Products

Insider Intelligence delivers leading-edge research to clients in a variety of forms, including full-length reports and data visualizations to equip you with actionable takeaways for better business decisions.
Reports
In-depth analysis, benchmarks and shorter spotlights on digital trends.
Learn More
Forecasts
Interactive projections with 10k+ metrics on market trends, & consumer behavior.
Learn More
Charts
Proprietary data and over 3,000 third-party sources about the most important topics.
Learn More
Industry KPIs
Industry benchmarks for the most important KPIs in digital marketing, advertising, retail and ecommerce.
Learn More
Briefings
Client-only email newsletters with analysis and takeaways from the daily news.
Learn More
Analyst Access Program
Exclusive time with the thought leaders who craft our research.
Learn More

About Insider Intelligence

Our goal at Insider Intelligence is to unlock digital opportunities for our clients with the world’s most trusted forecasts, analysis, and benchmarks. Spanning five core coverage areas and dozens of industries, our research on digital transformation is exhaustive.
Our Story
Learn more about our mission and how Insider Intelligence came to be.
Learn More
Methodology
Rigorous proprietary data vetting strips biases and produces superior insights.
Learn More
Our People
Take a look into our corporate culture and view our open roles.
Join the Team
Contact Us
Speak to a member of our team to learn more about Insider Intelligence.
Contact Us
Newsroom
See our latest press releases, news articles or download our press kit.
Learn More
Advertising & Sponsorship Opportunities
Reach an engaged audience of decision-makers.
Learn More
Events
Browse our upcoming and past events, recent podcasts, and other featured resources.
Learn More
Podcasts
Tune in to eMarketer's daily, weekly, and monthly podcasts.
Learn More

How Gen Z is changing social media—and why marketers should care

It’s been a tough year for social media.

Meta is struggling after hemorrhaging money on its metaverse ambitions and as Instagram faces serious competition from TikTok. Meanwhile, TikTok recently reduced its global revenue goals for the year and could be facing some regulatory and legal hurdles ahead. And don’t even get us started on Twitter.

As the social media giants battle it out, the question on everyone’s mind is: Is social media over?

Social media isn’t dying, it’s simply evolving. And Gen Z is driving the change,” said our analyst Jasmine Enberg during the keynote session of our “Attention! Trends and Predictions for 2023” event.

Back to basics: While TikTok is still the app of choice for teens (we expect nearly 70% of Gen Zers to use it monthly next year), emerging competitors are catching up.

  • According to our data, nearly three years since its launch, over a third of teens are currently on BeReal, ahead of where Instagram was at its three-year mark and on par with Snapchat’s.
  • We expect that Gen Z will continue to reject old-school social media and turn to new platforms like Fizz, Gas, and Geneva in the year ahead.
  • “What’s interesting about these apps is that they tap into the original premise of social networking, connecting [people] in smaller groups,” said Enberg.

Why it matters: While it may be tempting to write off these new-fangled platforms as a fad, all evidence points to their staying power. Here are three reasons marketers should be paying attention to the newcomers:

1. They give Gen Z what they crave.

Free speech has become a major topic of discussion among Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter. But that isn’t what’s most important to teens, said Enberg. In fact, over 60% of US teens report that feeling “welcome and safe” is more important than having a space to speak freely online, per Pew Research Center.

2. They’re based on connecting in smaller, more intimate groups.

Platforms like Gas, which is made for high schoolers, or Reddit, which emphasizes fandoms and shared interests, have recently seen a boost in engagement among teens, according to Enberg.

3. Ads may not be their primary revenue source.

Enberg expects that the newest crop of platforms will look to commerce, subscriptions, and paid features to drive revenues. “Many of these new apps will eventually have to turn to advertising,” she predicted. Still, just because a platform isn’t ad-driven, doesn’t mean there isn’t any value for marketers.

The bottom line: Social media isn’t going anywhere, but it is in a transition phase. Marketers should look to Gen Z for a glimpse into its future and be prepared for more changes in 2023 and beyond.

Missed the “Attention!” event? You can rewatch sessions here.

This was originally featured in the eMarketer Daily newsletter. For more marketing insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.