Gen Z and Millennial app usage signal shifts in mobile user behaviors with regards to social media in the coming year.

Image Credit: App Annie

Gen Z and Millennial app usage can often be regarded as key defining engagement metrics dictating the direction of mobile marketing and engagement. In 2020, a few familiar names disappeared from the top five most likely to use, Facebook among them, to make way for some new, hugely popular platforms.

According to App Annie, Snapchat and Discord took the top spot for Gen Z and Millennials, respectively. In fact, in the United States, massive platforms like Facebook and Instagram that have long-reigned on top of at least some key demographics were not present in the analysis of Apps Most Like to Use for Gen Z, Millennials, or Gen X. While Facebook’s properties still account for the most hours spent overall, the data suggests that popularity might have plateaued as other apps, like TikTok and Twitch, saw significant year-over-year gains in engagement.

Globally, 3.5 trillion hours of time were spent on apps, leading to over $140 billion in consumer transactions. 2020 was a year that saw enormous growth in mobile adoption and usage, with an average of 8% more time spent on mobile than watching television. That’s a 20% increase in time spent on mobile from 2019. Of course, the pandemic and lockdowns were major contributing factors, but the key here is that the desired platform under these conditions was mobile over any other.

As you might expect, the majority (roughly 2/3) of mobile app spend was generated from gaming – ranging from casual to casino. This was driven primarily from in-app spend in arcade games, which saw a 300% year-over-year growth. Ultimately, all sectors saw a significant increase in both adoption and engagement, which leads one to question how this shapes the future of mobile marketing and consumer engagement.

In terms of live content, streaming platforms saw incredible rises in popularity, with the average amount of content streamed up anywhere from 60-85% around the world.

YouTube still reigns supreme both in the United States and globally, but other live platforms, like Twitch, are gaining steam as live streaming has emerged as a favorite for more diverse audiences outside of gaming during the pandemic.

What Does This Mean for Marketers

Shifting demographic preferences when it comes to marketing is nothing new. IT is something we, as marketers, are constantly adapting to and for which we are consistently creating new strategies. But one thing that has become clear is that experiential mobile is becoming a key component of mobile engagement. Content alone is not going to drive the level of engagement marketers enjoyed early in the rise of mobile on networks like Facebook and Instagram. We need to find new ways of directly engaging with audiences in a live environment. Gen Z and Millennial app usage behaviors are clearly trending towards personalized, immersive experiences, and this has intensified during the pandemic and lockdowns. While there is clearly still considerable value from an overall engagement standpoint in static content, creativity in how mobile and, more specifically, gaming and live streaming, can be used to connect and engage with key, younger audiences will be crucial to building your brand and connecting with new demographics moving forward.