raised alongside the exponential growth of social media. A staggering 98% of Gen Z use social media¹, and Instagram and TikTok are their second homes. They are places to share content with friends, keep abreast of current affairs and participate in trending cultural moments – as well as engage with brands.

The opportunity for bakery

The consumer demographic of the bakery category is evolving, with more younger consumers coming in and shaking things up. We are seeing Danish pastries growing in popularity with the Gen Z demographic and social media is a significant driver of this. In fact, #Bakery has over 1.1 million posts associated with it on TikTok, showing the passion the younger generation has for the category.

Social media hype is instrumental in influencing product discovery and engagement, and platforms like TikTok encourage a culture of exploration, creativity and innovation. Using social media platforms is a savvy way for hospitality outlets to increase awareness of their bakery selection and drive penetration among younger consumers as many turn to TikTok to research products online before purchasing.

With many Gen Z’ers reaching financial independence and harnessing their spending power, this audience is presenting brands with an attractive commercial opportunity. Social media is where brands need to be if they want to attract the attention of these shoppers.

Here are five top tips to help you make the most of the social media opportunity with the Gen Z audience.

1. Be your authentic self

Gen Z is all about brand authenticity, and they can smell insincerity a mile off. They are looking to connect and engage with brands that have strong values and aren’t afraid to stand by them. Transparency, social responsibility and a bigger purpose all resonate with this audience – but so does a sense of fun. Make sure you are clear on your brand personality and values and ensure that they are present in all that you do. Here, authenticity is key.

2. Build a community

Overtly promotional and sales-led content on organic (as in not paid for) social media is a no-no. Your content doesn’t always have to be product focused. Instead, focus on creating a community with authentic and engaging content that will bring people together and spark conversation. If you want social media to fulfil a sales function, then that is the role of boosted posts and ads.

3. Create like a creator

Embrace your inner Gen Z and create the content that you would want to consume. Understand the platforms you are using, your audience motivations and your brand values to produce attention-grabbing, informative and authentic content that will convey credibility to resonate with your audience. A great way to do this is to spend time absorbing the content of other likeminded creators and brands/outlets for inspiration.

4. Have a content strategy

Focus your efforts on platforms where Gen Z is most active, particularly TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Create short-form video content that's sharable, entertaining and educational rather than overtly promotional. Collaborate with authentic micro-influencers who align with your brand values rather than solely pursuing celebrity endorsements. The latter is great for reach but can lack engagement which is often considered to the holy grail of success.

5. Embrace personalisation and co-creation

Offer customisable products and experiences that allow Gen Z to express their individuality. Curate a display of beautiful Danish pastries and then give consumers the chance to personalise them with different fruits, sprinkles and spreads. This will inspire the creation of user-generated content as will limited-edition collaborations and flavours. When displaying delicious baked goods, consider what you need to do to give them enough standout that they are immediately Instagrammable.