INSIGHT
CREATING CONTENT
FOR THE GEN C
The precise date boundaries of Gen X, Y or Z can be very hard to determine, so perhaps it’s time to
focus your marketing strategies on Generation C, an audience which is determined by culture, behaviour
and attitude rather than simply age. Lee-Ann Johnstone of Income Access elaborates.
RECENTLY I’VE BEEN reading a
lot about Generation C – an emerging
consumer segment which is creating a
culture that thrives on creation, curation,
connection and a sense of online
community. Gen C is becoming an
important part of your target audience,
and learning how to actively engage
and communicate effectively with these
individuals should be at the forefront of
your affiliate marketing strategy.
What is Gen C?
The term was coined in 2010 by Nielsen
and Booz Allen and describes a highly-
connected consumer generation: any
media-savvy person who spends most of
their time comfortably interacting online.
Typically born after the 1980s (Millennials),
this growing group of consumers engage
with brands online via multiple devices.
Today, the Gen C culture defines
people across several generations who
are intimately familiar with digital
communication. They spend upwards of
six hours a day researching and learning
to discover and purchase goods and
services online.
their transactions online.
They care deeply about creation,
both in terms of content and in terms of
sharing ideas, products and services within
their communities. They tend to favour
visual content – 80% of Gen C watches
YouTube regularly, and are twice as
likely to consume content on this channel
compared to the general population. They
are socially-driven when discovering new
brands and products. A Brian Solis article
about Gen C culture reveals that 66% of
the cohort will look up a store or brand if
they see a friend “check-in” there online.
Gen C consumers are great advocates
for brand sharing. Their characteristics
are highly conducive with brands in the
online gaming sector, which rely strongly
on engaging an audience in a live, social
and entertainment-driven setting to
secure additional player conversion.
When communicating your brand or
product messaging, you need to ensure
that Gen C is given the opportunity to
ignore, engage or explore further when they
encounter your content. They are typically
savvy, ad-blocking types, so curating
content with which they can identify
and engage, as well as share within their
communities, is vital for getting maximum
interaction and attention.
Understanding that your content and
advertising should be less invasive is the
first step to adjusting your marketing
messaging. You should seek to engage by
adding value to the online discovery and
promotion of the brands you support on-
site rather than applying a push marketing
approach to get your target audience’s
attention.
It’s time to stop pushing standard bonuses
or games-based offers. Start engaging your
“Gen C consumers are great advocates for brand sharing.
Their characteristics are highly conducive with brands in
the online gaming sector, which rely strongly on engaging
an audience in a live, social and entertainment-driven
setting to secure additional player conversion”
Why are they so important?
It’s estimated that by 2020, this segment
of consumers will make up around 10% of
the world’s population – the largest global
online consumer group, according to PwC.
These passionate brand advocates don’t just
passively consume information – many of
them create content at least once a month
to share with others too. Google research
indicates that Gen C customers are 3.6
times more likely to purchase and share
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iGB Affiliate Issue 62 APR/MAY 2017
Communicating with Gen C
Ever heard of the ‘Fear of Missing Out’
(FoMO)? Gen C consumers frequently
suffer from FoMO syndrome and want to
feel constantly connected to the world. This
means they use multiple content platforms
and devices. Gen C craves instant access
to information, exactly when they want
to consume it. Traditional paid media just
doesn’t cut it for these guys.
audience with the true benefits of what
makes your website (or brand) truly unique
and a business that the customer wants to be
associated with socially.
Understanding where you can bring
value, engage or entertain a customer prior
to their conversion is the key to generating
success. Ideally, they will engage with
brands that understand their curation
requirements in terms of sharing content