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How Marketers Can Prepare for Gen Alpha — The First Fully Digital Generation

By: Viral Nation | 4 mins read | Nov 25, 2022
I’m sure you’ve heard plenty about Millenials and Gen Z before, but how much do you know about Gen Alpha? Marketers can start preparing strong social media strategies by understanding the generation that will eventually have the greatest impact on the economy.  Gen Alpha consists of children born between 2010 and 2025. Not only will they become your target audience soon enough, but children are already influencing their parents' purchase habits. 87% of parents reported their children influence which products they purchase. It’s not easy to understand a whole new generation. So, we outlined some pointers that you can use to prepare for Gen Alpha - soon to be your new consumers.

Who is Gen Alpha?

Gen Alpha mainly have Millennials as their parents and are immersed in the digital world like Gen Z. This new generation is expected to be the largest generation in history by 2025 and are the only generation born into a fully digital world. They’re so in touch with technology that 65% of children aged 8 to 11 have access to a mobile phone or even own one, allowing them to be hyper-aware of many social issues. They are highly aware, or even passionate, of the world's problems, ranging from climate change to homelessness.  Unlike Gen Z who tend to be content passively consumer content, Gen Alpha wants to be co-creators. They expect instant responses to their demands because they are so used to having access to information at the touch of a button.

How marketers can prepare for Gen Alpha

Be active on social media

Gen Alpha loves social media - 38% of children saying they like to scroll through social networks after school. The number rises to 43% during weekends. If you want to catch their attention, your best bet is through social networks, since they will have grown up already very active on these platforms. They spend a lot of time on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok because these platforms have a heavy emphasis on videos. All these platforms are slowly replacing traditional television and have caught the attention of Gen Alpha’s at a very early age. Besides creating high-quality content regularly, try to establish a bond with these consumers through your content since they like to interact and be involved. A strong community management strategy will be key in keeping the Gen Alpha generation engaged.

Support a cause

Gen Alpha is a driven generation that cares deeply about the state of the world. When asked about their dream job, the most common goal is to have one that makes a difference. About 59% want a career that involves saving lives, while the other 51% aim to get into the tech industry that will make a difference in society. Their passion for making a difference doesn't stop there ⁠— they care about the environment and support conscientious and sustainable companies. 66% of Gen Alpha prefer to purchase from businesses that positively impact the world.  Running campaigns that show you pay attention to and care about social justice issues will also help your brand get in the good books of this unique generation. Communicating and building a relationship with this generation, while showing you care about the environment and state of the world will go a long way, Keep in mind that your actions must match your words — selling empty words could cost you their trust, which would consequently make them avoid your products or even actively campaign against them.

Be transparent

We just discussed that Gen Alpha is very socially aware, leaving no room for brands to cover up the long-term impacts their products and services have on the environment and society. Brands must be transparent about the impact of their business — direct and indirect — and elaborate on what they plan to do about it.  Try not to sweep problems under the rug and pretend they do not exist. Instead, as a brand,  acknowledge those issues and provide steps to fix them. Honesty is the key to earning Gen Alpha’s trust.

Create experiences

Remember, we are talking about a generation full of creators. Gen Alpha are typically active on social media platforms and enjoy being included in the entire strategic process. A great way to do this is by using interactive marketing tactics such as user-generated content.  UGC, online competitions or in person marketing events are fun ways to include your consumers. Asking your audience to create content on your behalf enhances community engagement and brand loyalty. Online competitions, like hashtag challenges, are a fun way to engage with your audience and make people feel like they are a part of something greater. Inviting creators to in person events to promote everything on their social media pages are also a fun way to get your consumers involved and have them speak on behalf of your brand. They will feel appreciated, and they share their positive experience with others.

Promote two-way conversation

Gen Alpha wants to be part of conversations and it’s important to recognize this to incorporate two-way communication between your brand and this audience. The easiest way to do this is by replying to comments and showing your followers you care. You gain more of an understanding of your followers by conversing with them and seeing what they like and don’t like about your brand or products. Take their feedback and use it to improve your services or products to keep your loyal customer base happy. You will also humanize your brand, which will help you connect with Gen Alpha. They are more likely to be more receptive to your approach when they feel they’re talking with an individual instead of a corporation. 

Be inclusive

An inclusive marketing strategy should be used to appeal to Gen Alpha. Research itself has supported the effectiveness of inclusive marketing, with 38% of consumers reporting that they trusted a brand that showed diversity in its marketing. The number jumps to 59% if there is diversity specifically represented in ads. Google has been great at inclusive marketing. The company launched great campaigns in 2018 that focused on inclusivity and diversity, one of them is a marketing campaign for Pixel 2 in the form of a video called "The Picture-Perfect Life”, which highlights the diverse Google Pixel users of different races and socioeconomic statuses. Showing how much you care about inclusivity and diversity will resonate with this audience. Gen Alpha is the new wave that will soon sweep over the world. Brands should pay attention to this new generation and try to understand them. By slowly building trust and strong relationships with them, you can gain loyal customers who will support your business through and through. 
_About the author
Viral Nation

Viral Nation is a new media innovation group that powers the social ecosystem through integrated solutions that align strategy, talent, media, and technology. As pioneers in the influencer space, Viral Nation is comprised of a full-service creative agency, a creator and athlete-influencer representation agency, and a technology division creating modern marketing solutions for the social media age.