{"id":46550,"date":"2022-02-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-04T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/?p=46550"},"modified":"2024-05-09T16:50:54","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T16:50:54","slug":"gen-z-engaging-the-next-generation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/blog\/gen-z-engaging-the-next-generation\/","title":{"rendered":"Gen Z: Engaging The Next Wave Of Donors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>It\u2019s no secret that the most effective fundraising strategies begin with understanding your target audience. When talking about generational cohorts, there are countless articles written on cultivating and soliciting Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. However, Generation Z is still an audience to be explored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who is Generation Z?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While generational cutoffs aren\u2019t set in stone, Gen Z includes individuals born between 1997 and 2012. This means that in 2022, this group ranges in age from 15-26. Members of Gen Z are digital natives growing up with tech, social media, and information available at their fingertips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/social-trends\/2020\/05\/14\/on-the-cusp-of-adulthood-and-facing-an-uncertain-future-what-we-know-about-gen-z-so-far-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Pew Research Center<\/a>, Gen Z is more ethnically and racially diverse than their generational predecessors. Gen Z youth and young adults are inclined to be socially conscious and politically active. Moreover, Gen Z makes up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/blog\/the-avenue\/2020\/07\/30\/now-more-than-half-of-americans-are-millennials-or-younger\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">nearly a quarter<\/a> of the U.S. population. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/blakemorgan\/2020\/02\/28\/50-stats-all-marketers-must-know-about-gen-z\/?sh=64ed346976d0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">By 2030, they are expected to make up 30% of the U.S. workforce<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>As their giving capacity grows, it\u2019s only a matter of time before Gen Zers take up the mantle as the next wave of nonprofit supporters. <\/strong>So, how do we refocus and tailor our fundraising to this new generation of savvy movers and shakers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Leverage Peer-to-Peer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Gen Zers are impact-oriented and they care about solving social problems. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/fundraising-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Almost three out of four young adults are willing to raise money on behalf of an org that matters to them.&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/gen-z-p2p.png\" alt=\"gen-z-p2p\" class=\"wp-image-46553\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To best leverage collective impact and technology, peer-to-peer (P2P) campaigns are a popular way to engage and influence others &#8211; especially when shared across social media platforms.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/gen-z-p2p-share.png\" alt=\"gen-z-p2p-share\" class=\"wp-image-46554\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>With CauseVox&#8217;s hands-free peer-to-peer, you can harness the power of your community and empower young donors to share your mission and amplify your cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Optimize Mobile Giving<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We can\u2019t stress this one enough.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With over 95% of Gen Z members owning smartphones (the average receiving their first phone before the age of 10), making your campaigns mobile-friendly isn\u2019t just trendy, it\u2019s a necessity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can be frustrating when a website isn\u2019t mobile responsive and it certainly doesn\u2019t promote a sense of confidence in the organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/gen-z-mobile-giving.png\" alt=\"gen-z-mobile-giving\" class=\"wp-image-46556\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Optimizing mobile giving doesn\u2019t just apply to your website or campaign page. It also means having a mobile-friendly, <em>branded<\/em> donation form. In 2020, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/fundraising-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">online giving increased by 21%<\/a>. In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/fundraising-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">over half of all traffic to nonprofit websites was on a mobile device<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/fundraising-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">26% of all online fundraising was processed through mobile devices<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With CauseVox\u2019s mobile-optimized donation forms, supporters can donate quickly and effortlessly. Our smart forms can automatically detect whether a donor is on a desktop or mobile device, optimizing their online giving experience from the get-go.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/gen-z-donations-1.png\" alt=\"gen-z-donations\" class=\"wp-image-46559\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/pledge-now-pay-later\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CauseVox\u2019s pledge feature<\/a>, donors have the option of making a pledge today and paying in automatic installments that best work with their budget:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/gen-z-pnpl-1.png\" alt=\"gen-z-pnpl\" class=\"wp-image-46560\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Is your fundraising ready for mobile? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/blog\/mobile-giving-fundraising-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">See if you check all the boxes with our self-graded rubric<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Keep Your Appeals Short and Succinct<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you thought the average attention span was short before, did you know that the average attention span today is<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iabuk.com\/opinions\/rise-short-form-video-gen-z-social-revolution\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"> 8 seconds<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With an overload of information day in and day out, being able to capture someone\u2019s attention in a short time frame is critical. So how do you convince someone to care in a matter of seconds?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Cut out the fluff<\/strong> &#8211; if you\u2019re writing a text appeal, keep your content around 300-500 words.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pay attention to readability<\/strong> &#8211; The <a href=\"https:\/\/readable.com\/readability\/flesch-reading-ease-flesch-kincaid-grade-level\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Flesch reading ease score<\/a> measures how easy to read your text is. It\u2019s ideal to score between 70 to 80 (which is equivalent to an 8th grade reading level). Basically, the higher the score, the easier your text is to read.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Play with the formatting<\/strong> &#8211; Consider using different heading sizes or formatting styles to make certain words or phrases pop.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Chunk it out<\/strong> &#8211; Avoid text walls by \u201cchunking\u201d your content into sections. You can also use bullet points to make it more easily digestible and memorable.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Have a strong call to action<\/strong> &#8211; It\u2019s obvious but we like to hammer this point home every time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. #Hashtags<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the years, hashtags have gained traction and popularity across all social media platforms. As something that started on Twitter, hashtags are powerful marketing tools when used correctly. Crafting an effective hashtag remains a great way to boost shares and promote awareness about your cause.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/gen-z-givingtuesday.png\" alt=\"gen-z-givingtuesday\" class=\"wp-image-46561\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>#GivingTuesday is an excellent example. Fiver\u2019s Children Foundation used #GivingTuesday to promote their widely successful 2021 campaign by adding it to the title and in their appeal.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even better &#8211; use a unique hashtag! Unique hashtags can help people filter through the noise, follow your campaign, and ultimately donate to your cause.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a few tips when brainstorming your next hashtag:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Keep it short and sweet &#8211; <\/strong>&nbsp;While this is especially true with Twitter where you\u2019re limited to 280 characters, a long hashtag won\u2019t be easy to remember.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Make sure it hasn\u2019t been taken &#8211; <\/strong>Check to see if your hashtag has already been used by another organization or campaign. If so, you\u2019ll need to get creative.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Check your hashtag to see where else it\u2019s being used<\/strong> &#8211; Sometimes a certain phrase that may be relevant to your mission is already being used in an entirely different way. We suggest plugging in your chosen tag into different social media platforms and seeing what other posts come up.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For more tips on crafting the perfect hashtag for your next campaign, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/blog\/developing-perfect-crowdfunding-campaign-hashtag\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this article<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Gen Z is an emerging philanthropic powerhouse that shouldn\u2019t be discounted. Their technological prowess and ability to mobilize their personal networks positions them to be the next generation of donors. However, to engage Gen Z in a meaningful way, it\u2019s important to have the right technology that delivers a phenomenal user experience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get Started On CauseVox<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to raise more for your organization or favorite charity? CauseVox makes it easy for you to make a big impact with less effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ll give you donation-optimized forms to convert more donors on any type of campaign including website donations, peer-to-peer, crowdfunding, birthday fundraisers, challenges, special events and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/causevox.ewebinar.com\/webinar\/causevox-overview-demo-2608\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Book a demo to learn how to maximize your fundraising on CauseVox<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s no secret that the most effective fundraising strategies begin with understanding your target audience. When talking about generational cohorts, there are countless articles written on cultivating and soliciting Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. However, Generation Z is still an audience to be explored. Who is Generation Z? While generational cutoffs aren\u2019t set in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":53099,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/glitterz-600x400.png","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/glitterz-600x402.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Team CauseVox","author_link":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/author\/teamcausevox\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46550"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46550\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}