Data-Backed Content Consumption Habits To Shape Your Strategy

Let’s play a recreation: Inform me how outdated you might be with out telling me how outdated you might be.

Undecided reply? Properly, likelihood is your content material consumption habits provide you with away.

As an example, I really like Instagram and Netflix however have left my Snapchat stage behind and don’t perceive Roblox.

(In the event you’re scratching your head, don’t fear. By the tip of this text, you’ll be capable to pinpoint my age, just like the label on a wine bottle.)

In a world pushed by content marketing, understanding how your audience prefers to devour info is crucial to getting your messages seen and heard. Nevertheless, the specifics can differ dramatically primarily based on age and era.

Let’s break down a few of every era’s most outstanding content material consumption habits primarily based on information and form your technique with them in thoughts.

Content material Consumption Habits By Era

To be actual, I don’t wish to put anybody in a field. Everybody’s totally different. Utilizing me for instance once more, I truly love watching tv and community information, however that is unusual with others in my era.

All customers are distinctive, however that degree of personalization as a marketer isn’t actually lifelike. Basic benchmarks and statistical information, like these under, can inform a method you later check and refine.

Hold this in thoughts as we talk about:

Notice: Many of those tendencies are pulled from HubSpot’s 2024 Client Tendencies Report, primarily based on our survey of over 700 US customers.

You can download the full report here.

Gen Alpha Content material Consumption Habits ​​

Gen Alpha could be very younger. Its members have restricted independence and mobility, and over 50% own an iPad, so it’s no shock video is a well-liked medium.

In line with analysis agency Beano Brain, they assume YouTube is “the good model.”

Client analysis platform GWI also found YouTube to be the highest video streaming platform for Gen Alpha in 11 out of 14 markets, second solely to Netflix within the remaining three.

There’s one thing for each Gen Alpha on YouTube, starting from schooling to leisure. The youngest members are nonetheless in diapers, watching Ms. Rachel and Cocomelon, whereas older children are leaning towards Like Nastya and even MrBeast.

Image Source

What are you able to do as a marketer? In the event you’re making an attempt to get in entrance of Gen Alpha, put money into YouTube Advertising and marketing or take into account partnering with YouTube influencers. We’ve received a complete YouTube Marketing Guide and a free course to get you began. You can even take into account YouTube Ads.

Gaming As a Pastime

Whereas on their iPads, there’s additionally a very good probability Gen Alpha is enjoying a recreation like Roblox or Minecraft.

GWI discovered over 70% play digital video games day-after-day, making it their hottest pastime forward of watching TV/motion pictures, social media, or speaking to associates on different platforms.

These video games let gamers construct digital worlds they’ll discover with real-life associates who’re additionally enjoying. They’re additionally working to boost their worlds by buying new avatars, mini-games, talents, animations, or attire.

What are you able to do as a marketer? Lots of the objects and experiences accessible for buy in these video games mimic these into actual life; they’re typically even branded. When you’ve got the means, discover how one can create a brand experience in a game like Roblox, get featured in their marketing channels, or run ads.

For instance, athletic model Nike created Nikeland within the recreation.

Image Source

As Obsessar explains, Nikeland is “a everlasting digital area for followers to attach, create and compete, empowering customers to be their very own creator and design mini-games from interactive sports activities supplies.

Customers also can compete in numerous mini-games resembling tag, the ground is lava and dodgeball with their associates.”

“Nikeland leverages accelerometers on a consumer’s cell gadget to translate offline motion to on-line. Customers also can get signature Nike sneakers for his or her avatars from the digital store.”

Gen Z Content material Consumption Habits

With its oldest members coming into their late 20s, Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2009) is rising in spending energy day-after-day — and that’s with it already sitting with over $450 million in the US alone.

What content material consumption habits do you could know to get a bit of the pie?

Be taught much more about Gen Z buying habits and how to align as a marketer.

Social Media Dominance

In line with the World Financial Discussion board, Gen Z spends a mean of nearly three hours per day on social media. That’s greater than every other era, and there’s little or no they don’t do there.

HubSpot analysis exhibits social media is Gen Z’s #1 channel for product discovery, and 43% have purchased one thing by way of a social media app up to now three months. Additionally they flip to it for leisure, schooling, and socializing.

Our survey additionally discovered Gen Z’s high three social media platforms are TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, however according to Morning Consult, Snapchat is just not far behind.

What are you able to do as a marketer? Discover other ways to ascertain a presence on social media. In style choices embody creating video content material (a favorite of Gen Z), working paid advertisements, user-generated content campaigns, and working with influencers.

Content Hub options like Social Inbox and Content Remix will help execute social methods to achieve Gen Z in HubSpot as nicely.

Trusting Influencers

In terms of buy choices, our analysis found that Gen Z finds suggestions from influencers much more vital than these from family and friends. And their affect doesn’t cease there.

Gen Z finds influencers and content material creators relatable and trustworthy. As The Drum defined, they comply with them as a result of they “can provide connection, companionship, and aspiration.”

Due to this, they not solely affect a follower’s buy choices but in addition their private views.

What are you able to do as a marketer? Discover which influencers and creators your Gen Z patrons comply with and for those who can doubtlessly accomplice with them. Maybe you might ship them a free product to publish about or work on a bigger content material collaboration.

Be taught extra about your choices for influencer marketing in our final information.

Millennials Content material Consumption Habits

Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) are distinctive amongst different generations in that they had been born in an analog world however got here of age in a digital one. This twin identification could be seen of their content material consumption habits.

Mingling with Social Media

Social media began to rise in the course of the early 2000s, making it contemporaries with millennials. Millennials have seen socials’ many evolutions and been a significant participant in shaping the cultures of older platforms like Fb and X (previously Twitter).

Like Gen Z, social media is the #1 channel for product discovery for millennials, however their favourite is YouTube, with Fb and Instagram following.

45% of millennials additionally get their every day information from social media and over 60% their financial education.

What are you able to do as a marketer? Intention to educate millennial audiences on social media. This is likely one of the only methods to showcase your experience and construct the trusting relationships wanted to ultimately make a purchase order.

Be taught extra about the most effective types of social media content.

Podcasts

Podcasts additionally got here of age alongside millennials. eMarketer discovered that 64.2% of the generation hearken to podcasts, whereas Edison Research found millennials and older members of Gen Z flip to them greater than every other age group.

What are you able to do as a marketer? Take into account starting a podcast on your viewers or maybe sponsoring or advertising on a podcast you recognize your viewers already listens to. Each of those choices will make it easier to get your advertising and marketing message into millennials’ ears — actually and figuratively.

HubSpot has created a number of podcasts over time, together with Marketing Against the Grain.

However in the present day, we even have a large podcast network that brings collectively many packages our viewers can be taught from.

Image Source

Many podcast streaming platforms, like Spotify, additionally offer ads.

Talking of streaming…

Subscription Companies

A current Kagan US Consumer Insights exhibits millennials spend 9 hours per day on digital leisure.

It could shock you, nonetheless, that extra of this time is spent listening to music (2.8 hours) and enjoying video video games (2.4 hours) than watching TV/video content material (4.0 hours per day).

That is regardless of having, on common, 6.1 on-line video subscription providers.

Sounds to me like one era might have a subscription detox.

Out of those video subscription providers, the preferred is Netflix (77%), adopted by Amazon Prime Video (64%), with Hulu and Disney+ neck-and-neck for third place.

What are you able to do as a marketer? Now, after all, you possibly can’t get unique content material in your favourite streaming platform — that will be cool although, proper? However increasingly streaming services are offering ad-supported tiers, so you possibly can nonetheless promote your services or products to viewers.

According to a study by eMarketer, people of all ages watch video with ad-supported subscriptions a minimum of as soon as a month, with 80% of Amazon Prime Video subscribers choosing ad-supported.

Relying in your millennial viewers’s preferences, these might be an incredible possibility for getting their consideration.

If these advertisements are out of your finances, it’s also possible to discover inventive methods to include standard streaming exhibits into your content material. Take into account how HubSpot included the HBO collection “And Simply Like That” into its Instagram content material:

Gen X Content material Consumption Habits

Although general tv viewership is trending downward in favor of streaming, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found members of Gen X watch a mean of two.5-3 hours a day.

That’s about 87%, in accordance to Provoke Insights, making them the second largest viewer group behind solely child boomers.

Tv can also be Gen X’s second favorite source of daily news, behind social media.

And this is sensible. Gen X grew up in the course of the preliminary arrival of house tv.

What are you able to do as a marketer? Tv advertisements will not be essentially the most “inbound” technique, however they’ll nonetheless be efficient for reaching nostalgic Gen X audiences. Be taught extra in regards to the potential in our Ultimate Guide to TV Ads.

Affinity for Mature Social Media

Whereas of an older age when launched to social media, Gen X have additionally develop into massive followers of the medium.

The truth is, it’s their second most-used channel for weekly media consumption (behind tv).

Like its youthful successors, millennials and Gen Z, our analysis discovered social media is the #1 channel for product discovery for Gen X. Nevertheless, they like Fb, adopted by YouTube (the identical as child boomers).

What are you able to do as a marketer? Don’t sleep on Fb advertising and marketing. Whereas waning in reputation with people underneath 45, the platform is simply rising with Gen X and Child Boomers. Listed here are some assets to get you began:

Child Boomer Content material Consumption Habits

As Investopedia explains, they often stay “economically and politically influential due to their giant numbers and the relative prosperity of the U.S. economic system throughout their working careers.”

So, their content material consumption habits are price noting.

Tv

Child boomers dramatically desire TV to different content material mediums.

93% turn to it for almost all of their weekly media consumption, and whereas they’ve subscription providers, the quantity solely hovers around 2.5 per family, 4 lower than Gen Z or millennials.

However what are they watching? Apart from embracing shows like Yellowstone and Dancing with the Stars for leisure, in addition they flip to community and cable information as their preferred channels for every day information.

46% report watching dwell, main different generations by 14%.

What are you able to do as a marketer? Like with Gen X, television ads would be the option to go to get in entrance of child boomers, however it’s also possible to take into account trying into a few of their favourite exhibits and incorporating them into your content material.

Social Media Savviness

Whereas they didn’t develop up with it, baby boomers love social media simply as a lot as their generational successors.

Like Gen X, our report exhibits their high platforms to be Fb (70% have visited the positioning within the final three months) and YouTube, with these two additionally main for his or her free video consumption, according to Kagan.

In contrast to different generations, nonetheless, our research found social media is their least most popular channel for product discovery.

What are you able to do as a marketer? Lean into long-form video content material on Fb and YouTube. With their love of tv and a few social media, experimenting with long-form video might be the key to leaving a mark on child boomers.

You can even strive going dwell on Fb or YouTube. Try:

What content material consumption habits do all generations have in widespread?

Our survey discovered that 87% of U.S. adults report utilizing social media, with 40% utilizing it to be taught new issues or get concepts. Maybe they’re utilizing it in a different way and frequenting different channels, however they’re all utilizing it.

So, no matter who your audience is, you possibly can’t ignore social in your technique.

Learn “How to Create a Great Social Media Strategy in 2024 (+ New Data)”

The identical could be mentioned for video. Throughout each era, the choice for visible and auditory content material is clear, whereas written (i.e., newsletters and information websites) have gotten more and more much less widespread.

Plus, video is understood to be extra memorable and fascinating than static textual content alone.

All that mentioned, put money into video advertising and marketing — whether or not it’s a tv advert, Instagram Reel, YouTube Channel, or a number of different choices. Discover the platform your viewers is hanging out on and meet them there with video.

Learn The Ultimate Guide to Video Marketing.

Lastly, 72% of all respondents of our survey reported planning on utilizing gen AI-powered seek for procuring sooner or later. 79% of those that have already used it admit it provided a greater expertise than conventional search engines like google.

So, keep apprised of those habits and how one can adapt your advertising and marketing to them.

Learn AI in Digital Marketing — The Complete Guide.

Are customers content material together with your content material?

Content material advertising and marketing is right here to remain, however how customers work together with it’s evolving. As mentioned earlier, no two customers are alike — even inside the identical era.

However utilizing data-backed tendencies and content material consumption habits, like these shared right here, will help you create a wise technique that you could check and refine over time.

Now, I simply have one query for you: Did you determine how outdated I’m?

If not, I apologize. We millennials could be a little mysterious typically.