cares that Gen Z prefers user generated content? //
recently published a press release that stated “Gen Z significantly prefers user-generated content, older millennials lean towards streaming, InMobi Insights survey shows.”
This headline almost made me yell at the cloud in “Old Man Yells At Cloud”, but I didn’t wanna look like Abe Simpson.
Let me explain calmly, rationally and without emotion why marketers should stop using outdated demographic cliches or obsolete content descriptions.
Let me give InMobi Insights the same time as I would.
What type of content does Gen Z, younger and older millennials like?
InMobi conducted a survey of more than 1,000 US consumers to find out what they thought about streaming subscriptions.
- Gen Z (18-24 years old) prefers UGC to other types of content. UGC is followed by TV, music/podcasts and gaming in that order.
- The younger millennials (ages between 25 and 34) consume content in all formats. They do not have a specific content preference.
- The older millennials (ages between 35 and 44) enjoy television the most. UGC was their second preference.
Justin Sparks, Director of Vertical Strategy at InMobi for North America, stated:
The generational divide is evident in the way that the content vehicles of the day create lasting habits and familiarity. UGC is the key lever to win over Gen Z, as they gain purchasing power and influence in boardrooms and politics. This is evident in the NFL Sunday Ticket deal that started this year with YouTube, as the NFL moves away from a longstanding partnership with Dish TV and court Gen Z fans.
Okay, the equal time has ended.
Who is the target audience for our product?
What I think is that agencies and brands should keep asking themselves: “Who are our target audiences?”
I think we need to ask ourselves, “Why do we still use Gen Z, millennials and Gen X to segment audiences that we want to or not target?”
Segmenting audiences is possible in many different ways. There are many ways to segment audiences. Why should we start asking questions now about how we use generations?
The Pew Research Center has taken a step back to reconsider their approach in the future.
Michael Dimock, president of Pew Research Center published ” Five things to remember when you hear about Gen Z and other generations.”
Every marketer, executive and agency in America should read this.
Dimock said,
Pew Research Center believes it is useful to discuss generations. There are several important things that readers should keep in mind when they read a story or study about generations. These include:
- The scientific definition of generational categories is not available.
- Stereotypes and oversimplification can be caused by generational labels.
- When discussing generations, we tend to focus more on the differences than the similarities.
- The traditional view of generational differences can be biased towards the upper class.
- “People can change with time.”
You can get another option by reading Mark Ritson’s article in Marketing Week: “Eight of ten millennials think demographics are horse-shit.”
Ritson says, “It is time to abandon this lazy segmentation approach.”
What else can I say?
What is User-Generated Content?
You may want to ask yourself another question while you are reviewing your assumptions regarding market segmentation: “What exactly is user-generated material?”
James Donaldson (also known as MrsBeast) is the creator of this type of content. He is one of the most popular YouTube creators with 163 million subscribers.
MrBeast has 84 million TikTok followers, 38.5 million Instagram followers, 21.3 million X followers (formerly known Twitter), and 4.2 million Facebook followers.
MrBeast’s content includes elaborate stunts, challenges and the giving away of large amounts of money. His most popular video, for example, is “Would you fly to Paris for a baguette?”
It has now been viewed 853,000,000 times and engaged 37,9,000,000 times since it was uploaded to YouTube in 2022.
This is not a coincidence. In the last three-years, MrBeast uploaded 89 YouTube videos. These videos have now received 14,5 billion views and 502 millions engagements.
You might ask “Why can’t you create content like that?” after watching this “user generated content” in your next marketing meeting.
You should ask your team “Why don’t we create content like this?”
Donaldson is not the only YouTuber who has turned user-generated videos into a lucrative career.
Oxford Economics estimates YouTube’s creative eco-system supported more than 390,00 full-time equivalent U.S. employment and contributed over 35 billion dollars to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product in 2022.
Dig deep: Video Content Guide: Why you should create videos now (plus Examples)
What TV shows are our target viewers watching?
You may also want to ask the marketing team: “What TV shows do our target audiences watch?”
Yes, I am a baby-boomer. No, I don’t want to go back to “Mad Men”.
InMobi Insights has found that older millennials prefer streaming TV.
You may want to read my article ” How you can use GA4 for your digital marketing strategy.”
At the end of this article, I quoted what YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said at Brandcast.
“We are witnessing a massive shift in how people consume content. YouTube is increasingly being viewed on the largest screen at home. According to Nielsen, YouTube has the most streaming time on television screens in the U.S.”
Mohan said:
“Viewers, especially younger viewers, no longer distinguish between the type of content they are watching. They want to watch everything in one place, from their favorite creators to blockbuster films to football. YouTube has it all.”
Mary Ellen Coe, Chief Business Officer of YouTube, spoke at the event about YouTube’s partnership NFL Sunday Ticket as well as the unique opportunities YouTube offers fans to enjoy sports on YouTube TV and YouTube. She said:
“Nobody does sports better than YouTube.” You can access all the content you love, live and on demand, from leagues like the NFL, NBA and others. “We’re the top sports destination for Gen Z.”
Coe then added:
“Tonight, it’s my pleasure to introduce a new perspective for fans on game day. It’s from the creator’s point of view. After the NFL football season begins this year, we’re launching an original Shorts Series on the NFL YouTube channel called ‘NFL creator of the week.’
Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner, told Brandcast attendees the following:
YouTube is a popular destination for football fans to watch all things NFL …. This past year, NFL-related content on YouTube saw a 27% year-over year increase in views, totaling 1.9 billion.
After reviewing my notes it appears that Goodell also added:
“NFL Sunday Ticket …. Creators in every category, from food to fashion, will be involved to help bring new viewers into the NFL. MrBeast is one of the biggest YouTube creators.
Nielsen data, which I reported in my May story, shows that YouTube is now available on over 150 million connected TVs across the United States.
I also added: “That’s much more of an audience than brands or agencies can reach at the Super Bowl.”
Google Ads’ glossary has since then provided me with the definition for ” Co-viewing“. It shares the following news nugget.
Panels show that people watch YouTube on their TV screens together, a behavior similar to linear television viewing.
The glossary also provides:
When multiple people view YouTube ads on the same connected TV device, they could increase your campaign’s reach and impressions.
Get it? You got it? Good.
Who is your target market?
YouTube is the top sports destination for Gen Z.
YouTube is the most popular streaming service in the U.S. if you’re older than millennials.
If your audience is football enthusiasts, YouTube is the only place to find NFL Sunday Ticket.
As part of the partnership, YouTube creators will have access to NFL games, clubs, athletes and fans.
The media landscape is once again being turned upside down. It’s time to ask questions such as, “Who really cares if Gen Z prefers user generated content or older Millennials are more inclined towards streaming?”
Why? Why? Because brands and agencies are able to reach football fans through YouTube’s full range of NFL content. This includes live games, Prime Channels, highlights, post-game comments, and more.
You might end up looking just like Abe Simpson from the meme “Old Man Yells at Cloud”. You wouldn’t like that.
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