As the members of Gen Z are entering the workforce, it is now the fastest growing demographics on LinkedIn. However, the members of Gen Z are not using LinkedIn in the same ways as their predecessors did, as their priorities, values, and views on work and professionalism have been changed. So, now it is high time for brands to engage with and gain the loyalty of gen Z audience.

Notably, it has been identified that by 2025, Gen Z will comprise 27% of the workforce. Precisely this generation is increasingly turning to social media for learning, professional development, networking, and commerce opportunities. Furthermore, the pandemic has accelerated this shift, and on LinkedIn, the total number of engagements by gen Zers is today more than two-and-a-half times higher than it was in early 2020.

Precisely, Gen Z’s economic power is rising fast and will reshape our economy and social norms. Notably, these changes could include major disruptions to wages, consumption habits, housing and investment. “Gen Z is expected to maintain significant shifts in what they buy and how they spend, and companies now have a major need to keep up with trends to captivate these consumers.

Gen Z is Next Level, Social Creatures

LinkedIn’s new data specifies that gen Zers are, by and large, more engaged with social platforms than millennials. More than 7 in 10 gen Zers spend over an hour on social media every day, and their use, on average, outpaces that of millennials by about an hour. Gen Zers are digital natives, and LinkedIn has become cemented into the digital zeitgeist. Specifically, their access point of choice is mobile, with 75% reporting that they use a smartphone more often than any other device. Therefore, it can be said that gen Zers are comfortable switching between device types and 66% use multiple devices at a time. Furthermore, it is not just Snap and TikTok capturing gen Zers’ time and attention. 70% of Gen Zers say that content shared on the social platform is relevant to them, and 80% say that LinkedIn is a brand they trust.

How Gen Z use LinkedIn

Young people who are increasingly joining the social platform are using LinkedIn more than other social media for purposes related to networking, research and learning. Precisely, 36% of people of gen Z report using LinkedIn for work-related networking and research, compared to just 26% who use other social platforms for the same purpose. 46% use LinkedIn for reading news stories, versus 39% who turn to other social platforms. They also use LinkedIn to learn and develop their own personal and professional abilities.

Among the most popular LinkedIn courses taken by Gen Zers are courses on Microsoft Excel, project management, data structuring and data visualization software, coding language basics and search engine optimization. Taken together, this data suggests that people of gen Z who are investing in online learning through LinkedIn are primarily aiming to develop digital and analytical skills.

How Brands can Connect Themselves with Gen Z on LinkedIn

It is pretty clear that Gen Z has established their own values along with interacting online and habits for skills development and career advancement as well. In order to connect with these young consumers and capture some of their growing influence, many brand owners recommend that brands should focus on one factor in particular: authenticity. Precisely, they need to be authentic with their own brand, personality, and values. Furthermore, brands should recognize the importance of not just ‘winning’ the gen Z consumer but bringing us in as true partners in the marketing process.

Source – The drum