Generation Z, shortened to and popularly known as Gen Z, is the demographic group born between 1997 and 2012. This generation is most known for being one of the fastest growing, quickest adopting generations on smartphones, social media, and the internet.
Gen Z is estimated to make up more than a quarter, roughly 26%, of the total population worldwide, and they are the most ethnically diverse in the U.S.
As of 2023, Gen Z’s age range is between 11 and 26 years old.
As the first real “digital natives,” Gen Zers are the first generation to have grown up with access to social media and the internet from a really young age. That makes them the most online-connected generation ever, turning to the internet or social media for any kind of information, including news and reviews, before making a purchase. Many of them specifically turn to TikTok to search for answers, like restaurant recommendations, or to figure out how to do something, thus replacing it with Google’s search engine.
Gen Zers generally crave transparency, diversity, and individualism, and they look for brands that align with their values and inclusive, supportive communities.
Gen Zers are the most prominent social media-adopting generation to date, with more than half of them, roughly 54%, spending at least four hours daily on social media, and 38% spend even more time than that.
A 2022 Morning Consult survey found that nearly 9 in 10 (88%) Gen Zers use YouTube, making it the generation’s most-used social media platform. Instagram ranked second, used by roughly three-fourths (76%) of Gen Zers, while TikTok and Snapchat tied for third at around 67% of Gen Zers.
There are a lot of new social media platforms being developed yearly, and Gen Zers are also quick to adopt those, with BeReal, Poparazzi, and Supernova being some of the newest social media platforms, clearly resonating with them.
Since Gen Zers highly value self-expression, community, authenticity, and entertainment, they prefer short-form video content, user-generated content, and more visually compelling content. Here are some examples of content that is geared toward Gen Zers:
Brands and marketers who include these values in the content they create will have a greater chance of successfully engaging with this generation.
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