The Potential Impact of Gen-Z on SEO

Generation Z, also called the Zoomers, is the group of people who were born from 1997 to 2010, surprisingly comprising around 30% of the world’s total population. A great percentage of them are already part of the workforce, as adults in their 20s. More important to those who deal with SEO challenges on a daily basis, they were born in the digital era and are quite picky. So, my question is if you know how to be truly prepared for them.

Importance of Digital Marketing to Gen-Z

Approximately 95% of Gen-Z has access to a smartphone, meaning most of their online navigation is carried out through mobile devices. Now, I need you to eliminate any preconceptions you might have about Gen-Z. While the interaction with video games and the use of e-books are activities that depend on personal preferences, one thing is certain: they are predominantly present in social media.

Why am I linking that to Search Engine Optimization? Well, first off, at least considering the influence of social media campaigns might be necessary to maintain the public conquered via search engines. In addition, it is already known that the authority and truthfulness of a website have an impact on SEO, and social media can help with that.

Just as important, responsiveness ceased to be a suggestion almost a decade ago. Websites must be mobile-friendly and, besides adapting the layout to all screen sizes, be responsive in terms of performance as well.

As already mentioned, they are picky and accustomed to what the entire web has to offer. They can differentiate genuine and quality content from useless material, and they do not hesitate to ignore what they do not like. The algorithms are already adapting to that demand, using both machine learning and manual human work. As a result, creating meaningful content to satisfy Gen-Z is now a pillar of SEO to maintain rankings

Why Do They Matter for Your Business?

I do not mean to startle you, but if the percentage of 30% of the world population seemed impressive, take a deep breath. Circa 40% of all consumers are part of Gen-Z, and they have different concerns when compared to other generations. For example, they are much more preoccupied with saving money.

Also, a Zoomer wants to give meaning to his life, which might be conquered through the perception that he is making a difference. Companies can truly make their customers feel important by letting them know they are having a positive impact on the environment, as part of society, or in any other sphere. That alone gives the value that differentiates a brand from the rest, which also counts for authority in SEO

Therefore, my point is that they matter for your business because they are a big part of the consumers, and their opinion has an incredible strength on the web

How Does Gen-Z Use Search Engines?

Advertising to Generation Z is a real challenge, as they are not prone to a standardized call to action.

Now, do not go thinking that the rule applies only to paid traffic. It is quite the contrary, as it is necessary to convince them to access your website with just a title and a few words Their attention span is somewhat close to 8 seconds, and that is for an entire results page. More importantly, please do not confuse that short time with lack of focus, as their ability to process information is honed by their familiarity with the digital world. They use long-tail queries and seek both an answer and authority in one place, as fast as possible

That said, it is important to send a direct and precise answer to their query. My two cents are that the content that will open must also load incredibly fast to keep them and be refined to contain what they are after. That is the key to attain and maintain customers and visitors from Gen-Z.

What is the Best SEO Strategy for Gen-Z?

I hope that it is clear by now that accuracy and speed, together with mobile-friendliness, is a must to survive the potential impact of Gen-Z on SEO practices. Therefore, I separated three pillars that should be used alongside any strategy that intends to attract and keep those customers.

Brand Engagement and Trust

Google’s EAT (Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness) will dictate how well websites perform, together with other SEO trends in 2021. Considering that Generation Z’s perception of value is entirely different from the other generations, it is important to offer more than correct content.

How your website contributes to society, or at least to a group of people? Do your visitors feel they are spending well their time on your website?

If you can show your content as an expert, the data on user behavior will increase as a huge part of your visitors will be from Gen-Z. As a consequence, that has a positive impact on SERP. Some valid strategies to generate brand engagement and trust include:

• Enable and make good use of user-generated content, such as reviews, comments, or testimonials. Pictures from customers are a huge plus.
• Focus on creating a brand, something that is memorable, and make it be part of the experience.
• Look at what the competitors are doing and discover what they are missing to become noteworthy. The next time the user thinks about the same subject, your brand should come to mind

Social Media

Among the parameters used by Gen-Z users to evaluate a website’s trustworthiness, a strong presence in social media, especially with lots of interaction, is of major importance. Therefore, it is not about creating a bunch of empty social media profiles. I suggest dedicating some time or having someone manage those pages for you.

As a plus, social media by itself might generate the leads and conversions your website is intended for. When done right, it is an effort that is worth the work in the long-term.

Video Content

Twitch and YouTube prove that videos can catch the attention of Generation Z. Some visitors might not have the patience to read everything – even when it is meaningful content – but might dedicate even more attention to watch or listen to a video. Depending on the page, consider having video content as well, which can be used to promote the website on social media.

Anything that shows that much more work than simply written text has been put to the content will increase the perception of value by Gen-Z.

Wrap-Up Thoughts on the Impact of Gen-Z on SEO

It should be clear by now that overlooking the impact of Gen-Z on SEO is like ignoring mobile devices as a major source of traffic. My intention was to bring enough information on the behavior of preference of the profile that matches most of the users from the generation of Zoomers.

Among the highlights, being an authority in any subject that you explore and allowing Generation Z to take part in your business somehow are two essential lessons. If you manage to appeal to their short span of attention and provide meaningful information in record time, you are good to go.