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📱 Gen Z's Social Media Expectations: How Well Are You Meeting Them?
Are Teens your target audience? With their high use of social media … do you know which platforms to connect with them on?
In today's digital landscape, where social media has become the epicenter of communication and brand interaction, capturing the attention and loyalty of Gen Z consumers has never been more crucial.
💡 WHY THIS MATTERS:
Engaging Gen Z is crucial for brands to be competitive in the digital age.
Gen Z holds significant economic influence and growing spending power.
Establishing meaningful connections cultivates early brand loyalty and long-term success.
⚠️ RISKS OF NOT DOING THIS RIGHT:
Neglecting authentic engagement with Gen Z can lead to alienation.
Gen Z disengages from brands that exhibit inauthentic behavior or disregard their desire for personalized experiences.
They voice their dissatisfaction publicly, potentially tarnishing a brand's reputation.
GEN Z’S TOP EXPECTATIONS OF BRANDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
✨ Authenticity: Brands should exhibit transparency, embrace imperfections, and foster connections.
📹 Video: Short, visually captivating videos on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube are vital.
🌍 Social Causes: Brands aligning with relevant causes and promoting sustainability win Gen Z's loyalty.
🎯 Personalization: Delivering personalized content and interactive experiences enhances engagement.
😂 Memes and Humor: Leveraging humor and memes fosters relatability, but cultural sensitivity is crucial.
HOW AMERICAN TEENS USE SOCIAL MEDIA:
According to a PEW Research study (Aug'22), the social media habits of American teens ages 13-17 are constantly evolving, requiring brands to stay up to date.
📲 They surveyed teens on their use of 10 different platforms.
Here's what they found:
YouTube reigns supreme: 95% of teens used the site or app at least once.
TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat have widespread adoption, with 67%, 62%, and 59% of teens using them respectively.
Facebook use has declined significantly with only 32% of teens saying they use vs 71% in 2014-15.
Twitter (23% vs. 33% in 2014-15) and Tumblr (5% vs. 14% in 2014-15) also decreased use among teens.
👭 There were some notable differences in platform usage across Teens’ demographics:
GENDER: Teen girls were more likely to use TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, while boys were more likely to use Twitch and Reddit.
RACE AND ETHNICITY: Black and Hispanic teens were more likely to use TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp than White teens.
Black teens used TikTok more than other ethnicities, more Hispanics used WhatsApp.
AGE: Older teens (ages 15-17) were more likely to use social media platforms than younger teens (ages 13-14). E.g., 73% of older teens used Instagram, vs 45% of younger.
INCOME: While Facebook use has decreased, Teens in low- and middle-income households use more vs higher income (used by 44% of teens in households earning <$30,000 a year, 39% earning $30,000 to $75,000 , 27% earning >$75,000).
✨📱 Engaging Gen Z on social media with tailored strategies that align with their needs and expectations is crucial for brands to win this critical consumer base.
What strategies are you deploying to engage them?
Even if not your primary target, they may be influencing your target!
PEW: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/