A new report published by Think with Google lifts the lid on Generation Z, the newest generation of tech savvy, mobile wielding, video consuming kids to hit the streets. The in-depth audience report conducted by Ipsos delivers revealing insights about the social media habits of the 13 – 17yrs olds outlining what they consider cool and what devices you’ll likely to find them on. It’s a must for social media strategists and digital marketing managers alike.
“While millennials were mobile pioneers, teens are mobile natives,” Google writes in the study. Unlike previous generations that learnt how to use new digital, mobile and social products later in life, these teenagers’ have had mobile technology embedded in their lives since birth. 78% of all US teens now have a mobile phone and the age at which they first receive them is getting younger and younger.
The report shows that across all races and demographics 12 is now the average age that many kids receive their first mobile phone. Almost four years earlier than their millennial counterparts, bringing with it social status and benefits of cool together with a daunting sense of peer pressure:
“Teens are equal parts aware of and wary of their dependence on technology—meaning their online lives are both spontaneous and carefully curated”
Snapchat, and Instagram are the coolest platforms for these young teens to express themselves. Facebook is still a daily habit for most teens for consumption and stalking, but they rarely post and it’s not seen as “cool”. Generation Z are also shifting from texting to messaging apps to communicate, 52% prefer options like Snapchat and WhatsApp to communicate.
The report is a great read for digital marketers and social media managers planning their next campaign strategies.