Ah, Gen-Z. The cooler, younger demographic that marketers are dying to “tap into” when sharing their brand’s message across social media.
While both Gen-Zers and Millennials are considered the “younger generations”, there are a number of key differences in the ways they consume content – and video content in particular.
Millennials are known for ditching cable TV for online streaming services; on the other hand, Gen-Zers, on the other hand, were never connected to cable TV in the first place. Gen- Z users are attraction to social media platforms instead – YouTube and TikTok. This has led to completely different viewing behaviors and content interests which has caused the media to evolve with the consumption trends.
We’re breaking down exactly how Gen-Zers consume content and watch video, and what marketers need to know when trying to reach the cooler, younger, social media-savvy siblings of Millennials.
YouTube
YouTube was a social platform that has been around for all of their life, since it was founded in 2005, Gen Z has adopted the platform into their consumption process. As it is their top preferred platform for consuming video content.
For 85% of teens consume content on YouTube, while the average time children spend watching online videos has doubled in the last four years.
The shift away from traditional TV towards the shorter clip style presentation of YouTube has led to a whole different approach to video content. So this has seen a rise of “vloggers” which has created an entirely new category of celebrities.
Vlogging
Video blogging has risen to be of great importance on YouTube, and continues to show signs of growth and popularity. Online personalities usually upload highly personal videos of themselves and within these videos they connect with their audience. Many vloggers have now built massive careers out of their vlogging – the highest-paid vlogger in 2019, Ryan Kaji, earned $26 million.
From a brand perspective, it’s important to note the role that vloggers are increasingly playing. Given their popularity, in future, traditional TV advertising may not be the best option when it comes to outreach and brand awareness, while endorsements by influencers are also considered to be more trustworthy and authentic than those from celebrities nowadays.
Informative Videos
It’s not just entertainment that makes YouTube a hit with younger users. According to Think with Google, 80% of Gen Z teens say that the platform has helped them become more knowledgeable about something, while 68% say that YouTube has helped them improve and/or gain skills that will better prepare them for the future.
YouTube has become a valuable and trusted learning resource for Gen Z. As most students now prefer YouTube videos over textbooks, and many search for videos for Do-It-Yourself projects and how-to videos.
These trends underline the expanding use of the platform and social media itself, which has various implications for how brands can utilize videos to better connect with younger audiences.
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