Every marketer’s obsession is to understand their customer. And knowing what makes Gen Zs in India tick is top of mind for many.
The reason: There are various stereotypes surrounding the more than 300 million Gen Zs in India.
Want to know what they really think and why they behave the way they do? They’ve spoken.
Here are four things Gen Zs in India have to say about what they favour and why. Tap into the insights to better reach and engage Gen Zs today.
Gen Zs are heavy users of Search in general. They aren’t passive consumers; they're actively searching to discover, find information, and explore options.
In fact, 79% of Gen Z consumers from India report using Google and/or YouTube on a daily basis.1
If you want to market to Gen Z consumers as they seamlessly stream, scroll, search, and shop, online and offline, use Search. Google Search paid campaigns deliver an average conversion lift of 56% for advertisers globally.2
Gen Zs’ top video platform pick is YouTube. If Gen Z viewers in India could watch only one service for an entire year, YouTube is the No. 1 platform they would choose.3 And that’s because of how YouTube brings content, creators, and experiences together in an unparalleled way for audiences.
It’s the one platform that lets India’s Gen Zs enjoy content across multiple formats, from short-form video and long-form content to podcasts and livestreams.
Indeed, according to a survey by Kantar conducted in India, 76% of Gen Z viewers feel that their time is well spent on YouTube, compared to 65% on Instagram and 57% on TV.4
To reach and convert Gen Z customers, use Video view campaigns. The AI-powered campaign serves your videos across multiple ad formats, optimising for where they perform best, and multi-format video ads can help you get up to 40% more views for your budget.
Gen Zs shop on Google. According to a survey by Kantar, 93% of Gen Z viewers in India agree that because of the information found on YouTube, they felt confident about the purchase they made.5
To reach and convert Gen Z consumers, use ads solutions like local inventory ads and Performance Max, which let you appear across Google's channels like YouTube and Maps.
Electronics retailer Reliance Digital achieved a 129% surge in store visits and a 35% boost in sales during the Durga Puja festival by using solutions like Performance Max and local inventory ads.
Gen Zs in India value authenticity and transparency. So they're willing to consider sponsored content if it comes from a source they already trust.
And according to a survey conducted by Kantar, 93% of viewers in India agree that YouTube creators’ content is more trustworthy than content on other platforms (86%).6
To connect with Gen Zs in India, collaborate with YouTube creators whose audiences align with your brand and who can speak genuinely about your product or service.
Hyundai, for example, collaborated with gaming creators on YouTube for the launch of its sporty SUV geared toward Gen Zs. The creators’ livestreams promoting the launch resulted in 2.7 million views and a 2.5X increase in event visitors.
The bottom line: If you want to reach and engage a new generation of customers in India meaningfully, sidestep stereotypes about Gen Zs.
Instead, tap into truths about Gen Z search behaviours and where they go for trusted information and shopping, to build your marketing strategy and grow your business profitably.
