20 creatives work in the team of Content Lead Ornella Sonderegger at Mawave. / Photos: Sebastian Arlt
Approaching Gen Z Correctly: 5 Tips From The Mawave Expert
Martin Haase
What does Gen Z expect when they use TikTok? What focus must content have in order to appeal to young people? And why do the Facebook and Instagram platforms remain important? Five tips from Ornella Sonderegger, Content Lead at the social media performance agency Mawave from Munich.
1) Identification is key!
Gen Z expects user-generated content. Because this content conveys authenticity. The young target group wants to be able to identify with a brand. When it comes to products, it is no longer the functional focus that is important to them, but the emotional component. This is exactly what we need to achieve in content production and convey in the 15 to 30-second videos on TikTok, for example.
2) Throw the annual plans overboard
It's about not putting everything into a formula, but being flexible. One challenge in storytelling is that we have to jump on trains spontaneously. An annual plan doesn't work. We check daily to see if there are any new trends, often hold spontaneous brainstorming sessions and organize regulars' tables on new trends. Of course, there are predictable events, such as public holidays. When we generate new ideas , we consult with our customers and are quick to implement a trend.
3) Content must fit into the overall experience
We all use social media with different intentions, and this also applies to Gen Z. Sometimes they want to be entertained, sometimes they want to be informed about a specific topic. It is incredibly difficult to predict why a target group is using a specific channel at a specific time. This means that we need content that fits seamlessly into the mass of content. And as authentic as possible - then it is less important what exactly the content is about. Because even if users have come for entertainment, they can get stuck on an ad that fits into their experience. However, there are differences: the meta platforms Facebook and Instagram work differently to TikTok. Gen Z still expects traditional advertising there. On TikTok, users primarily expect entertainment and information.
4) Advertising? Yes, but with added value!
If an ad is well done - that is, if it fits the user experience - they not only recognize this, but also appreciate the brand's content. Gen Z knows that social media is used for advertising purposes. Nevertheless, it should not be offensive advertising, but should also inform and entertain. Gen Z is incredibly well informed. They switch from TikTok to Instagram and look at what's happening there. We realize that several touchpoints are necessary for Gen Z to ultimately make a purchase decision, i.e. to convert. This is a new challenge for content production. Gen Z is critical, but also rewards you if you meet their taste.
Ornella Sonderegger has been with the agency Mawave, which was founded in 2018, for two years. As Content Lead, the 26-year-old manages a team of 20 creatives and shares the management position with Stefanie Bartsch, who completes the content department with a further 16 employees.
5) Authentic content needs faces
Authentic content needs people to tell a story. This does not necessarily always have to be the same person. Nor does it necessarily have to be very well known. It's simply about conveying humanity. That's why there has been a shift towards user-generated content. Users don't just consume content because a well-known influencer says something, but because a person addresses a problem, for example, that consumers are also confronted with and can identify with. However, if you decide to always let one person speak, it has to be authentic. A story doesn't work if the narrator doesn't fit in. Because if it comes across as forced, it will also come across to the users. You don't need an anchorwoman or anchorman.
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