12 Mar Where is Gen Z Spending Time on Social Media?
Many marketers are now looking beyond millennials and at the next generation of up and coming buyers. There has been a lot of coverage about how younger generations are leaving Facebook and spending time elsewhere. As a social media agency, we spend a lot of time researching audiences. Let’s take a closer look at who these Gen Zers are and how brands can reach Gen Z on social media.
Who are Gen Zers and What do they Care about?
Gen Z is defined by those in their late teens and early 20’s (born between 1998-early 2000’s). Studies show that this generation is more entrepreneurial and don’t pursue higher education as much as millennials. Gen Z is the first group to have really grown up using smartphones and social media from a young age. We were able to pull some really interesting data from Global Web Index’s Gen Z report. This generation cares about:
- Their image and value the opinion of others
- Pop culture and entertainment, which is one of the main reasons they go online
- Vloggers, actors/musicians and celebrity endorsements
- Technology and their smartphone
- Adding value to their life by expanding their skills, knowledge or through entertainment
- Shopping online and on their mobile device
Gen Z and Social Media Usage
According to Global Web Index, Gen Zers spend an average of 2 hours 43 minutes a day on social media. Globally, YouTube takes the top spot in terms of usage, but Facebook isn’t far behind. In terms of messaging platforms, Facebook Messenger is number one and you may be surprised to see Snapchat pretty far down the list of accounts used. Even though Facebook might be slipping, they own three of the top four channels that Gen Zers are active on.
What Gen Zers Want from Brands
Gen Zers have high standards in terms of what they want from brands. According to the GWI study, they want a brand to make them feel trendy, give them entertaining content, provide innovative products/ideas, and make them feel like a valued customer. They expect a two-way, personalized conversation on social channels, similar to how they are engaging with their friends on these networks. This group is more likely to click on sponsored posts on social media as opposed to clicking on online ads. Gen Zers care about high quality products, rewards and just overall love for the brand. If you can tap into these attributes, you can turn this group into brand advocates.
Are you looking to reach Gen Z on social media? We would be happy to help you craft a strategy for this up and coming audience.
