Gen Z and technology have always had a very strong connection. Since entertainment has always been available to them in an accessible form, their tendency to use social networking apps for socializing is greater than other generations.
According to a Survey by Morning Consult, YouTube is the most popular Gen Z app accounting for 88% of their time online. It may also be attributed to their association with the app from early childhood acting as a feel-good app. Due to a constant dependency on social media, Gen Z faces extreme social issues like low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety.
To tackle these social and emotional issues, Gen Z is consuming YouTube the most. Let us look at the most used social networking apps by Gen Z, starting of course, with YouTube.
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Having said that, here are the most popular social networking apps amongst Gen Zs.
YouTube
From vlogs of pranks on friends to testing new devices, makeup tutorials, or simply satisfying videos, YouTube provides constant entertainment and relaxation to Gen Z viewers. According to research by The Manifest, Gen Z views an average of 68 videos per day, most of which they view on YouTube. Apart from entertainment, Gen Z uses YouTube for educational and learning purposes quite regularly. Gen Z is interested in knowledge beyond textbooks.
A study by Ispo discovered that 80% of Gen Z use YouTube to gain knowledge beyond classrooms and spend their time learning skills for monetary gains in the future. They also like to stay up-to-date on political and social issues and are active in endorsing political and social campaigns.
Some popular videos that Gen Z like to watch are aimless non-branded videos where people are performing some of the most mundane activities. When it comes to branded videos, unboxing videos are their favorite! They enjoy watching reviews and testing videos of their favorite branded products.
Unlike other generations, Gen Z is most concerned when it comes to consuming products. Their dependence on social media also makes them the largest internet-consuming generation.
Gen Z likes to compare and decide what works best for them. Unlike older generations who like to opt for word-of-mouth, Gen Z is into discovering digital marketplaces to compare and get the best-suited option for themselves.
TikTok
It is correct to assume that Gen Z is obsessed with video content. Since they spend so much time alone in their rooms, the most human interaction they count on is through videos of looking at other people going about their lives. Unlike YouTube which is used for a number of reasons, TikTok is purely entertainment based. Think of this app as a comic relief that takes your mind off your lonesome daily life. Gen Z describes TikTok as an app that they use to feel better, especially during the pandemic when anxiety was at its peak.
Apart from looking at content made by other users, TikTok users also look forward to branded content. Because people are posting funny, uncensored videos of themselves, the expectation of looking perfect is less on this social networking app. Gen Z enjoys the candid, raw, and realistic approach of users and feels more comfortable sharing their own as well.
Snapchat
Snapchat is another very popular app that has Gen Z glued? Snapchat streaks are probably one reason millions of people use the app daily. Snapchat, unlike Instagram has more personal usage, and users mostly add people who they consider close to. Friends on Snapchat communicate through multi-modal forms like images combined with text or video combined with text.
Chats on Snapchat disappear and stories can be viewed for 24 hours only. This promotes people to be their true selves and just enjoy the moment. Snapchat’s real-time communication is impulsive and fun, unlike the long process of editing and curating feeds on Facebook or Instagram.
BeReal
BeReal stands out in a wide array of apps for promoting authentic digital identities. Unlike other social media apps that come with the pressure of presenting yourself in the best way, beReal makes you post within a 2-minute timer. You click a selfie and a picture of your surroundings within the 2-minute timer sent via push notification at a random time each day, without any option to use a filter, posting a very realistic image of who you are and what you do. BeReal was launched in 2020 and since then has replaced TikTok as the number one app on the app store. It has also been very popular amongst the Gen Z.
It is true that Gen Z is interacting with social media a lot differently than generations before them, perhaps mainly because of the fact that they were born in a time when the digital world had developed. Their usage and outlook on digital socialization, consuming media, and presenting their digital personalities are sometimes better informed than older generations. If you want to get a taste of their digital life, go ahead and download these top favorite Gen Z apps.
