Generations are an aid, a tool that you can use to better understand your customers. Because, of course, the boundaries in reality are not as strict as the dividing lines between Generation X, Y and Z would have us believe. Beyond stereotypical thinking, marketers can learn a lot from the distinction between generations and get a clearer picture of who actually belongs to their target group. This is precisely why it pays to find the right generation.
How do generations X, Y and Z differ on paper?
First of all, you should know the clear definition of the different generations, even if there are of course some controversial points here.
If we categorize the three "younger" generations, we draw the boundaries as follows:
- Generation X: born between 1966-1980
- Generation Y (millennials): born between 1981-1995
- Generation Z (currently often called Zoomers): born between 1996-2012
All of these groups can belong to your target group and do not have to be mutually exclusive. A larger online shop must address different target groups with different products and this is done in different ways.
It is important that we do not understand the years of birth as an absolute truth, because in practice the boundaries here are much more fluid than years imply.
However, if we look at media usage, targeting and addressing, it becomes much clearer why it is so clever to take the generations as a shortcut for the habits of your customers.
How Generation X, Y and Z traverse the media landscape
Although each age group has the same opportunities to be addressed, they will not use them to the same extent. This mainly has something to do with our digital socialization. Those who have grown up with email as a communication medium have a different relationship to newsletters than younger customers, who mainly listen to the word of influencers on social media.
Generation X - the older generation of online users
Generation X is also online and navigates websites with ease, even from mobile devices. To assume that even older Gen X'ers cannot be reached online is an absolute fallacy. Although the 50+ generation often needs help from their children or prefers traditional devices such as laptops, they are also open to online advertising.
Phone and email marketing are particularly precise tools for reaching users of this generation. You should also bear in mind that Generation X is already firmly established in professional life.
Good service and a functioning overall package are more important here than the lowest price. Loyalty and long-term brand loyalty should be the focus here.
Generation Y - Millennials as the first true digital natives
The use of digital media is somewhat different for millennials than for Gen X. They mainly use mobile devices, laptops and computers for work or gaming.
If you want to reach Gen Y, you need to think mobile first, just like Google. Millennials are heavily represented on social media, especially Instagram is the sweet spot for Generation Y.
This also has an impact on communication, as the focus on social media means that millennials are also used to a high degree of individualization. If the approach is not right here and the marketing is too impersonal, this quickly has a deterrent effect.
For Generation Y, the user experience must be fast and seamless, nothing must stand in the way of entertainment and quick satisfaction of customer wishes.
Millennials must also be picked up at different touchpoints in order to accommodate their usage habits of switching between tablet, smartphone or work PC.
Generation Z - social media and brands as equals
From a marketing perspective, the biggest difference between Generation X, Y and Z is the use of social media. Zoomers are a special case here: For many of them, it is no longer social media first, but social media only.
TikTok, YouTube and Instagram are used as search engines and browsers. Redirecting to the real browser seems almost old-fashioned here and is just a potential drop-off point.
This also means that the sales funnel needs to be worked towards social media. If posts from influencers don't lead to the store via a click, that's already too much of a detour. Remember: Generation Z has grown up with a seamless online experience and won't settle for anything less.
To achieve something here, you need to be able to compete with the user experience of Apple or Amazon. Influencers are also listened to, because the sometimes more and sometimes less familiar faces are constant companions of their users.
Communication must be fast and to the point - so use messenger marketing rather than emails. Especially as emails are hardly part of everyday life for Generation Z users.
Generations are a guideline, not a science
As you can already see from our classification of generations and their habits, these are not clearly defined classifications, but rather rough guidelines. Because not only are the differences between Generation X, Y and Z not that significant in practice, you should also not underestimate the intragenerational variance. This means that there are also very different characteristics within the generations.
Because whether Gen Xers were born in 1966 or 1980 makes a huge difference. A large proportion of Generation Z is not even of an age to be able to sign purchase contracts independently and will continue to develop in terms of media use. And possibly even with devices that are considered curiosities today, such as VR glasses.
So does the distinction between Generation X, Y and Z belong in the digital wastebasket? You shouldn't be that strict, because a quick overview definitely has its advantages. Knowing which age group you are targeting and how to reach them is always a plus.
If you are developing target groups across generations, you should also have a critical awareness of the limits of the generational definition.
Luckily, you have many more tools at your disposal to adapt your online marketing to the needs of your customers.
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