How to Market Holiday Content to Gen Z on Instagram

The holidays are here, which heralds the busy season for businesses. If you've promoted your brand on Instagram throughout the year, now is the time to double your effort. It is also time to market your holiday content and products to that all-important Gen Z audience.

If you haven’t already started your holiday content promotion before Thanksgiving, don’t fret. You can still get a successful festive campaign up and running. With its highly engaged Gen Z user base, Instagram is the best place to get your brand in front of customers ready to make a holiday purchase. Keep reading to discover how you make the most of your holiday content on Instagram and gain a loyal Gen Z following.

Understanding Gen Z’s Online Shopping Behavior

Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z is the first generation to have grown up in the digital era. Because they became familiar with technology from a young age, Gen Z values efficiency and transparency. Social and environmental values drive them and their online shopping behavior reflects this.

This generation relies on social media, including Instagram, to find inspiration and help them make buying decisions. They are more likely to engage with brands with an impactful social media presence. They also trust product recommendations from peers and influencers over those of celebrities.

Gen Z actively seeks out brands that cater to their need to buy from sustainable and environmentally friendly businesses. Because they only know technology, they primarily consume content and make purchases on their smartphones.

And here is the tricky part for some brands: Gen Z tends to value memorable experiences above the latest designer fashion or most up-to-date technology. They demand transparent marketing tactics and honesty from brands about their manufacturing processes.

So, what does all of this mean for your holiday content in 2023? It means you need to flip the script and start from scratch.

Start with Authenticity and Transparency

You’ve made the decision to market your brand to Gen Z with specific holiday content. You have the colors, images, captions, and videos ready. But what is your message? The last thing you want to do, especially on Instagram, is to be overly promotional or go all out with sales content.

The best way to go about creating holiday content that Gen Z will enjoy is to tell your brand's story first. There is a lot of storytelling going on over the festive season. Parents tell stories to their children. Families tell stories to friends. And businesses tell stories to customers. You want your Gen Z followers to get to know your brand. Tell them why you love Christmastime. Show them what inspired your unique business. Let them get to know the people who work on your products behind the scenes and highlight the values that guide your brand.

You should also prove to your followers that you’re trying to reduce your carbon footprint. This could mean switching to eco-friendly packaging or implementing sustainable manufacturing practices. Gen Z is passionate about saving the environment and won’t hesitate to support brands that demonstrate a genuine commitment to this cause.

Don’t Be Tempted To Use Deceptive Marketing Tactics

Deceptive marketing tactics hardly fool anyone anymore, least of all Gen Z Instagram users. If you promote something to Gen Z followers, you must be obvious about it. Don’t try to sneak marketing tactics into regular posts; doing so may turn off Gen Z users from your brand.

Moreover, you must be honest about the methods you use to engage them. If you use targeting advertising or influencer marketing, disclose this information on Instagram.

Don’t make false or misleading claims about your products. If word gets out that you’re making your brand out to be something it isn’t, you’ll have an impossible time trying to get out of that mess.

Instead of building up your products and services to be miraculous, focus on why Gen Z should buy into your brand. Just as you told the story of your business, tell your followers the story of your products.

Also, encourage feedback on your holiday promotions and content through surveys, comments, and other social media interactions. This will demonstrate to your followers that you want to present them with content they actually want to see.

Don’t Use Overly Polished Visuals

Further to using honest marketing tactics, stay away from overly polished images and videos. Gen Z is not into staged marketing, so your visual content must appeal to them in a natural and authentic way.

For instance, follow the Coca-Cola example and capture real-life moments that reflect Gen Z's everyday experiences. Showcase how your products or services will enhance these moments and help them create lasting memories with their loved ones. Authenticity is appealing to Gen Z users.

Use UGC (user-generated content) and choose it above professionally edited images. Post UGC content that shows Gen Z customers enjoying your products during the holidays. Starbucks does this exceptionally well with its festive promotions. This brand brings the holiday spirit like very few others do. If you get this strategy right, you too can show Gen Z audiences how your brand fits into their lives.

Also, ensure that all your visuals, including videos, represent the diversity and inclusivity that Gen Z values and fights for. Feature people from all over the world with different backgrounds and cultures. Doing this will also help you evoke the right emotion with your holiday content.

Build a New Community

If this is your first time marketing your brand to Gen Z, it is the perfect time to start building your new community on Instagram. Ensure that your posts create a sense of belonging and build on this connection by responding to comments and using Instagram features that encourage further interaction.

Marketing holiday content to Gen Z on Instagram and any other social media platform requires a visually strategic approach. It also requires upfront honesty and transparency. If you embrace these concepts, you will effectively connect with Gen Z audiences and maximize your holiday marketing efforts.