Between Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, social media use has become an integral part of everyday life. Whether they are using it to get in touch with old family members or looking for inspiration for their next project, the large landscape of social media has a place for everyone.
Each social media channel provides a different experience, which draws different types of audiences. While age is not the only defining factor for a specific channel’s use, people’s habits online are shaped by their individual preferences and interests, which in turn, are also influenced by their age and generation.
In order to execute a successful social media strategy, your brand needs to understand where your target audience is.
We broke down where each generation is spending most of their time on social media:
Baby Boomers
Although this generation didn’t grow up engulfed in technology, they are the fastest-growing users on social media. Baby Boomers love the opportunity to stay in touch with old friends and family, which leads them to use Facebook frequently. Along with staying connected, Baby Boomers love the insight they gain from videos on YouTube. According to , as of February of 2019, 70% of Baby Boomers use YouTube, and 68% of them use Facebook. These two channels heavily outweigh the channel that came in third place, Pinterest, which 27% of Baby Boomers use.
Gen X
As the last generation to grow up before the Internet really took off, Gen X users have some similarities with Baby Boomers but have navigated the online world a little differently. The leading social network for this age group is Facebook and followed by Instagram. This group is plugged in, which means they stick to the platforms they know, like Facebook. But they are also digitally curious, which draws them to explore networks such as Instagram.
Millennials
To some surprise, Millennials are slowing down their time on social media. They know the ins and outs of the Internet. Therefore they have grown to use social media more interactively, as opposed to passively scrolling through. Just like Gen X, Millennials use Facebook more than any other channel, with Instagram following as a close second. This age group expects brands to make real connections with their users, and these two channels are a perfect platform for businesses to do so.
Gen Z
Saturated in the online world since birth, Gen Z’s know their way around social media very well. This age group spends most of their time browsing through channels such as YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram. This generation considers YouTube as another streaming service where they can tune into the lives of their favorite influencers. They bring brand and influencer loyalty to another level and consider the iPhone more of a requirement than a luxury.
What social media users hope to gain from their online experience drives their behavior on these platforms. Each age group has unique perspectives and respond differently to social media. As a business trying to market digitally, knowing which channels to invest in will save you a lot of time and effort.
Social media has a 100% higher lead-to-close rate than outbound marketing.
Do you need to start marketing your company on social media, but aren’t sure how to get started? Or maybe you’ve been posting content, but can’t seem to get the results you want.
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