This is a guest post by Corina Leslie, PR Manager at ZeroBounce.
Is your email marketing resonating with Gen Z? If you're still relying on the same strategies you used five years ago, chances are... it's not. Gen Z scans, skips, and unsubscribes, so to win them over, you need to adapt your approach.
Based on fresh insights from a survey of 1,400 Gen Z professionals, here are 7 data-backed ways to create emails that connect with the next generation.
How Gen Z uses email-and how to make your marketing matter to them
Email is a tried-and-tested marketing channel for Millennials, Gen X, and even Boomers. It continues to engage, convert, and increase ROl across generations. But when it comes to Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012), the rules are changing.
Surprisingly, in a recent study by ZeroBounce, Gen Z named email as their favorite way to communicate at work, outranking instant messaging apps and video calls by far. And that's not all: 36% of Gen Zers check email because of FOMO: They don't want to miss out on brand discounts and job offers.
Despite the stereotypes, Gen Z actually spends time in the inbox, but they're more selective about what they open. Here's how to get their attention and keep them opening and engaging with your marketing emails.
Be respectful of their privacy
One of the fastest ways to lose Gen Z's trust? Emailing them without permission. This generation grew up with privacy breaches, constant digital noise, and hyper-targeted ads.
They're naturally more cautious about who gets access to their inbox.
Always make sure you have permission to email them-and that applies to your entire email list. Avoid purchasing databases, use a clear opt-in process, and never assume consent. This helps you earn trust up front, and trust builds loyalty.
Bonus tip: Did you know that a high bounce rate can send your future emails to the spam folder? Validate email addresses directly into Zoho CRM to ensure that your contacts are accurate and up-to-date-and get your marketing emails to the inbox.
Focus on relevance over frequency
If you plan on sending more emails to increase engagement with Gen Z, you might want to think again. This generation isn't interested in generic blasts or filler content. What matters most to them is relevance: emails that speak to their interests, habits, or values.
Use data to your advantage, segment your audience, polish your subject lines, and craft emails that feel personal. Think discounts on products they browsed or updates that match their preferences. For Gen Z, one personalized email is worth ten generic ones.
Keep your marketing emails short
Most people prefer short emails, but for Gen Z, brevity is key to keeping them scrolling and clicking. They grew up going through feeds, not long newsletters, so their brain is trained to process information fast.
The most effective way to engage them? Keep your copy concise. Use short paragraphs, bold headlines, and bullet points to make your emails easy to skim. Every word should earn its keep.
Gen Z will notice when you respect their time
Make your emails mobile-first. Gen Z probably spends more time on their phones than most generations. If your emails are clunky, your text too small, and your call-to-action (CTA) is buried, they may tune out instantly. Moreover, the next time they see your brand name pop in their inbox, chances are they'll just ignore or delete your message.
Before hitting "send," check that your email looks great on mobile. Test the fonts, buttons, and links-and make sure images load quickly. A seamless mobile experience is a must for Gen Z.
Bonus tip: To increase email marketing engagement across the board, you need a healthy, responsive email list. Remember to remove outdated contacts and dormant subscribers regularly-that way, you avoid a high bounce rate and potential deliverability problems. It's easy to start with a free email verification tool and validate new subscribers before you add their contacts to your list.
Speak their language, but don't force it
Gen Z can spot a try-hard brand from a mile away. If your emails are filled with slang or memes that don't fit your voice, they may find that cringey. This generation values authenticity above all, so make your emails sound like you.
Use clear, conversational language, and talk to them, not at them. If you wouldn't say it out loud to a smart 23-year-old, don't put it in an email. Gen Z doesn't expect you to speak their language perfectly, but they do appreciate it when your brand is genuine.
Make it easy to act (and leave)
For Gen Z, much like Millennials, brand experience can leave a lasting impression-and you want that impression to be seamless. If your email makes it hard to access a page or make a purchase, you're creating friction.
Instead, use simple layouts, mobile-friendly buttons, and clear CTAs. Also, don't hide the unsubscribe link. Making it easy for Gen Z (and everyone else to leave your list builds trust. It also helps you avoid spam complaints-when they don't see a way out, people hit the report button.
Give them a reason to stay
If you want to take your brand experience even further, your email marketing strategy should focus on ongoing value. Gen Z doesn't follow brands out of habit. They're always evaluating whether your emails are worth their time.
So give them a reason, and do it consistently. Think beyond the sales pitch. Can you share early access, community perks, and quick tips they can use? The goal is to make your email feel like a feed they want to check. When you consistently deliver something they care about, they'll keep coming back.
Do it all, the right way
To ensure that your efforts to win over Gen Z are successful, it's important to maintain a healthy email list. If you're using Zoho CRM to manage your leads' and customers' contact information, check out the ZeroBounce Email Validator extension. With this extension, you can validate email fields and eliminate invalid or fraudulent addresses, ensuring better email reputation, higher deliverability, and protection against bounces, abuse, bots, and spam traps.
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