GENERATION Z, BORN WITH A SMARTPHONE IN THEIR HANDS
Generation Z (10-25 year olds) is a generation that is hard to pin down. These "digital natives" were almost all born with a smartphone in their hands. Generation Z is also known as Generation C: Communication, Collaboration, Connection, Creativity. By age 12, teens want a cell phone. From the age of 13, they can register on social networks.
Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Youtube... Social networks have no secrets for them anymore. And this is valid for boys, girls and on any continent of the planet.
THE IMPORTANCE OF DEFINING YOUR TARGET
With the rise of social networks in recent years, it is important for brands to be interested in the use of each of them by the generations because all of them (X, Y, Z and even alpha) have a different consumption mode and desires with regard to networks. As we say: each network has its own target. Brands must therefore take an interest in their targets in order to get to know them better, understand their uses and expectations in order to successfully carry out their marketing campaigns on social networks.
A brand targeting Generation Z (teens and young adults) used to have full legitimacy to be present on Snapchat or Instagram for example. But is this still the case?
TEENS AND SOCIAL NETWORKS, HOW DO BRANDS UNDERSTAND THEM?
How do teenagers use networks? And above all, which networks should brands approach to reach them? We now know that Facebook is not really successful among young people (who are afraid of running into their parents), since Facebook has lost 9.3% of young people between 12 and 17 years old (1).
Studies show that Snapchat and Tiktok are the favorite networks of teenagers. 62% of 16-24 year olds say they use Snapchat and 42% for TikTok (2)
INSTAGRAM AMONG THE TOP SOCIAL NETWORKS FOR TEENS
When the media leads us to believe that teenagers are exclusively on TikTok, Snapchat, or YouTube. It seems logical for brands to focus on these networks to target them through sponsored #challenges.
Yet, even though we tend to forget it for Generation Z, Instagram has recently passed Snapchat and TikTok among 16-18 year olds. There are 89% of users of this age for Instagram against 85% for Snapchat and 15% for TikTok (2).
For 12-13 year olds, Snapchat remains the preferred network for 12-13 year olds (3) with 90% usage versus 66.9% for Instagram.
If brands are looking for visibility among the target audience of teenagers and young adults, they should continue to rely on Instagram, among others, for their social media strategy.
(1) study conducted by eMarketer in August 2019
(2) study conducted by Kantar TNS Connected life, 2019
(3) study conducted by Diploméo in 2019
(4) BornSocial study by Heaven agency
