Content marketing in the digital age

: analyzing the role of quality wellness content in building brand trust among Gen Z

Abstract

This research focuses on the influence of content marketing in the wellness industry, particularly on the way Gen Z users interact with digital mental health apps. The importance of choosing this study arises from the increasingly important role that digital content plays in shaping consumer trust in wellness brands. The main objective was to analyze how quality content fosters trust among Gen Z users, which promotes sustained use of mental health and wellness apps. The study adopted a qualitative methodology. To collect information from users, it involved the design and application of semi-structured interviews with 12 participants between 23 and 27 years old, all of them part of Generation Z. The theoretical framework explores content marketing strategies, wellness consumption and building trust through digital content. The expected results of the research considered the continued use of digital content applications in well-being, especially in the field of mental health due to the strong pressures to which members of Generation Z are subjected, the immediacy of the responses expected from them and the increasingly varied and accelerated technological changes. The key findings show that most participants value mental health applications for their ease of use, affordability and accessibility, and many are aware of these applications through social networks. This finding constitutes a contribution to the scientific community of digital marketing and influencers, specialists in mental health, as it reveals not only the progressive consumption of these applications, but also the importance of these as tools for the digital natives of the generation Z A notable conclusion is that the representation of mental health awareness on social networks played a fundamental role in the decision to use these applications. In addition, most respondents highlighted that the applications provided essential tools during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping them to manage anxiety.

Date of Award	10 Mar 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Carla Ganito (Supervisor)