How to Target Younger Audiences with Your Gaming Content

One of the most important aspects of growing a community is attracting younger audiences, particularly Gen Z. As one of the most tech-literate audiences, they make up a vast majority of online users, so reaching them will give your channel a huge boost. The key to engaging these audiences is to go beyond traditional content creation, instead utilising the technology and internet culture that shaped this generation.

At MinMxD, our goal is to help you succeed with your gaming content and attract more viewers from a diverse audience. This blog explores comprehensive strategies for tailoring gaming content for younger audiences, discussing the benefits of targeting the young generation and the ways of selecting games to create content for.

Find out more about how we can help you expand your audience – contact us today.

Younger audiences are constantly developing, with the internet providing rapid, global reforms to online culture almost daily. It can be a struggle to keep up, especially when you’re not sure about how you can tailor your content in the first place. To support your outreach efforts for younger audiences, here are a f

There are several strategies you can use to tailor your content to the younger generation:

• Take note of what Gen Z is interested in. Keep up with the current trends, memes, and pop culture. Include these things in your content to make it more relatable.
• Create interactive content. Use live streaming, Q&A sessions, and community events. It is important for Gen Z to feel part of a community and be able to interact with other people.
• Make short and engaging videos. Attention spans are shorter, so make your videos short and catchy to match. Examples of videos that younger viewers tend to enjoy include reels, quick tutorials, and funny moments.
• YouTube settings. Make sure you tick “Made for kids” or the appropriate audience setting when you upload videos so that younger people can discover your content.
• Promote positive and inclusive messaging. Generation Z is socially conscious and appreciates creators who respect and welcome people of all backgrounds. Promoting this messaging shows you actively support the beliefs this demographic holds.
• Get together with influencers. Work with popular creators or influencers who already have a younger audience. This can help establish you as a creator who makes appropriate content, while also unlocking a new audience that is likely to fall under your target viewership.
• Make sure your brand is consistent. Your brand should be consistent and appealing to young people. Make it stand out with vibrant colour, catchy thumbnails, and a unique personality.

Find out about the power of short form gaming content >

If you want to reach younger audiences, you need to play the games they’re interested in – while also creating content that you enjoy. The following are some Gen Z-friendly game genres and titles, along with some insight a storytelling process to keep your viewers engaged.

1.   Battle Royale Games

Incredibly popular among younger gamers are battle royales like Fortnite and Apex Legends because they are fast-paced and social. For instance, approximately 62 percent of users of Fortnite in the US in 2018 were aged between 18 and 24. With 500 million players for Fortnite alone as of 2023, this shows how large the potential audience is for these kinds of games.

Fortnite

Known for its vibrant graphics and frequent updates, Fortnite keeps the games fresh with new seasons, skins, and events. Players can customise their characters to make unique avatars, which can make for fun streams and identifiable characters – building a relationship with your community.

Apex Legends

In this game, there are lots of different characters with unique abilities and stories. With streamers, viewers get to learn about the characters and see different playstyles, encouraging them to explore the game themselves.

2.   Sandbox and Open-World Games

Creativity and collaboration are some other attractive features, so younger gamers tend to enjoy sandbox games like Minecraft and Roblox. These give players the ability to create their own stories, which is great for content creators as it enables you to create a personally identifiable brand.

Minecraft

Players can build and explore anything in this sandbox game. You can create engaging content by starting new building projects, exploring mods, or hosting multiplayer events. Since there is direct community engagement, this can be a great way to grow and engage with your community.

Roblox

This platform offers a large number of user-generated games. In your content, you could highlight different popular games, make your own game, or even get your audience involved in game development – hosting streams where you check out what they’ve created.

3.   Esports Titles

Competition is always an enticing element, especially at high levels of skill. If you’re able to compete, even on a lower level, this can make for great and engaging content. Popular games for Esports include Valorant, League of Legends, DOTA, and Counter Strike 2 – although tailoring to younger audiences means you should be cautious of the age rating of the game you play.

Valorant

A technical shooter with unique characters, Valorant offers community engagement through developing an understanding of different characters and playstyles, discussing strategies to try out on stream or in your videos, and through competitive or community-organised tournaments.

League of Legends

With deep lore and a wide variety of champions, League of Legends has a huge amount of versatility – meaning no two videos, streams, or games will be the same. It also hosts a number of engaging alternative game modes aside from the competitive ones, meaning anyone can pick it up and join in.

4.   Character Development

This concept is twofold – firstly, it refers to the development of characters in a game, allowing the viewers to become attached to them. Secondly, it refers to your own persona, creating an engaging dialogue that is unique to you and your content.

Character development is important for younger audiences as it allows them to connect on a deeper level, finding ownership in something unique. Another reason why it could be important is to distinguish yourself from other creators, making you stand out from the crowd.

Here are some tips to pursuing character development in your content:

Tell the backstory of your characters. Talking about their origins, motivations, and personalities of characters in your games, or ones you create yourself, can help viewers to engage and connect with the narrative you’re building.

Highlight the character customisation. Customisation can make content more relatable and engaging, whether it is choosing unique skins in Fortnite or developing your own skin in Minecraft.

Adopt the persona of the characters you are playing. This could make your streams more interesting or novel, but runs the risk of alienating viewers who aren’t on board with this kind of roleplaying.

Make your audience feel like they are part of the story. This can be attractive for viewers, especially if you allow them to decide which character to play next or how to develop your character’s abilities.

To create engaging, relatable, and entertaining content that capture Gen Z’s attention, make sure you start off right by choosing games that resonate with your target audience.

Learn how to choose the right games for your content strategy with our guide > 

Targeting younger audiences helps you unlock a new area of viewership that has a good understanding of the platforms you use and the games you play, a large presence on them, and enough free time to engage with your content. This can lead to a loyal followership that helps you further expand your brand.

Some of the top benefits include:

Activity. Younger generations are highly active on social media  and streaming services, meaning they are more likely to like, share, and comment on content.

Loyalty. Gen Z audiences can become loyal fans if your content is relatable and entertaining. Loyalty can translate into more viewers and more support.

Influence. The younger generation has more influence on market trends, and tends to offer a large amount of buying power (for those old enough to work). You can make sure your audience is there for a long time if you engage them early.

Trends. Gen Z sets a lot of trends in gaming and entertainment. Creators can keep ahead of trends by appealing to their audiences with fresh and engaging content, ensuring you always retain their interest.

Engaging younger audiences, especially Gen Z, requires a deep understanding of their preferences and behaviour. You can build a loyal and enthusiastic following by choosing the right game, creating interactive and relatable content, and making sure your content is accessible. It is important to remember the values that younger generations hold, and to incorporate this into your content. Start with carving your own niche in a popular game, then incorporate your own personal touch to make your brand truly stand out.

At MinMxD, we believe the right strategy makes all the difference for gaming content creators. If you’re in need of advice on how to grow your brand and channel, get in touch today!

Check out our tips for live streaming your gaming content > 

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