Everything You Wanted to Know About Millennial & Gen Z YouTube Video Consumption Patterns

Different generations have different consumption habits. Whether it be social media or targeted offline advertising Millennials and Gen Z respond in a way that is very different from the previous generations. 

Youtube has been a very popular video app since its inception in 2004. Appealing to both companies and individuals alike Youtube has been a major part of almost all Gen Z and Millennials’ lives. You as a brand will have to diversify your content so that it can appeal to these younger generations. 

Although they may be young, Millennials and Gen Z make up the majority of the workforce and will shape the future. This is why you should pay attention to video trends so that you can click with them. Generational relatability will let your brand be in vogue and be relevant as the customer changes.

Both these generations consume more video content than the previous generations which makes video marketing king once again. Now that we have established that video is still the best medium for reaching out to people here are few things that separate both generations. 

Gen Z

Aged 7-22 this group was born when social media was in its nascent stages. As they grew up social media started becoming a norm for every household and as adults, they are experiencing the peak of it. Youtube and Instagram are particularly popular amongst Gen Z and most tend to use it on a daily basis. 65% of them use Instagram daily and 62% are on Youtube daily too. With the boom in mobile technology, these apps are now available in the palm of their hands. 

Patterns and Habits of Gen Z

Gen Z spends 37% of their time on Youtube and 35% of it on Netflix. With video being the main medium of consumption advertising on these platforms would be a sound marketing strategy. They spend their time mostly following influencers like David Dobrik, Emma Chamberlain, and PewdiePie. These are the new age celebrities who influence the whole generation on various topics. From fashion to health tips and gaming. Influencer video marketing has been on the rise and has seen great results for most brands. You can think of them as mini brand ambassadors that drive engagement and viewership. 

Consider partnering with influencers for your marketing strategies as they add relevance to your brands. You will reach a far larger audience as compared to the ads on the platform. They also trust the influencers more as they are a sign of credibility. 

Learning from Youtube

80% of Gen Z say that they have used the video platform to gain knowledge on something. Whether it be school-related or DIY or something they are passionate about, Youtube has helped them in one way or the other. 68% say that they have learned or improved a skill by simply watching videos on YouTube. This drive to improve every day has been present in people since time immemorial but people never had access to such information. 

Gen Z thinks of Youtube as both an entertainment and knowledge resource. With many lessons available on the platform many use it for clearing their doubts and also strengthening their concepts. The growth that they have seen is great.

Taking a break from everyday stress

Most of Gen Z has admitted that the school puts a lot of pressure on them. To relieve the stress they log into Youtube and try to relax. With Youtube having their favorite celebrities and relaxing music they can tune out of their realities for a bit. 

New Media and Gen Z

They are used to being around a screen but TV has lost its relevance for them. They stay updated on current topics and get all their information from social media sites. This makes it tough to market to them with traditional mediums. 

Watching and sharing Youtube videos is now a part of their social activity and makes them feel more connected. 

And it is not only viral videos that are being shared. These could be anything from how to tie a knot or comedy sketches. They share these videos with their parents too to strengthen their bond. Many influencers have advocated for sharing of videos inter-generationally so everyone understands each other’s point of view. 

This sharing of videos makes people come close together and have a common topic to start a conversation. Being relevant is very important to Gen Z and sharing YouTube videos is one way of doing it. Being up to date on the various trends and their favorite influencers helps them in socializing and connecting with people their age. 

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Millennials

On the older side of the spectrum but with much more purchasing power the Millennials are also a great group to target. They are the ones who witnessed the birth of social media first hand and know its importance. 

The generation that streams most of its shows Millennials as a targeted demographic can do wonders for your brand. 70% of millennials have used to learn new things or improve upon their skill set in general. With an open-source knowledge base like Youtube being available many have revived their hobbies and have gotten better at them too. 

47% of the Millennials watch their favorite things either on Netflix or Youtube. This makes Youtube a very lucrative opportunity for advertising your goods or services.  

New media and Millennials

Since they were there at the birth of social media they can be called the transitory generation. They witnessed the death of the landline and dial-up internet first hand and embraced mobiles and wi-fi too. More than half the millennials get all their news from online sources. 

Youtube has been a great source of being relevant for both teens and young adults. With many news agencies now having their own Youtube channels it is only a matter of time before old mediums are completely forgotten. Since a lot of time is spent on these video-based apps it is necessary that you advertise here for maximum impact. 

TV or Stream

Although many Millennials still watch traditional cable TV the numbers are very low. Smartphone engagement is on an all-time high which makes them very receptive to your ads. In a study conducted it was found that 66% of millennials are annoyed by promotional videos. 

Overall, Millennials spend a lot of time on their phones and if your ads are targeted towards them then they need to be quick and educational. Having a strong disdain for promotional videos it is best that you make ads in such a way that they show the product in action right from the get-go. 

Marketing to Gen Z and Millennials

Gen Z and Millennials react differently to ads but are not very different when it comes to trends and engagement. Although Millennials have more purchasing power right now, in a few years Gen Z will be in the same spot too. 

With Gen Z it is best to make videos in a format that is popular amongst them. They still look for peer approval and would easily follow trends too. See what their favorite influencers are doing and make a video in that style.

You will be surprised as to how efficient such a video can be. They will take some time to make but once you get it right many people will start engaging with your ads. 

How to market to both

Similar to be put in the same category but not similar enough to have the same kind of videos, marketing to Millennials is different. They still respond to ads that were popular in the early 2000s and do not mind the plug. But despite this they still want ads to not feel like ads and not ruin their watch time. This has been a common theme in 21st-century ads. If your ad is disruptive and cuts in between their favorite show there is a very high chance that they will not pay any attention to it. 

It is in your best interest to target these demographics as they are the future. They will influence all decisions in the future and having good credibility and trust amongst them is a great way to increase brand awareness. 

Youtube Subscribers and Youtube Views are also some metrics that the newer generation use to see how good the company is. They will spot it quickly if you do not have real Youtube subscribers and it is best that you have a follower count with organic subscribers.  

As mentioned before video marketing still remains king in this world, it is only that the platforms have changed. Brands have been quick to adapt to these changes but with extreme competition, it is best that you also experiment with things.

Things that might strike a chord with Gen Z might be different from ones that might appeal to Millennials but it is up to you to find something for both. Work with your video production team and get a better idea of what might appeal to the younger people. It is important to understand these things for making a high-impact ad and once you get it right, try to keep up with these video trends.