Generating engagement with younger generations can be a challenge for marketers. Gen Z and Millennials are no longer interested in conventional advertising and are shunning the brands that they perceive as inauthentic.
On the other hand, these two groups are very active on social media and are generally more open to innovation on the platforms, representing a great opportunity for advertisers. So the question is, how do you get these segments’ attention?
In order to understand how to best engage Gen Z and Millennials, I want to share some key findings from the study The Influencer Report: Engaging Gen Z and Millennials, by Morning Consult. Let’s dive in!
For the purpose of this blog, we’re defining Generation Z as those who were born between 1996 and 2015. This means that Gen Zers are between 5 to 24 years old in 2020. Millennials are those who were born between 1980-1995, making them 25-40 in 2020.
72% of Gen Zers and Millennials follow an influencer. 23% claim to follow “many,” while 49% claim to just follow “some.” These are the results of the study, further segmented by age group.
As for what types of influencer they follow, there is a big difference between genders. Men mostly follow influencers talking about gaming (62%), sports and exercise (41%) and food (35%), while women tend to follow beauty and skin care (59%), fashion (49%) and food (47%) influencers.
The study also analyzed the motivation to follow influencers. They found that there were 4 main reasons Gen Z and Millennials follow influencers:
Social media not only generates engagement, but it is also a crucial factor in buying decisions for Generation Z and Millennials.
The most popular social media networks for these two generations are currently Instagram and YouTube. Let’s breakdown the data by gender and generation:
When it comes to who uses each social media, the statistics are clearly separated by age:
Both Gen Z and Millennials tend to trust family and friends recommendations and product reviews more than celebrity endorsements or brand representatives.
As part of the study, respondents were asked to name their favorite influencer. The results showed that there is wide range of influencers, with very diverse niches.
Most influencers were mentioned only once or twice, and only a handful of them were frequently mentioned. The bottom line is that influencers appeal to their unique niche audiences and it is essential to do in-depth research to find the most suitable for a particular brand. There is no such thing as a "catch all" influencer.
These were the influencers that were mentioned the most by both generations:
It’s interesting to note that 4 out of these 5 influencers are YouTubers, and 3 out of 5 dedicate their channel to humor.
In fact, for Generation Z, YouTubers are as well known and loved as traditional celebrities. For example, 86% of Gen Z women consider Shane Dawson to be more popular than Serena Williams (81%) and Jennifer Anniston (80%). And 95% of Gen Z men are more aware of PewDiePie than Steph Curry (86%) or Elon Musk (84%).
Finally, one of the most interesting conclusions of the study is that the vast majority of people in both of these generations would be willing to publish sponsored content in exchange for money (specifically 86%). 66% said they would be willing to promote a product on one of their personal social networks if they liked it, while 20% would even if they weren't excited by the product.
Also, 54% would not have a problem with becoming an influencer if they had the opportunity, 27% know an influencer in person, and 12% consider themselves influencers.
These are the two generations motivations for becoming influencers:
We hope these statistics help you with your next digital marketing strategy for Gen Z or Millennials. While these two audiences can be a bit tricky to nail down in the beginning, having a little extra intel on them will set you on the right track for the long run.