1. Instagram dominates direct messaging (DM)
“Messaging is becoming a very important part of social media as people post less in general and people gravitate toward more private forms of communication,” our analyst Minda Smiley said on the podcast “Behind.” He spoke on an episode of “The Numbers''.
- According to the July 2023 U.S. Gen Z Social Media Survey, nearly three-quarters (72.2%) of those who sent a DM in the past month did so through Instagram.
- About 35.7% prefer Instagram as their go-to platform for DMs, while only 3.7% say the same about TikTok.
chance: Although Instagram's messaging environment is ad-free, brands can build an organic presence by engaging with customers and providing customer service through DMs.
2. YouTube takes the lead in long-form and live streaming video
“YouTube is the most popular live streaming platform among this generation,” Smiley says.
- Our research shows that among U.S. Gen Z social media users who watched long-form videos in the past month, 76.8% used YouTube and 49.9% used TikTok.
- 67.8% of Gen Z say YouTube is their go-to platform for long-form videos.
- Over the past month, more than half (51.8%) of Gen Z social media users watched a livestream on YouTube, and 47.3% watched a livestream on TikTok.
chance: According to data from Bizrate Insights, Gen Z is more receptive to content than other generations, so marketers looking to reach Gen Z may want to consider livestream shopping.
3. TikTok maintains its stronghold with short videos
“TikTok is without a doubt the go-to tool for short videos for Gen Z,” Smiley said. However, the majority of Gen Zers have used copycat features like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts within the past month. “So this is a feature that TikTok owns, but he's definitely had success on other platforms as well.”
- More than half (55.7%) of Gen Zers who watch short-form videos say TikTok is their go-to platform. YouTube Shorts ranks him in second place, with 18.9% of Gen Z viewers saying they rely on YouTube Shorts.
chance: Marketers shouldn't underestimate the mass audience of YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. Short-form and long-form videos work in parallel for brands. For example, TikTok allows you to cut long-form videos into more digestible parts, while YouTube allows you to use short-form videos to try out full-length versions.
Listen to the entire episode.
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