What's Trending With GenZ?

Market research company Global Web Index have released the latest edition of their GlobalWebIndex Generation reports. These reports are designed to examine the digital behaviors of a particular generation – showcasing trends over time as well as analyzing how the audiences. The latest report focuses on profiling the Gen Z audience and how elements such as tech and media, gaming and social media impact this generation. 

An overview of Gen Z

• The Gen Z audience is generally labeled them as highly digitally engaged; using a variety of social media platforms, music/TV streaming services and gaming devices.
• While this is certainly the case, their attitudes and activities online are beginning to reflect the growing concerns they face regarding an uncertain future.
• Brands aren’t just marketing to an audience of colorful, tech-savvy trendsetters anymore – they’re dealing with vocal, informed users who want to change a world that’s rapidly changed them.

• Gen Z’s interests convey a creative and competitive nature.
• Gaming is a staple- 63% are interested in the activity, 12 percentage points ahead of millennials.
• Female Gen Zs show more interest in beauty/cosmetics, with 66% saying this (40% more likely than the average female internet user).

• 27% of respondents say that standing out in a crowd is important to them, meaning brands should reciprocate their desire for exclusivity.
• They're highly entrepreneurial, describing themselves as money-driven (28%), ambitious (39%) and career-focused (42%).
• Around half say helping the environment is important to them, while just under four in 10 say the same about contributing to their community or helping others.
• It’s worth noting that these attitudes largely come into play when purchasing from brands and therefore shouldn’t be ignored.

Tech, device and entertainment

• Tech-savviness is considered a staple trait of young audiences, and this is certainly true of Gen Zs, 44% of which say they are comfortable using the latest technology.
• While they’re more or less on par with millennials in this regard (45%), Gen Zs display more self-awareness of their relationship with technology.
• Gen Zs are aware of the risks associated with modern technology and prefer to be anonymous online.
• Brands should take note of these behaviors and remember that, given the chance, Gen Zs will always opt for retaining their privacy over trading it.
• Just one in four feel in control of their data online and 6 in 10 say they would rather keep their data than exchange it for free services.

• 60% of Gen Zs in 13 markets spent more time watching shows/films on streaming services. This surge was largely due to the pandemic.
• The data translated into around 1.5 hours a day watching online TV or streaming services, with 50% of Gen Zs using PC/laptops to do so, and 42% using their mobile.
• The most popular streaming service for Gen Zs is Netflix, with 68% using the service each month.
• True to their reputation, they’re rewriting the rules on how we watch TV based on their desire to get what they want when they want it.

Social media

• YouTube remains the most popular platform globally. Gen Z's frequent interaction with vloggers is essential to the platform’s success.
• This is an audience that is as likely to watch vlogs each month as they are to watch TV on-demand services (around 60% do).
• Gen Z YouTubers are 32% more likely to watch videos from vlogs or celebrities on the site (42% say they do).
• But competition is growing through two popular features: stories and gaming. The former – initially introduced to Snapchat in 2013 – make for among the most distinctive actions on Facebook (IDX 1.19), Instagram (IDX 1.37) and Snapchat (IDX 1.35) from Gen Z users outside of China.

• For Gen Z, people they know in real life are the most common accounts followed on social media, but they show strong interest in accounts that align with their interests – or introduce them to new ones.
• Vloggers and bloggers make for top content, especially those related to gaming.
• Gen Zs are 75% more likely to follow gaming personalities online than the average internet user, with males 135% more likely to do so.

• Over one in three follow brands they like while around 1 in 4 follow those they’re considering purchasing from.
• But Gen Z loyalty can be won and lost quickly, as they’re 22% more likely to say they’ve stopped following a brand online in the past month.
• Brands need to remember that Gen Zs are here for entertainment if they are to avoid this.

Brand interactions

• Among most other demographics, brand discovery is still predominantly governed by search engines and TV, and it’s the mix of other top channels that typically provides insight into an audience’s characteristics.
• But for Gen Zs, social media (29%) is now on par with those channels.
• Beyond search, social and TV, Gen Zs discover products through much of the content they most associate with on social media.
• This means vlogs (19%) and celebrity/influencer content (20%) should be a priority.
• Gen Zs are likely to research products in the same way they discover them, with vlogs the stand-out method.
• Because 28% of Gen Zs cite an easy online checkout process as a purchase driver, brands who can seamlessly blend research and checkout – without ever directing them from the page – are putting themselves at an advantage.

• More importantly, however, is cost and reward – with major purchase drivers including free delivery (54%) and coupons/ discounts (43%).
• This entails offering access to exclusive content (24%) or enhancing their online reputation (18%) through optional features like Reddit awards or Facebook badges.