2024 Annual Gen Z Media Habits Survey

In February 2024, Williams Whittle conducted our third annual survey of 12-27 year olds (“Gen Z”) throughout the United States in order to understand their media habits and preferences. Minors were required to gain parental permission before participating.

Here are the top 12 insights.

Insight #1: Gen Z prefers to communicate with friends and family by text, and by email with teachers, school, and co-workers.

Insight #2: Gen Z spends 1 to 3 hours a day on social media, and is most active on Instagram. Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok are all neck and neck in terms of usage. Impressions of the various social media channels vary. One thing is for sure, they think Facebook is for old people! Download the survey to find out Gen Z impressions of each social media platform.

Insight #3: Gen Z primarily uses social media to view content. When they do post they always or almost always include photos or videos.

Insight #4: Most respondents follow influencers and/or micro-influencers on social media. The top influencers range from American media personalities to YouTubers, TikTokers, and podcasters. Download the survey to find out the Top Influencers followed by Gen Z.

Insight #5: Most Gen Zers follow celebrities on social media. Download the survey to find out the Top Celebrities followed by Gen Z.

Insight #6: Gen Z is responsive to social media advertising. Most have clicked on a social media ad and most purchased something that was previously advertised to them on social media. The top platform that Gen Z purchased from is Instagram, but TikTok is popular as well.

Insight #7: Gen Z follows many organizations and nonprofits on social media. Download the survey to find out the Top Nonprofits and Companies/Organizations followed by Gen Z.

Insight #8: Social media could be the gateway to philanthropy for Gen Z. One-third have donated to a cause on social media. The cause that Gen Z cares about the most is Poverty/Human Service Charities. This is followed by Animal, Health, and Environmental Charities. Download the survey to find out the other causes important to Gen Z and learn what causes Gen Z would donate to if they had $10K .

Insight #9: Most Gen Z respondents listen to podcasts. The types of podcasts they listen to range from political to true crime to advice and comedy shows. Download the survey to find out the Top Podcasts listened to by Gen Z.

Insight #10: Online streaming is very popular with Gen Z. Most subscribe to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO Max, and Disney. In terms of audio, most listen to Spotify, but listenership to traditional AM/FM radio is very low. Download the survey to find out which platforms are regularly watched, listened to, or subscribed to by Gen Z.

Insight #11: In terms of news consumption, a whopping 66% of Gen Z gets most of their news from social media. Nearly all respondents use online search engines to research new products, brand, and ideas, and two-thirds use social media. Download the survey to find out what type of content Gen Z enjoys watching the most on social media.

Insight #12: Gen Z is aware of how social media affects their mental health. When asked about the impact of long-term social media use, respondents reported mixed emotions. Download the survey to find out how mental health is impacted when Gen Z spends a lot of time on social media.

These insights provide a roadmap for nonprofit professionals to understand Gen Z better and tailor their marketing strategies accordingly. By aligning with Gen Z preferences and behaviors, nonprofits can foster stronger relationships with their supporters.