YouTube Gaining Popularity With Generation Z as Demand for Video Content Rises, Facebook’s Popularity Declining

Only 36% of Generation Zers (Ages 13-17) Use Facebook at Least Once a Week, Compared to 87% of Millennials, 90% of Generation Xers, and 96% of Baby Boomers, According to a Survey of Social Media Users in the US While Facebook’s User Base Trends Older, Other Platforms Such as Instagram, Youtube, and Snapchat Have Younger User Bases

Facebook is generally considered the pinnacle of social media success, boasting the most active users. Facebook’s reign as the “king” of social media may come to an end, though, as younger generations favor more visually-driven platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat, suggests a new survey from The Manifest, a business news and how-to website.

While only 36% of Generation Zers report using Facebook weekly, 89% use YouTube, 74% use Instagram, and 68% use Snapchat at least once a week.

“Snapchat and Instagram are cooler for younger generations because they have less content,” said Mark McIntyre, CEO of MaxAudience, an advertising and web design agency. “You get to choose to see all the good stuff and none of the junk. It’s way more image-based and way less text-based, and you don’t get everyone’s rant.”

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YouTube Attracts Majority of Social Media Users From Every Generation

The only social media platform to attract more than half of every generation is YouTube.

The majority of Generation Zers (89%), millennials (86%), Generation Xers (68%), and baby boomers (52%) use YouTube at least once a week, which may be correlated with people’s affinity for video content.

“Video content is the richest form of visual content,” said Joseph Rothstein, CEO of Social Media 55, a social media marketing agency. “It allows you not only to remember the sounds but also the sights.”

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Images Remain Preferred Content to Post for All Generations

Although demand for video content is rising, people still prefer posting images to social media.

Approximately three-quarters of Generation Zers (77%), millennials (77%), and Generation Xers (72%), along with 52% of baby boomers, prefer posting images on social media.

“Imagery tells a story that we can all fill in,” said Jeremy Graves, CEO of Jeremy Graves Coaching and Consulting LLC, which helps businesses on matters related to strategy and culture. “We don’t have to read what someone else thinks. We can connect through imagery, and the story becomes our own instead of having to read someone else’s script.”

Social media agencies and experts believe the increasing popularity of visual content has given rise to platforms that prioritize visuals over text-based content and allow users greater control of what they see and from whom.

The Manifest surveyed 627 U.S. social media users.

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