40% of Gen Z Consumers Prefer Short Video Ads on Social Media

Gen Z, or the digital native generation’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors differ from those of other generations. These consumers also have different preferences and expectations from brands. And this is also true regarding how they use and engage on social media. According to a study by The Influencer Marketing FactoryOpens a new window , 97% of Gen Z consumers say they use social media as the top source of shopping inspiration. And according to another study, they are four times more likely to convert on social media than Millennials. This means it is high time for brands to better understand their social media audience, especially the Gen Z audience.Â

To better understand the role of social media in how consumers connect and engage with brands and how Gen Z’s mindset differs from other generations, Smartly.io recently conducted a study. The following are the insights in detail.

Gen Z Is Active Across Social Platforms

The study found that Gen Z users are active across more social platforms than other generations. While the general audience said they are most active on Facebook and YouTube, Gen Z adults regularly leverage Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap, among others.

Social platforms Gen Z and general people are active on

Source: How to Engage Gen Z on Social Media reportOpens a new window

Further, while 57% of overall consumers use social media as a way to find new brands, 82% of Gen Z consumers do this.

With the Gen Z users being on more social platforms than others and with their eagerness to use social media as a way to identify and engage with brands/products, how brands show up on different platforms needs to be relevant to the platform and these consumers. According to a survey by Sprout SocialOpens a new window , the most common reason for Gen Z to use social media is to kill time. It is also the only generation that ranked this above connecting with family and friends. Seeing how their mindset differs, brands should understand what will reach them.

See more: Over 70% of Young Buyers Say Inclusivity Influences Purchasing on Social Platforms

Gen Z Loves Variety

There is no doubt that consumers love choice. They want to choose where they spend their money, time, and attention and what they buy. However, more than choice, Gen Z loves variety. More than other generations, these users take more into consideration when deciding what ads and brands to interact with on social platforms and how, from discounts and their need for a product and the brand’s transparency and trustworthiness to an ad’s style and aesthetics. Regarding general consumers, a higher focus was on discounts and the need for products/services.

What motivates Gen Z consumers the most to engage with a new brand on social media

Source: How to Engage Gen Z on Social Media reportOpens a new window

Gen Z users are also open to seeing ads on social media. About 87% of the respondents said they were open to seeing ads from the brands they like or have already purchased from or even those they are unfamiliar with.

Video Emerges the New King

The digital space is overflowing with content. In recent years, however, visual experiences have been gaining importance. Gen Z users have taken it further, moving away from the more curated aesthetics many Millennials adopted. Gen Z users are opting for content that feels more authentic and unfiltered. Videos offer more variety â€” which Gen Z users love â€” in how people can interact. Video or motion-specific content is more eye-catching and helps brands come across as more authentic, especially if they participate in certain trends. According to GoogleOpens a new window , videos serve as a way for Gen Z users to de-stress and decompress.Â

The current study showed that 40% of Gen Z users prefer Reels, Stories, or TikTok videos when seeing brand ads on social media.Â

When Gen Z users see a brand ad on social media, what style do they prefer most

Source: How to Engage Gen Z on Social Media reportOpens a new window

How To Move from Getting Clicks and Views to Inspiring Purchase

Social media has proven a popular place for consumers to find new products, brands, and more. Many people are also open to making purchases directly through a social media ad. With this in mind, it is not surprising that 62% of the respondents said they had clicked on an ad from a brand they saw on social media in the last month. Gen Z consumers were higher, with 75% saying they clicked on an ad on social media.Â

However, there is a disconnect between ad clicks or views and consumers actually purchasing the product from that ad. About 63% of general consumers said they didn’t buy a product based on a social media ad, and 55% of Gen Z consumers said the same. For Gen Z users specifically, there is a 30% gap between people who click on social media ads and those who make purchases. In the case of general consumers, the gap was 25%.Â

So, how can brands reduce or close this gap and create ads that convert? Here are a few things to do:

Go multiplatform or go bust

Most brands today are dedicating a significant percentage of their marketing budgets to social ads, and the growing investment is being spent across more social platforms and channels. Consumer journeys and becoming increasingly complex, and it is increasingly becoming necessary to meet them where they are. This means brands must create a multiplatform strategy that speaks to consumers across all touchpoints along their buyer’s journey and can shift along with their mindsets and preferences.

Leverage creatives

People are gravitating more toward highly visual and personalized content, and creatives play a crucial role in making content visual and personalized. Further, as privacy regulations change how advertising is done, creatives allow advertisers to unleash new strategies for personalizing an experience. Hence, brands should put effort into understanding the performance of creatives in previous campaigns to identify what drives engagement. They should also set up testing and learning methods to effectively utilize the insights thus gained in a privacy-first world. This helps brands understand what to show the right consumer and the creative that resonates most and drives purchases.

See more: How Marketers Can Successfully Leverage Social Media Influencers in Their Campaigns

Be authentic

Brands need to be relatable to their customers. When advertising on social media, creating a genuine connection with the audience is necessary. This is especially true with the Gen Z audience, who prefer to engage with more relatable, transparent, and authentic brands. Leveraging user-generated content (UGC) can help here. It is also easier and more cost-effective to create.

Conclusion

To engage with Gen Z consumers effectively on social media, create the right content and ads, and convert them into paying customers, you need to understand their mindset, behavior, and expectations. And this can be done by aptly leveraging data and insights. You can also leverage influencers to gain better access to your target audience. With this up-and-coming generation on your side, the growth potential for your brand is massive.

How are you engaging your Gen Z audience on social media? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window .