How Advertisers Can Climb the Social Ladder with Gen Z

Insights in Five:

How Advertisers Can Climb the Social Ladder with Gen Z

A Suzy Micro Report

August 2022

Insights in Five:

How Advertisers Can Climb the Social Ladder With Gen Z As Gen Z comes into their buying power, brands are trying to figure out how to reach them. These digital natives are disrupting traditional marketing strategies and changing the way media is consumed (hello, TikTok and Instagram Reels). Brands that want to reach Zoomers will have to adopt new social media strategies. But how does Gen Z actually use social channels, and what kind of media are they most receptive to?

53% of Gen Z respondents said they prefer to interact with brands on social media.

Gen Z’s top smartphone activities are:

74% Social Media

63%

56%

Texting

Shopping

53%

53%

51%

Surfing the Web

Streaming Videos

41% Gaming

TAKING A DEEPER LOOK: The brands respondents think are doing the best job marketing to them are Nike, Apple, and Amazon.

Gen Z’s top social media platforms are:

41%

68%

66%

YouTube

Instagram

56% TikTok

41% of Gen Z consumers are unlikely to buy a product based on a recommendation from a social media influencer.

51% Facebook

40% Snapchat

Meet Suzy™ Suzy™ is an end-to-end market research tool that combines quantitative and qualitative research in one platform. Whether you’re a novice or an expert researcher, Suzy™ helps you make better, faster, more data-driven decisions. Our platform combines advanced research tools with the highest quality audience to deliver trusted insights in minutes.

GET IN TOUCH WITH US

We used the Suzy platform to find out.

Suzy is an end-to-end market research platform that can enable you to dive deeper with your ever-changing consumer. Let’s see what they had to say.

The last place Zoomers saw an ad that made them want to buy something:

Key Takeaways Instagram Reigns Supreme

34%

30%

Instagram

66% of Zoomers say Instagram is one of the social media platforms where they spend the most time, and over a third (34%) saw an ad there that made them want to buy something. Female respondents were more likely to spend time on Instagram than males (71% to 52%), and to use the platform for shopping inspiration (51% to 32%).

TikTik

Streaming Video Content

29%

YouTube

74% of Gen Z say social media is one of their top smartphone activities, and respondents told Suzy that primarily means watching videos. Respondents mentioned they like to learn new things, get information, and find people with common interests. Creating entertaining, funny, and educational organic and paid video ads will be key for brands going after Gen Z.

Think Differently About Influencers 20%

Facebook

Influencers may not have the sway they once had. With 41% of Gen Z saying they’re unlikely to buy something recommended by an influencer, and nearly a third (26%) saying they don’t have a favorite influencer, brands may need to rethink their investment in influencer marketing. Tap into everyday influencers instead: friends, family, and coworkers through word-of-mouth strategies.

Bottom Line:

Gen Z wants brands to interact with them through social media since this is where they spend the bulk of their time on their smartphones. Invest in video content and tap into everyday influencers