Storytelling for Gen Z follows its own rules. If you take a closer look at the viewing habits of the younger generation, you’ll quickly notice that the demand for qualitative content is high. At the same time, the desire for interaction with their favorite brand is particularly pronounced.
What does a story have to contain to stand up to the critical eyes of young beauty enthusiasts? We’ll show you how to captivate Generation Z with compelling storytelling.
Growing Up On The Internet: Storytelling For Gen Z
As a beauty brand, you have to approach storytelling for Gen Z differently: If Millennials grew up with the Internet, Gen Z has already absorbed it with their mother’s milk. Life milestones and associated emotions take place digitally and are documented on social media.
However, some things have stayed the same compared to previous generations. Here we are now, entertain us – the song lyrics with which Kurt Cobain originally sang his way into the hearts of Gen X continue to have relevance for Gen Z teenagers. Quick to get bored and always looking for new entertainment, content platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram feed the entertainment appetite of the younger set with brand-new features.
If your beauty brand wants to tell stories that captivate Gen Z members, you must first learn to understand the viewing habits of this consumer group. You can only develop a sense of what appeals to young consumers and optimize your beauty content.
Smartphone VS. TV: Why Gen Z Watches Differently
If you’re a beauty specialist involved in marketing, you’re probably familiar with the channels you can use to reach your dream customers. Traditional commercials interspersed between television shows have long since ceased to be the ultimate.
Instead of the flicker box, Gen Z has pledged its soul to an even more compact device that can conveniently be carried around in its pocket. And so is always available should young consumers be overcome by the desire for a bit of entertainment while on the move. That’s right. We’re talking about the smartphone.
Before you hone your storytelling for Gen Z, you need to realize one thing: The viewing experience on the phone is nothing like that of a TV or computer monitor. It’s completely different.
Instead of having multiple windows open side by side and watching clips in landscape mode, Gen Z is used to full-frame video. Full screen is standard whether it’s TikTok, Snap Discover, or Instagram Reels. This allows viewers to interact with the story differently: They can immerse themselves in it and become a part of it.
Creative Storytelling For Media-Savvy Consumers
Interaction is the keyword when creating compelling storytelling for Gen Z. Let young consumers co-create your beauty brand. That’s what younger people are used to from the social platforms they prefer to hang out on.
TikTok is the best example to illustrate how you can satisfy the customer’s need for interaction. With hashtag challenges, for example, you can encourage your followers to interact with your brand through user-generated content (UGC).
What makes this special is the creativity and authenticity platforms like TikTok enable. As a beauty brand, you are no longer the sole media maker; your followers are both viewers and creative content creators.
When your target audience acts as filmmakers, it brings a new dimension to contemporary storytelling. Ask yourself what you can learn from young beauty enthusiasts. What techniques do they use to tell their stories in innovative ways?
Innovation As A Guarantor Of Attention
Innovation is one of the favorite words of Gen Z. Anything that has been around before quickly loses its appeal. Instead, TikTokers and Snapchatters are looking for something novel that they haven’t seen elsewhere.
What does this mean for you as a beauty expert? Check your stories for their innovative nature. You should also review the formats you use for their novelty.
What’s outdated will be punished with ignorance – as well as mediocrity. With a glut of quick-to-consume content, your story needs to stand out. And that’s just the beginning. Next, you need to create opportunities to interact.
Successful storytelling for Gen Z is all about co-creation. Where previous generations sat passively in front of the TV, Gen Z wants to be active. Can they move and zoom in on your video themselves? Can they share the content with their friends?
Low Concentration Span? The Challenges Of The Short Video Format
Short concentration span? The prejudice about Gen Z is based on a failure to understand new viewing habits. TikTok videos, which last no longer than 60 seconds, place different demands on storytelling. Instead of long intros, you need to jump right into the action.
Be aware of how highly selective the younger generation is when consuming media content. Anything they don’t like within the first few seconds is mercilessly clicked away. In the first few seconds of your story, decide whether it’s a top or a flop. Start where it gets exciting and give your viewers a reason to stay tuned.
The Power Of The Thumbnail
Good storytelling for Gen Z doesn’t work without the proper “packaging.” What content is consumed is only sometimes based on the quality of the content, but on the packaging. Savvy YouTubers, for example, have recognized the power of titles and provocative cover images (thumbnails) to get more views via the clickbait effect.
You’re also more likely to click on a video if it has an exciting and aesthetically pleasing thumbnail. So it would help if you had a great cover image and a snappy headline for your stories. However, short taglines are often harder to text than longer text. This is where the expertise of an experienced beauty copywriter can come in handy.
Micro-Storytelling Captivates Gen Z
How can storytelling for Gen Z be described in one sentence? To the point, storytelling follows a dramaturgical line to arouse interest in just a few seconds. There is now a term for this: micro-storytelling.
But why is it necessary at all? Are young beauty lovers simply unable to concentrate? The truth is a little different: In the digital age, our brains have adapted to the constant stream of information. Which allows us to absorb information better and classify what we see more quickly: Relevant or not? Younger brains are even better at this than older ones, by the way.
Four Tips For Your Micro-Storytelling:
#1. Sell A Key Message
Of course, you have the best beauty brand, and your products shine with various features. But the brevity of video formats forces you to focus on one message. If you try to pack too much information into one clip, the viewer won’t remember anything in the end.
#2. Create An Arc Of Suspense
Create an arc of suspense in 6 seconds? It’s possible, as the Bumper Ads on YouTube prove. What can you learn from them? Spotlight a concise point in your story and create curiosity about what will happen next. The content should be straightforward, and the creative elements should be as simple as possible so they can be understood quickly. Less is more also applies to the amount of text.
#3 Think About The Implementation
Have you got an original storytelling idea? For your story to shine, the execution must be just as well. Think about how you can best showcase your products. Find exciting camera angles, original locations, and powerful testimonials.
#4 Use The Imagination Of Your Audience
Do you want to chew over everything for your audience? Don’t! Spice up your clips with the power of suggestion. The human brain is highly imaginative and good at filling in gaps. Bonus effect: Your story becomes more exciting when your viewers have to imagine what happens next.
Looking for professional support with your storytelling? We’ll enrich your beauty texts with clever stories that arouse curiosity about your offer.
