4 Key Differences in Social Media Use Between Millennials and Gen Z

On the one hand, there are those who experienced the shift to digital and the arrival of Facebook in their lives. And on the other hand, there is that generation of digitally savvy experts who have never known life without social media. These are Millennials and Gen Z. At first glance, it seems that their behavior on different social media platforms isn’t very different; however, there are actually significant differences in how they use social media. In this post, I’ll explain the difference between Gen Z and Millennial audiences—and, most importantly, the four key differences in how they use social media. Let’s dive in.

Most sources agree that a Millennial is someone born around the 1980s. The main difference between this generation and previous ones is that it is a digital, hyperconnected generation with strong social and ethical values.

Following them came Generation Z, or Gen Z, which refers to those born between 1997 and 2015. This means the oldest members of this generation are currently 25 years old—an age at which they are beginning to have purchasing power and are therefore becoming an attractive target group for brands.

At first glance, both are digital and hyperconnected… but then, how are they different? Let’s take a look.

 

What is the difference between Millennials and Gen Z?

It’s not about separating the two groups and saying that one is one way and the other is another, but rather, it’s interesting to know how they differ so you can better tailor your content and advertising based on the generation your target audience belongs to.

What makes Millennials unique? Essentially, they were born into a world of technological disruption and have naturally adapted to the Internet and mobile technology.

This generation is also able to recall the pre-internet world and how things used to be done, allowing them to appreciate how things were done in the past and how they are done now, to better appreciate the changes that have taken place, and to share a certain nostalgia for what has been left behind.

Generally speaking, they value privacy and are known for being curious and independent, as they were the first to truly understand the digital world.

And unlike previous generations, they feel more comfortable using social media and are able to navigate changing trends.

 

On the other hand, for members of Gen Z, “social media” and “Wi-Fi” are words that have been part of their vocabulary for as long as they can remember; they were born around the time the first iPhone came out, so they can be considered true digital natives.

Since technology is an integral part of their lives, they tend to be the first to embrace new trends like TikTok or Twitch. They are also more likely to be bilingual.

Unlike Millennials, they have a strong sense of social justice and don’t want traditional jobs with set schedules; they want to enjoy more free time and life.

Now that we can tell them apart, let’s take a look at how each group uses social media so we can tailor our approach to each one. Let’s get started.

 

4 Differences in Social Media Use Between Millennials and Gen Z.

 

There are many differences when it comes to using social media platforms, but these four stand out:

• Social Media Usage Trends.
• Trust and brand loyalty.
• Customer experience.
• Online Shopping Trends.

 

#1. Social Media Usage Trends.

Millennials:

• They consume a wide variety of content formats (videos, blogs, infographics, news, etc.), dividing their time among different platforms.
• They check their emails much more often than Gen Z.
• 87% use Facebook (according to The Manifest).
• They have a longer attention span (12 seconds compared to 8 for Gen Z), which makes them better suited to consuming longer-form content.

 

Generation Z:

• They hardly ever check their emails.
• Only 32% use Facebook (according to The Manifest)
• They are more likely to engage with mobile and video content, favoring platforms such as Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok.
• 25% log in every day when they open TikTok, compared with just 9% of Millennials.
• 77% of Gen Z watches YouTube every day, compared to 54% of Millennials; therefore, this platform is an excellent way to communicate with this audience.

 

In conclusion, while you can use the same message in different formats—such as text and video—for Millennials, it’s much better to focus on video content for Gen Z — content that’s fun and, generally, posted on the trendiest platforms, such as TikTok or Snapchat. However, for Millennials, it’s best to focus on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, experimenting with a variety of promotional strategies that include online ads, carousel posts, and podcasting, for example. This even includes messages via email marketing.

 

#2. Trust and brand loyalty.

 

Millennials:

According to a 2021 study by Salesforce, Millennials trust brands more than Generation Z (50% versus 42%). Nevertheless, compared to Gen Z, Millennials expect a higher level of perfection when it comes to social media content and ads, as well as aesthetically pleasing feeds.

On the other hand, Gen Z’s lack of interest in this area leads to a mix of less carefully curated Instagram grids; however, if these grids maintain a certain level of consistency across all of the brand’s profiles on different platforms, Millennials might be willing to overlook it.

 

Generation Z:

They trust companies and brands less, and prefer something realistic to something idealistic. They prefer ads featuring real people discussing products to those featuring celebrities promoting a brand.

They highly value diversity and inclusion, and want to see those same values reflected in the brands they follow on social media.

For both, influencer marketing breaks down the barriers of traditional advertising because customers learn about their brand from a trusted source (the influencer) on a platform like Instagram or YouTube.

When an influencer recommends a product or service on their channel, it comes across as a trustworthy recommendation from a friend, making it more likely that the viewer will become a customer (and advocate) of your brand.

 

#3. Customer experience.

 

Millennials are already widely known for their relentless pursuit of experience. They are a group of individuals with much higher expectations regarding this UX factor than any previous generation . And of that experience, they prioritize fast and accessible customer service, primarily through social media, allowing them to interact with brands 24/7, asking questions and tracking their purchases regardless of the time or day.

Gen Z, however, has inherited that same desire for a great customer experience, but in this case, with personalization. They’ve grown up in a world where Netflix and Spotify offer personalized playlists. For this group, personalization is a“must.” Therefore, the way to engage this group on social media is by emphasizing a hyper-personalized service. To do this, it’s necessary to leverage social listening and machine learning to better understand each user’s needs.

 

#4. Online Shopping Trends.

 

According to various studies, 80% of millennials research a product online before buying it. And in this research, reading reviews is a key factor that determines whether or not the final purchase takes place. Once they’ve decided to make a purchase, millennials value a company’s ability to translate its products and services into digital experiences. By this, I mean they expect their experience to be enjoyable from start to finish throughout every step of the process.

For Gen Z, on the other hand, mobile browsing is the priority, and that determines how they navigate and interact when shopping online.

And more than any other generation, Gen Z loves a good deal! They value purchases that get the most out of every euro: rewards programs, free shipping, and plenty of coupon codes.

For both, it’s important to clearly define the mobile purchasing process on social media platforms like Instagram—where they spend most of their time—and to focus heavily on an intuitive user experience and navigation that lead to checkout quickly and naturally.

 

Having a deep understanding of your audiences—how they behave, how they browse, how they shop, what they prioritize, what motivates them, and what doesn’t interest them, among many other things—is essential when it comes to fine-tuning any marketing and advertising campaign your brand develops. Social media platforms are part of everyone’s life, and understanding the differences in how people use them is essential to achieving your goals.

At MioGroup, we offer our clients a professional social media team that helps us meet their needs in the increasingly complex world of social media, including audience analysis, follower analysis, community management, follower engagement, advertising on social platforms, influencer marketing, social listening, content creation, and creative services. Want to talk?