The results of an interesting research study were recently published by The Harris Poll about Gen Z and their usage of social media. The most interesting statistic was that of the roughly half polled said they wished that social media platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and X were never invented. That share drops to about 15% for platforms like YouTube. Perhaps more interesting is that 1 out of 5 members of Gen Z wished the cell phone was never invented and that The Harris Poll found that most Gen Zers have limited their social media usage. 

Part of the reduction in usage is driven by a growing number of institutions, many educational, that are discouraging cell phone usage or outright banning it. The restrictions represent only a small part of the story. Gen Z is beginning to trade some of their social media usage for time spent with in person social contact and physical experiences. Although Gen Z still devours hours of social media daily, their level of usage is shorter than Millennials.

With the leading edge at 28, Gen Z is the first generation to grow up with social media with most having some form of experience as soon as pre-school. To them, social media is not a new phenomenon that they discovered as teenagers or adults and thus lacks the novelty and excitement preceding generations found in these engagement platforms. 

Our own internal research with Gen Z indicates that a growing number of them are finding that overuse or exposure to social media is having negative impacts on their overall happiness and wellbeing. It is also causing bouts of depression. Although these feelings are not necessarily widespread, the incidence of Gen Z citing these concerns has been growing exponentially over the past five years. The point is that social media will remain a dominant power in society, a driving force of marketing and communication for companies, and will continue to grow. But the torrid pace of growth that has incurred since its inception roughly 20 years ago is slowing with emerging generations as they discover the joy and benefits of in-person social connections and experiences. It behooves marketers to explore and consider these channels for new marketing initiatives that do not necessarily replace social media activity but augment it.

Want to know more about how we can help you and your business? Check us out at iceology.com