Teenagers: The Facebook Epidemic

Walk down any block in New York, and you’ll see too many teenagers with their heads face down, staring at a screen. Smartphone ownership has become almost universal among this age group, regardless of gender, race, and socioeconomic backgrounds. In 2013, 75% of teens reported owning a smartphone. Now, in 2018, that number has risen to 95%. Although there has been a steep rise in smartphone ownership, Facebook is seeing a decline in use among this age group — and the two phenomena could be linked. Teens today want instantaneity; they no longer take the time to write lengthy Facebook statuses in the age of 10-second Snapchat stories and one-line Instagram captions. With this change in social media behavior, there are 3 main points that marketers should keep in mind.

1. Teenagers love to avoid adults whenever possible
Studies show that Facebook’s demise is linked to its recent reputation as a “parent-only site.” Many users also report feeling pressure about posting content (because posts can be seen by unknown people who are not on a user’s friend list). As a result, it would be well advised for marketers to focus on the new platforms used by this demographic. Brands should be aware that whenever adults adopt a social media platform, teens to other platforms.

2. Teenagers lack patience
Snapchat is currently one of the most-used social media platforms amongst teens. There is very little posting pressure because there are no likes or comments, and only viewers with granted access can see the posts. Snapchat allows its users to see what their friends are doing in real time without lengthy ads, videos, and unwanted content. To that end, marketers have admitted that creating engaging content is their top challenge — 42% of brands are spending more money on content across digital media and are attempting to create effective strategies to reach this generation. That starts by going where the audience is.

3. Teenagers are always connected
The popularity of smartphone devices has contributed to the culture of instant gratification. Teenagers have grown up with all the answers in the palms of their hands (a quick Google search on a cell phone will yield information on just about anything on-the-go). Now that we know what type of platforms teens prefer, brands and marketers can focus on posting ads between Snapchat and Instagram stories, rather than long videos on Facebook. If brands find a way to cut down their advertisements to a quick clip, they will have a higher chance of grabbing the attention of teens who may have skipped over it otherwise. Read More