‘Not Your Mom’s Facebook’ — Is It Enough to Attract Gen Z?

Welcome to The Perspective, a collection the place HubSpotters weigh in on the newest enterprise and advertising and marketing developments.

“We aren’t your mother’s Fb.”

This daring assertion was passed around at Facebook’s event for youthful creators in NYC earlier this summer season.

Because the social big turns 20 this 12 months, they know an enormous chunk of their future depends on Gen Z. Particularly contemplating only 52% currently rank Facebook as their favorite platform, and only 33% of teens aged 13-17 use it in any respect.

(By comparability — 72% of Gen Z rank TikTok as their favourite platform, and 63% of teenagers are actively utilizing it.)

Can Fb really present youthful generations there’s extra to it than “outdated” individuals and outdated memes?

To search out the reply to that query, we have now to start out by unpacking why Gen Z decides to spend their social vitality elsewhere.

And who higher to ask than a member of HubSpot’s improbable social staff and certainly one of my superb Gen Z colleagues.

Featured Voices:

Right here’s Why Gen Z Isn’t on Fb

“I believe it comes right down to the kind of content material on Fb,” says Reece Callaway, Model and Social Content material Supervisor at HubSpot.

“Since Fb is without doubt one of the oldest social media platforms nonetheless round, we see a whole lot of Millennials and Gen X on Fb who repeatedly put up content material that doesn’t resonate with Gen Z. Gen Z needs to see the newest culturally related content material on their feeds, and Fb simply isn’t the place for that.”

And Callaway brings up an incredible level. The opposite a part of Fb’s tried rebrand is to place themselves as a “hub for all issues culturally taking place” within the platform’s underground.

Making a culturally related area for youthful generations is a crucial first step — but it surely’s not essentially a simple one to perform.

The Gen Z Perspective

Justina Thompson, Affiliate Advertising and marketing Supervisor at HubSpot (and Gen Z baddie herself), appears like Gen Z is not on Fb like different generations as a result of it has a fame for being family-focused somewhat than a real social platform.

“Once I was rising up, my Fb was monitored by my mother and I primarily used it to remain linked with aunts, uncles, and center college mates whose profiles have been additionally monitored by their dad and mom,” says Thompson.

“Over time, I started to crave extra autonomy over my on-line presence, which I could not do by way of Fb.”

These are additionally explanation why I now not have Fb, and I am a millennial.

My timeline was a mixture of random posts from members of the family together with the occasional “hbd” from somebody I haven’t interacted with since elementary college.

It turned exhausting to curate my timeline and my following to align with my pursuits.

Thompson additionally says that Gen Z needs to excavate their very own identities on-line — particularly the place nobody they know is watching. That’s why TikTok is so widespread for this age group.

“Folks from wherever can work together along with your content material and never must know you IRL. There isn’t any pre-existing impression that they’ve of you.”

Thompson continues, “Fb represents having an attachment to communities that already know you. Locations like Instagram and TikTok have confirmed that you do not have to return bearing proximity to anybody with a view to construct connections. That is the hurdle I believe Fb has but to beat.”

I second that — Fb has to make that leap with a view to compete. Channels like Instagram and TikTok have high-quality algorithms that make it straightforward for customers to curate their feeds and discover new individuals.

So, now, this all begs the query … 

Can a ‘rebrand’ work … or is it too late?

In principle, Thompson thinks a Fb revamp may work. And I am inclined to agree. However she says it’s going to take much more than shifting what we see on our feeds to get Gen Z again there.

“I do suppose investing in what’s already on the platform, like Fb Market, is an effective place to start out — particularly as a result of I’ve personally had constructive experiences with that a part of Fb,” says Thompson.

And he or she’s not alone. Our research shows that social media is Gen Z’s #1 channel for product discovery, and 43% have purchased one thing through social media prior to now three months.

Plus, Fb Market is the truth is Gen Z’s big draw to the platform proper now.

“Nevertheless, Fb isn‘t simply its Market. It’s an amalgamation of many issues, and all of these items have to talk to one another in a method that is sensible,” says Thompson.

She continues, “I believe TikTok does an incredible job at this. Though I‘m not the largest fan of TikTok’s monetization efforts, they‘re executed properly as a result of they’re built-in into the content material you see as you scroll.”

And since different channels like TikTok are already so widespread amongst Gen Z, Callaway says it’s going to be troublesome to reroute their consideration.

“It’s going to be very exhausting to take Gen Z off of different platforms that they’re already on,” he argues. “I believe there is a chance for [Facebook] to rebrand themselves. Nevertheless, they’ve 20 years of fame to work in opposition to.”

He is proper — Gen Z nonetheless sees Fb because the social channel for older generations, stuffed with inspirational quotes and boomer humor. It’s not inconceivable, however that rep goes to be fairly exhausting to shake.

So, what’s the important thing to bringing Gen Z again?

Facebook says they’re specializing in three key options to get Gen Z to purchase in: the feed, reels, and creators.

They plan to spotlight extra related content material together with Fb Market, Fb Courting, and teams and occasions to draw youthful audiences.

From my perspective, this isn’t a nasty technique. Earlier, Thompson known as out Fb Market as a constructive, and serving tailor-made, audience-driven content material all the time wins.

Callaway says, “I believe they would wish to get a whole lot of the largest creators that Gen Z enjoys to constantly put up content material on Fb and do it in a method that makes Gen Z select Fb to observe that content material over a special platform.”

He continues, “Together with that, Fb wants options which can be distinctive to Fb, not only a copy of a well-liked characteristic from a special platform.”

Thompson echoes the necessity for distinctive options to attract in youthful customers. Listed here are three concepts she thinks Gen Z could be all for:

• A customizable timeline: “Make the timeline extra customizable so Gen Z can filter by way of random posts from household whereas additionally getting the data we really need.”
• Simpler content material monetization: “TikTok has the Creator Fund but it surely’s extremely exhausting to get into … possibly Fb may make a few of these tips extra accessible.”
• App integrations: “I like that Tiktok has develop into extra built-in with different apps — like CapCut — to make it simpler for folk to supply fast, ready-to-post content material. I believe some type of integration like that might be superior.”

Somebody at Fb, in all probability:

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Fb + Gen Z = 🫶🏽?

As Thompson shared, “Fb has to grasp that Gen Z‘s priorities are quickly altering. We’re all for getting uncensored entry to the data we have to downside remedy and reside life enjoyably.”

It is an uphill battle, and never a assured win, however I believe Fb can take steps to carry Gen Z again — so long as they take notes from the competitors and refine the platform to satisfy their social wants.

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