Social Media Habits of Gen Z and Millennials in 2021

And what that means for your business

Who are Gen Z and Millennials ?

Gen Z are the demographic cohort born between 1996 – 2012

Whereas Millennials are the demographic cohort born between 1981 – 1995

What’s Gen Z and Millennials fiscal contribution towards the current global consumer economy ?

“Combined, these generations wield around $350bn (£264bn) of spending power in the US alone – around $150bn (£113bn) by Gen Z and around $200bn (£151bn) by millennials – research by McKinsey & Co shows. And by 2020, Gen Z will account for 40% of global consumers.”

“These two groups have decided that ecommerce is more enticing than ever, with 28% of Gen Zers and 24% of Millennials noting they will likely shop online more than before.“

What’s their average time spent on social media per day?

“16–24 year-olds spend approximately 3 hours a day on social media

Millennials brings the average down to 2 hours and 24 minutes per day”

What does this mean for businesses ?

These statistics show the importance of the combined generation’s impact on the world’s economy, with the limited time the generations do spend on social media it would be best practices for businesses to approach their own brand’s social media strategy with understanding of the most likely social media habits of this powerful audience.

Who do they follow on social media ?

What that means for your business

Top account types that Gen Z follows are online creator/celebrities and meme accounts.

Considering the types of content Gen Z are seeking on social media
                                                                                                                           
Millennials are more likely than Gen Z to be following small businesses and big brands.

Therefore, brands need to work harder to get in front of Gen Z on social media, and can’t expect to get a “follow” just because.

What are the main reasons they visit the platforms they use?

What that means for your business

Millennials head to social media to keep up with friends and family.

Facebook is their top resource with WhatsApp and Messenger following behind.

Gen Z searches for boredom-breaking entertainment.

TikTok is their top go to followed by creative apps such as Snapchat and Triller.

Interesting data analytics :

57% of Gen Z use social media when watching TV, and are more likely to be second-screening with social media than Millennials.

Social media is another channel for them to surf. 

Business owners should be creating high value addition entertaining content to attract and delight  Gen Z audience.

While finding ways to  increase social community interactions which will most likely to appeal to their older counterparts.

What are they doing MORE of on social media during COVID?

What that means for your business

Compared to Millennials, Gen Z are far more likely to have become more active on social platforms during COVID.

The younger generation is more likely to report that the pandemic has resulted in loneliness and boredom, and social platforms are ever more important to them during this time.

They’ve been messaging friends more, video chatting more, and checking their feeds more to feel connected.

They’re more likely to have started to do more on social media that are entertainment-related: watching video content and playing games.

Critical take away from this report for your business

Although it may feel that you need overwhelmingly entertaining content to be relevant on social media. It steadfast stands true that the quality of content is what consumers of all ages appreciates the most from a brand.

People desire solutions to their problems. Showing how your brand or product is able to adapt and bring value in a manner that is compassionate and understanding is what is most likely to attract and delight your audience.

Also COVID has solidified social media’s role as an entertainment source for this generation.

Sources

1. Wikipedia contributors. (2021, August 20). Millennials. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennials

2. Moran, G. (2020, September 10). Gen Z and Millennials 2020 report. Drapers. https://www.drapersonline.com/insight/drapers-bespoke/gen-z-and-millennials-2020-report

3. Alonso, B. (2021, May 11). Millennials and Gen Z Report: 2021 Trends and COVID-19 Shifts. Kibo Commerce. https://kibocommerce.com/blog/millennials-gen-z-2021/

4. Djordjevic, M. (2021, April 26). How Much Time Do People Spend on Social Media in 2021? Letter.Ly. https://letter.ly/how-much-time-do-people-spend-on-social-media/

5. Gen Z & Millennials Use Social Media Differently—Here’s 3 Charts That Show How. (2021, February 26). YPulse. https://www.ypulse.com/article/2021/02/22/gen-z-millennials-use-social-media-differently-heres-x-charts-that-show-how/

Article by Adeesha Achalanka Graphic Designs by V. Suarez for Chokolaate