Attendees everywhere are more excited than ever for new, one-of-a-kind event experiences, and Generation Z is no exception. There’s untapped revenue potential by targeting these new eventgoers and curating experiences that speak to their unique interests and passions. Gen Z is exposed to more brands and opportunities every day than any generation before them, so if you want to capture their attention, your event needs to stand out from the crowd.

Read on to learn how you can turn the next generation of attendees into a loyal audience base for your brand.

Get to Know Gen Z

Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) was born into the digital era, so utilizing leading technology solutions for your event is key, especially when it comes to marketing and on-site experiences. Gen Z prioritizes genuine connections — with the brands they invest in, the activities they engage in and above all, with each other. That means they won’t be completely satisfied with a static, everyday event. They’re looking for interactive, multisensory experiences they can share with their friends and family. And this generation is putting their money where their mouth is: a third of those polled said they were planning to give experiences, rather than physical items, as gifts in 2020 (We’re Magnetic, 2020). So, if you’re able to get one person excited about your event, that could lead to an exponential amount of new ticket sales and new followers.

Adapt Your Social Marketing Efforts

Now that you understand who your target audience is, it’s time to plan your marketing strategy. When it comes to Gen Z, the discovery of a brand starts online, so you’ll want to create digital content that is authentic, easily digestible and exciting.

Let’s start with the most popular social media platforms among Gen Z: TikTok and Instagram (eMarketer, 2021). Gen Z’s average attention span is only eight seconds (IAB UK, 2020), so short-form video content is key. On TikTok, for example, 63% of videos with the highest click-through rate highlight their message or product in the first three seconds. For event organizers, this means promoting experience-driven content by highlighting the best features of your event right away.

Similarly, Instagram Reels offer brands 60 seconds to wow their followers through highly engaging video content. Instagram shows Reels to those who show interest in your brand and engage with your posts, so when you consistently post valuable content that resonates with your followers, you’ll be rewarded with higher reach and more followers. Create engaging content by taking advantage of trending music or audio clips, sharing your organization’s story and posting exclusive content followers can’t get anywhere else.

Partnering with influencers is another great way to get in front of this audience and boost your event’s awareness. Influencers are trusted personalities with a built-in following, so they can offer you direct access to their loyal audience while giving an authentic take on your event. When deciding who to partner with, note their number of followers and engagement rate; a high follow count may not be worth your investment if there’s limited engagement. Look into micro-influencers as well, because even though their following is smaller, they’re often highly engaged and are more likely to make a purchase. For example, if you work in the arts, you may find value in partnering with local writers, choreographers and actors who are immersed in your industry.

Exceed Gen Z’s Expectations

Now that you’ve hooked your new audience, the best way to capitalize on that interest is to go above and beyond what they expect and offer an interactive, personalized event experience from start to finish. Before attendees even arrive at your event, you should take every available opportunity to connect with them. How? By providing them with a mobile app they can use before, during and after your event. With a fully branded event app, you’ll provide a personalized hub for their entire experience, complete with their tickets, event details, maps of your venue and your full schedule to plan their day. Use dynamic push notifications and proximity messaging to connect them with sponsors and build hype for unique aspects of your event. 

Gen Z wants to be surprised and captivated at the same time, and the best way to do that is with gamified experiences at your event. Through scan-to-win games, digital scavenger hunts and custom surveys they can participate in to earn points and win prizes, you’ll offer them a memorable event day that can’t be replicated anywhere else. And if you offer on-site activations like photo and video booths, attendees can take a digital memento of their experience and share it with their friends on social media right from your app, giving you even more exposure to new audiences.

With Patron Technology’s engagement products, for example, you get a 360-degree view of everything your attendees do at your event, including what games they’re most interested in, what sponsors they interact with and more. After your event ends, use that data to create targeted marketing campaigns and better plan your next event.

Add a Virtual Element to Your Event

If you’re not incorporating a virtual element into your in-person events, performances or workshops, you’re missing out on valuable engagement and revenue opportunities with your Gen Z audience, as they’re already accustomed to watching streams of their favorite influencers and stars. Because there are virtually no capacity limits when it comes to online content, you can continue to sell access to a live stream of your event even when your physical venue sells out tickets, boosting your bottom line.

Partnering with a complete virtual events solution empowers you to sell secure access codes to your streams alongside tickets to in-person events, making it easy to gate access and ensure only registered ticket buyers watch your content. You can even sell access to exclusive pre-recorded content your audience can’t get anywhere else, like behind-the-scenes videos or talkbacks with the director and cast of your show.

To further deepen your online connections with your audience, offer virtual meet and greets, where they can have a one-on-one or group discussion with their favorite artists and celebrities. Customers purchase a session time, use their unique access code to enter an interactive waiting room, then enter the session. After it’s completed, you can give your attendees a recording of their session so they can share it on social media. Yet another great way to drive organic exposure for your event!

Put It All Together

There’s no question that Gen Z is going to change the event landscape, just like every generation has before them, so you need to be ready to anticipate their needs. And when it comes to your ticketing, on-site experiences, mobile apps and virtual events, Patron Technology is here to help. Contact our team to learn how our complete event technology solution can help you expand your audience, create unforgettable events and gain valuable attendee insights.

This article was sponsored by Patron Technology.