Social Media Habits

Of Generation Z

By Catriona Orosco on Oct 28, 2021 in Marketing, Technology

After getting to know Gen Z, REACH by RentCafe investigated how these young renters search online and how they use ratings and reviews while doing so.

Today, we’re sharing data related to one of the most notable and important aspects of this generation’s lifestyle: social media.

All about social media, all the time

Welcome to the world of social media, where Gen Zers are no strangers to the posts, snaps, influencers, advertisements, stories and hashtags that dominate these platforms.

And how could these young renters not be well versed in the art of social media? They have grown up in the age of smartphones, tablets and computers. In fact, 95% of Gen Zers use a social media app or website at least once a week, while 33% claim they spend most of their time outside of work or school on social media. It’s important to grasp the prominent role social media plays in the lives of Gen Z so you can attract these young renters.

After asking over 10,000 members of Gen Z to name their top 3 social media channels, REACH by RentCafe found that those most often chosen included Instagram (46%), Facebook (43%), YouTube (39%), TikTok (33%) and Snapchat (30%).Interestingly, this data informs marketers about what exactly Gen Zers are doing while on social media. Most of these platforms center around videos, meaning that Gen Z is spending a great deal of time seeking entertainment. In a survey, Gen Zers identified the three things they felt most connected with while using social media: entertainment, their friends and the world.

Reaching Gen Z on social media

So how can you attract Gen Zers using social media? We have a few tips to help you out:

1. Use stories
   Did you know that Instagram alone has over 500 million daily users on its stories feature? Stories are photos or videos attached to your profile that automatically delete after a certain period of time, usually 24 hours. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and more have stories, and posting them consistently is a great way to engage members of Gen Z.
2. Be inclusive

Gen Z is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation ever, and it’s important to mirror that in your social media accounts. Consider posting videos and photos that celebrate and reflect Gen Z’s range of backgrounds, attitudes and beliefs so they will feel more connected to you and your brand.

3. Use videos and post user-generated content
Members of Gen Z love video content, as evidenced by the rising popularity of video-centered features like Instagram Reels and Snap Spotlight as well as the climb of the most recent ruler of social media: TikTok. Furthermore, a recent survey conducted on RentCafe.com found that 69% of these young renters prefer both professional and user-created videos. Social media is a place to highlight your authenticity, so consider posting user-generated clips such as how-to videos and apartment walk-throughs to provide the realism that Gen Z values.

4. Engage Frequently

It’s important to remember that Gen Zers have an estimated attention span of just 8 seconds. They are intelligent and tech-savvy, and they’ve learned to quickly comb through all the information they see online. It’s important that you post frequently and consistently engage with comments to strengthen your customer relationships. This is a large and important task you could either do on your own or outsource to experts. For example, REACH by RentCafe social media services will post, respond and track engagement metrics for you, all while providing you with complete oversight and transparency.

Ready to learn more?

Watch a short series of interviews on Gen Z social media preferences.