The top social media platforms and how to use them to connect with Gen Z

TikTok

While TikTok has evolved into Gen Z’s digital habitat, brands still find the platform treacherous territory. This is because TikTok has one of the strongest platform-specific cultures since that one app was still called Twitter; the algorithm is built to curate it, and users enforce its sanctity. And unlike X, fitting in is not as simple as changing up a couple of words in a viral tweet for your brand account - TikTok’s cultural language is driven by video and the native platform features that support it. In short, if you want to survive, you need to play ball. 

So loosen up. Get weird. Be funny. Brands that embrace ways to show up on the platform authentically will find a foothold. The great ones can even integrate themselves into the app’s culture. But when content feels forced or fake, it’s obvious - the downside to highly curated feeds (at least where brands are concerned) is that disruptions to it are easily discerned. 

Instagram

Yes, Gen Z still uses it. Instagram has a vital role to play in our social media ecosystem; but since TikTok has slid onto the scene, its function within it has shifted. While the clock app fills a need for the short-form, consumable content our short-circuited attention spans eat right up, Instragram is exploratory, personal, and shoppable. It’s also a powerhouse in the social commerce market. They may spend more time on TikTok, but spend more cash on Instagram; 71% of Gen Z prefers to make purchases directly on the app. The TikTok Shop hasn’t quite closed that gap yet.

Brands on the platform can optimize their presence to this by understanding what the platform means to Gen Z users. Unlike TikTok’s algorithmic feeds, Instagram feels more personal - they use it socially as much as for entertainment. Our profiles function as chronological statements of identity - and yours should, too. When it comes to telling Gen Z who you are, those profiles are more important than your website. Craft it into an engaging, thorough archive that speaks to your product and your community; Stories can break news, launch products, and boost UGC. 

Snapchat

Now, raise your hand if this app’s been collecting dust on your home screen since 2019. Be honest.

Hand raised? Good. That makes sense - you’re probably not 16. 

This is overwhelming the age demographic of Gen Z that frequent the platform, making up around 51 percent of its users. It’s an intentionally teen-focused app, and what was once a platform primarily used by young millennials is now run by college and high-school-age Gen Z, who split their time between entertainment and socializing. That means marketing there requires your brand to strike that same balance. Ideating content for Snapchat should leverage what the platform does best - making moments and messaging feel authentically low-lofi, accessible, and sharable. 

X 

Not going to lie, for a while there she looked like a goner - and yet, X is still going strong with Gen Z. What can I say? Gen Z loves to yap. In fact, according to Ad Week, Gen Z accounts for 33% of all US X posts, proving that the platform is still a crucial marketplace to reach our generation. But to make an impression, a sassy repost or contemporary turn of phrase isn’t enough - Gen Z is still a media-first generation, and our preferences towards video consumption apply here as much as anywhere else. 

So, smartly pair those pop culture references and snappy copy with relevant visuals to get our engagement. The appeal of this platform is that it offers a chance to contextualize your brand identity in the current culture for consumers in a conversational format - it keeps you relevant. It also serves as a direct line to consumers in a way that other platforms can’t replicate. 

Youtube

Now, here’s where things get interesting; for a generation with infamously low attention spans, YouTube, the kingdom of long-form and champion of the 3-hour-long niche video essays, is apparently Gen Z’s favorite place to be. At least, it is if screentime stats are any indication. In part, this is a result of the platform’s algorithm, which pushes long-form content over the 5-minute videos of yesteryear. 

Most important to understand though, is that Gen Z isn’t going to YouTube to shop - at least not in any native way. Brands’ pathway to reaching Gen Z there is through the creators they subscribe to. Meaningful brand partnerships with YouTube creators open up the opportunity for targeted marketing to their built-in niche. If you choose strategically, the influencer has already curated the perfect audience for your product.

Twitch

Twitch isn’t in the game of subscribers and followers - it’s a platform intentionally building community. While most social platforms have live-streaming aspects built-in, Twitch is built for it. Its unique appeal to Gen Z? They love connectivity, real-time engagement, and instant gratification - all things Twitch is made to feed. It’s a space where audience engagement is particularly high and segmentation is particularly niche. 

Brands don’t necessarily slot into its landscape easily - Twitch is the domain of creators and their following, and that dynamic is sacred. Immersive and interactive, the platform is in an in-between space that blurs the lines between creator and audience. But brands that partner with product-aligned influencers can capitalize on the opportunity to super-serve the super-fans of Twitch.