What Social Media Does Gen Z Use?
Ecommerce marketing strategies are most effective when they’re personalized to their target audience. As one of the heaviest users of social media, and with a disposable income of $360 billion, Generation Z consumers are an attractive group to reach on social media.
To do so successfully, brands need to not only understand Gen Z’s shopping habits, but also know the answer to the question: What social media does Gen Z use?
Gen Z social media platforms: top 10
According to a recent survey studying Gen Z’s favorite social media platforms, YouTube tops the list. Nearly nine out of every 10 Gen Z consumers (88%) say they frequent the popular video-sharing platform. Incidentally, YouTube also ranks among the most popular social media platforms in the world in 2023, with 2.51 billion users worldwide.
Instagram is second on the list comparing Gen Z’s favorite social media platforms. Just over three in four (76%) Gen Zers say they use it. This is followed by TikTok, with 68%, and Snapchat, close behind with 67%.
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Despite being the social network with the most users, Facebook ranks fifth on this list. Fewer than half of Gen Zers say they use Facebook. Analysts say this is because of the reputation Facebook has among this generation, which sees it as a social network for older generations.
Micro-blogging social media platform Twitter is the sixth most popular network among Gen Zers, used by 47% of them. Discord, an instant messaging app, and Reddit follow with 35% and 30%, respectively.
Twitch and BeReal, the latter of which has been touted as “social media’s next big thing,” wrap up the list of Gen Z’s 10 favorite social media platforms. They are used by 24% and 15%, respectively.
What social media does Gen Z use: gender-specific preferences
YouTube may be the top social media among all Gen Z consumers, but its popularity differs according to gender. While it’s used by as many as 93% of male Gen Z users, just 84% of female Gen Zers say they use YouTube—a difference of nine percentage points.
Also, unlike the generation’s general consensus, male Gen Zers have a slight preference for Snapchat over TikTok. It’s their third favorite social network, used by 64% of male Gen Zers, compared to the 62% that use TikTok.
Likewise, Twitter is also more popular than Facebook among male Gen Z consumers. 54% of them use Twitter, compared to the 45% that use Facebook.