Generation Z – people born between the mid-1990s and 2010/2011 – are a consumer force unto their own. More racially and ethnically diverse than preceding generations, Gen Z presents significant challenges for digital marketers. For insurance businesses seeking to attract the attention of Gen Z consumers, insurance SEO strategy must be adapted to appeal to young people’s preferences and habits. In this guide, we will explore Gen Z’s impact on SEO, providing you with the details you need to leverage search visibility to connect and engage with this important consumer group.
The Importance of Gen Z
Why should insurance businesses worry about reaching the Gen Z group? Gen Z is a powerful economic force, accounting for nearly 29% of the American population and about 40% of total global consumers. In fact, it is estimated that the group represents over $143 billion in spending power each year, and that figure continues to climb.
Generation Z was born in the digital age, and typically possesses far greater savvy in applying technology than previous generations. By and large, Gen Z consumers turn to the web to research companies and their products or services before making purchasing decisions. An insurance SEO strategy that encompasses this familiarity with web research can help insurance agencies make critical connections with consumers driving the economy.
Understanding Gen Z Consumer Preferences
Because of their deep connection to online technologies like web searching, mobile computing, and e-commerce, digital marketers must gain an understanding of the preferences this generation exhibits when interacting with the world around them. Several factors stand out:
- Brand loyalty is critical in influencing purchasing decisions, but this loyalty must be earned.
- Gen Z consumers are more likely to shun companies that do not reflect their personal values and interests than preceding generations.
- Gen Z consumers can be notoriously difficult to engage with.
- Short attention spans are a hallmark of Gen Z consumers; it is estimated that businesses have about an eight-second window to make that positive first impression.
Digital marketers in the insurance sector must create an insurance SEO strategy that takes these preferences into account. In many cases, creating engagement with this consumer group requires novel approaches and thinking.
Alternative Marketing: A Key in Creating Gen Z Consumer Engagement
What can digital marketers do to make connections with Gen Z consumers? As noted earlier, brand loyalty is an important part of the marketing puzzle. To earn the trust of Gen Z consumers, so-called “experiential” marketing has proven to be effective. Experiential marketing leverages user experiences and events to help consumers engage with companies. Often, consumers are invited to interact with a business, creating a lasting branded impression that those consumers are more likely to share with their peers. For insurance marketing, an experiential campaign can include real-world and participatory factors that not only showcase your company’s products and services, but also where you stand as a business.
Harnessing Social Media as an Insurance SEO Strategy
Social media is an everyday part of life for younger generations. From staid platforms like Facebook and Twitter to emerging social powerhouses like TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram, an insurance SEO strategy that utilizes social media to create engagement produces results. While rankings in search results are not directly influenced by social media activity, interaction between consumers and companies on these platforms generate “social signals” that modern search engines identify as part of their search algorithm. There is an additional benefit in using social media to extend marketing campaigns: users who follow your company are more likely to like, share, or retweet information with their friends.
Search Engine Habits of Gen Z Consumers
In the early days of the World Wide Web, search users typed in single words or short phrases into search engines and were presented with a list of results. Gen Z consumers, on the other hand, were born into a world where online searching was a given. This group knows how to use online search and their habits are dramatically different than other groups.
First, Gen Z users are more likely to use mobile devices and voice search to access information. Next, this group is more likely to engage in what is known as “intentional search” where a focus on specific topics often requires the input of complex sentences or phrases (long-tail queries) to glean details about a company. Despite their short attention spans, Gen Z search users typically spend more time conducting online searches and more team analyzing the search results.
To get the most out of the search experience, an insurance SEO strategy must:
- Ensure fast loading speeds for webpages, apps, and shopping tools.
- Optimize web properties for voice search.
- Create and maintain mobile-friendly websites.
- Incorporate more long-tail phrases in web content across platforms.
With these tips and a carefully designed insurance SEO strategy, insurance agencies can attract Gen Z consumers, encouraging businesses growth with the help of Generation Z and its incredible economic power.
About Neilson Marketing Services
Since 1988, Neilson Marketing Services has been implementing innovative marketing solutions and strategies for our clients in all areas of marketing. Contact us today at (866) 816-1849 to put our talent, expertise, and vast resources to work for you. Let’s make things happen, together!
