There are many facets to owning and operating a business, but one of the most important aspects is the customer.
Having a good understanding of the customer is key to running a successful business, and after years of studying how millennials influence consumer preferences, companies are starting to realize that there is a new generation in town.
As the Gen Z statistics below will show, both dependent and earning consumers from this particular generation have a pretty big influence on consumption patterns.
Let’s talk about social media usage and Internet usage when it comes to Generation Z, as well as other things like consumer behavior, workplace expectations, and anything else that has anything to do with this pretty powerful consumer group.
Post Contents
- 1 Key Gen Z Statistics
- 2 Top Generation Z Statistics in 2024
- 2.1 1. 74% of Generation Z Spend Their Free Time Online
- 2.2 2. Generation Z Spend More than 8 Hours a Day Online
- 2.3 3. 73% of Generation Z User Devices for Chatting and Texting
- 2.4 4. 95% of Teens Say that They Have a Smartphone – or Access to One
- 2.5 5. Generation Z Consumers Are Twice as Likely to Shop on A Mobile Device than A Millennial
- 2.6 6. 32% of Generation Z‘s Transactions Happen on A Mobile
- 2.7 7. 58% of Generation Z Check Their Email More than Once a Day
- 2.8 8. 31.8% of Generation Z Would Like to Get Emails from Brands
- 2.9 9. 62% of Generation Z Won’t Use a Website or An App that Is Too Slow
- 2.10 10. 55% of Generation Z User Their Phones for More than 5 Hours a Day
- 2.11 11. 1/3 of Generation Z Bought Something After Seeing It on Social Media
- 2.12 12. Facebook Usage in The US Among 12 to 34 Year Olds Feel from 48% in 2017 to 29% in 2019
- 2.13 13. Generation Z Make up 60% of TikTok’s User Base
- 2.14 14. 20.2% of Generation Z Prefer to Engage with A Brand on Social Media
- 2.15 15. 41% of Generation Z Say that They Prefer Instagram for Following Brands
- 2.16 16. 85% of Generation Z Use Social Media to Find out About New Products
- 2.17 17. 42% of This Age Group Say that Social Media Has a Direct Influence on How They See Themselves
- 2.18 18. 71% of Generation Z Watch Over Three Hours of Online Videos Each Day
- 2.19 19. 45% of Generation Z Follow Over 10 Influencers on Social Media
- 2.20 20. Social Media Influences 54% of Generation Z
- 2.21 21. 73% of Generation Z Follower More than One Brand on Social Media
- 2.22 22. 75% of Generation Z Don’t Think that College Is the Only Path to A Good Education
- 2.23 23. More than Half of Generation Z Say that They Want to Start Their Own Business
- 2.24 24. 76% of Generation Z Members Say that They Are Capable of Driving Their Own Careers
- 2.25 25. 81% of Generation Z in America Say that Money Is Their Biggest Stress
- 2.26 26. 80% of Generation Z Want to Work with Cutting-Edge Technology
- 2.27 27. 52% of Generation Z Are Confident in Their Technology Skills Required for Employment
- 2.28 28. 70% of Generation Z Say that Salary Is the Biggest Motivator
- 2.29 29. 36.4% of Generation Z Have Never Purchased Something Because of An Email Marketing Campaign
- 2.30 30. By 2026, Generation Z Will Account for 82 Million of All American Consumers
- 3 FAQs
- 4 Final Thoughts
- 5 Sources
Key Gen Z Statistics
- Generation Z spends more than 8 hours a day online
- 95% of teens say that they have a smartphone or access to one
- 32% of Generation Z transactions occur on a mobile
- 31.8% of Generation Z like the idea of getting an email from a brand
- 55% of Generation Z user their phones for five hours a day
- 33% of Generation Z is tempted to buy something once they have seen it on social media
- 43% of Generation Z would fill out a product review
Top Generation Z Statistics in 2024
1. 74% of Generation Z Spend Their Free Time Online
As you can see from Gen Z facts like this, this population is highly connected.
Most of them are spending their free time online, and 66% say that they are using more than one device that is connected to the Internet at the same time.
The majority of this age group use their devices to communicate with family and friends, and for entertainment purposes.
2. Generation Z Spend More than 8 Hours a Day Online
Statistics like this one show just how acclimated this generation is to the Internet, because the majority of the population of Generation Z spends at least one hour online every day.
Screen time across multiple screens, which includes laptops, tablets, desktops, smartphones, and TV’s, sits at 8 hours.
This influences how they form opinions and obtain information, but it also influences things like the ability to stay disconnected, and their emotional well-being.
3. 73% of Generation Z User Devices for Chatting and Texting
You might think from these statistics, Generation Z is actually a really social bunch, because they spend the majority of their time online on social media chatting and texting with their friends and family.
59% use their devices to access entertainment, while 58% use them to play games, 36% to complete schoolwork, 28% to learn something new, and 17% for browsing and shopping.
These numbers vary greatly between women and men, however, more males indulge in gaming, and more females spend time texting and chatting.
4. 95% of Teens Say that They Have a Smartphone – or Access to One
The youngest Generation Z members might not be able to use a smartphone by themselves, but the majority of Generation Z teens have access to a smart phone or own their own.
This is a 22% increase of teens who said that they had access to a smartphone back in 2014 and 2015.
5. Generation Z Consumers Are Twice as Likely to Shop on A Mobile Device than A Millennial
Statistics like this again indicate that this generation is a lot more connected to the Internet than millennials, even though millennials basically pioneered Internet usage.
Traditional concerns like the size of a screen, or the safety of online transactions don’t seem to bother this generation.
This is why it is important that if you are a brand or business, you get your mobile game right, and make sure that you provide a unique and satisfying shopping experience for this mobile-friendly audience.
6. 32% of Generation Z‘s Transactions Happen on A Mobile
As generation Z spends more time on their mobile devices than any other generation out there, it comes as no surprise that more than 1/3 of transactions occur on a smartphone.
7. 58% of Generation Z Check Their Email More than Once a Day
There are a number of gen Z statistics here that might come as no surprise to you, and this could be one of them.
Or perhaps, it is surprising to learn that generation Z still loves email just as much as the older generation. In fact, less than 1% of generation Z don’t ever check their email.
Almost 67% of generation Z receive 20 or fewer emails a day, which means that marketers experience less competition if they try to communicate with generation Z through email, as opposed to other channels.
64.9% of generation Z use email for personal communication, which tells us that a majority prefer to make the most of email, even when they’ve got other ways of communicating online at their disposal.
8. 31.8% of Generation Z Would Like to Get Emails from Brands
Carrying on with the surprising email statistics around generation Z, data shows that this age group loves the idea of receiving brand communication through email, as long as the brand keeps its cool, and doesn’t bombard them too often.
27.55% said that they would be OK with hearing from brands once a day, and 19% said that they would prefer emails once a week.
9. 62% of Generation Z Won’t Use a Website or An App that Is Too Slow
Statistics like this again indicate to us that this generation doesn’t have the longest attention span, and it’s quickly going to give up on something if it has taken too much of their time.
The reality is that the majority of generation Z have never experienced the woes of dial-up like millennials and even older generations have, which means that they are used to easy, quick moments between the physical and online world.
As a result, they are a lot less forgiving when it comes to glitches and technical issues.
60% say that they won’t use a website or an app that is difficult to navigate.
10. 55% of Generation Z User Their Phones for More than 5 Hours a Day
What’s really interesting and concerning about this statistic is that 26% of generation Zs use their phones for 10 or more hours a day.
It isn’t just that generation Z enjoyed early access to smartphones, they have also developed a pretty heavy dependence on smartphones.
29% of generation Zs are on their phones after midnight every day, and 31% say that they don’t feel comfortable if they go without their phone for half an hour.
These statistics show that there is a serious reliance on phones, that can be seen as unhealthy.
11. 1/3 of Generation Z Bought Something After Seeing It on Social Media
Gen Z statistics show us that 33% of Generation Z members decided to buy something after they saw in a social media post.
29.8% of generation Z said that they had never been persuaded to buy something through social media, while 29.5% say that they had bought something on social media two to five times in a month, and 1.6% said that they made over 11 purchases.
12. Facebook Usage in The US Among 12 to 34 Year Olds Feel from 48% in 2017 to 29% in 2019
With all of its controversy, stats like this come as no surprise considering where Facebook stands now.
Back in the day, almost 70% of generation Z were using Facebook to learn about live events, but more recent statistics indicate that 30% of this generation have stopped using the social media platform.
Facebook has lost relevance, but there are newer social media sharing apps like Instagram and TikTok that have taken its place.
13. Generation Z Make up 60% of TikTok’s User Base
It would appear based on this statistic that the majority of TikTok users fall into this generation.
The short video-sharing platform is attractive to the younger audience, because it offers a whole new level of authenticity that they haven’t seen before.
The majority of people use TikTok in order to express themselves or discover new music.
14. 20.2% of Generation Z Prefer to Engage with A Brand on Social Media
Statistics like this are definitely going to get your attention if you are a brand, and you are trying to connect more with the younger generation.
Of course, it is expected that social media is going to be the channel of choice when it comes to generation Z engaging with brands, but what’s even more surprising is that the next most preferred channel is email, and then in person.
Believe it or not, generation Z still prefers in-person interactions, as well as email communication with brands.
15. 41% of Generation Z Say that They Prefer Instagram for Following Brands
Instagram has a lot of advantages when it comes to the younger generation, including its easy scrolling, as well as visual format, making it a versatile platform for generation Z.
Instagram is also well known for keeping up with influencers, and getting ideas for things like travel, food, fashion, and curating an image to share with the world.
To communicate best with generation Z through Instagram, brands need to be able to understand how they use the platform.
Obviously, generation Z is on the lookout for brands all the time when they are on Instagram, so based on statistics like this, it is probably a good move to invest a little bit of your social media marketing money into Instagram this year.
16. 85% of Generation Z Use Social Media to Find out About New Products
You probably know this statistic already, but having a strong social media presence is really important for brands who are trying to target generation Z.
Social media marketing agencies need to be aware that 69% of generation Z are going to visit a store, based on the social media posts of that brand.
Almost 80% of generation Z are influenced to shop at a retailer that they have never been to before as a result of seeing them on social media.
83% of generation Z trust product information that has been shared by other shoppers on social media, more than they trust traditional marketing.
17. 42% of This Age Group Say that Social Media Has a Direct Influence on How They See Themselves
For a lot of generation Z, the Internet has become a huge part of their lives.
This statistic, coupled with their relative inexperience when it comes to life in general, shows how much importance they place on social media.
42% say that they feel like social media really affects how other people see them, which is pretty high when you compare it to 28% for other generations.
18. 71% of Generation Z Watch Over Three Hours of Online Videos Each Day
With there being such a wide range of content on the Internet, as well as decreasing data costs, it has never been easier for generation Z to sit down and watch hours of online videos every day.
Back in 2016, 32% of generation Z were consuming a single hour of video every day.
These days, it is a lot more than this, and if you want to get really specific when it comes to video marketing, YouTube is the go-to source.
However, Facebook isn’t far behind, and generation Z also love Netflix as well.
19. 45% of Generation Z Follow Over 10 Influencers on Social Media
According to recent statistics, 76% of generation Z follow at least one influencer on social media, and 45% of them follow more than ten.
52% of generation Z trust social media influencers when it comes to brand or product advice, and one in four generation Z woman learn about new services or products through social media influencers.
Other statistics indicate that members of this generation are 56% more likely to try out a product that a favorite influencer of theirs has recommended.
20. Social Media Influences 54% of Generation Z
As we have mentioned a little bit already, social media is pretty influential when it comes to generation Z, more so than any other marketing channel, with 84% of this generation learning about new products or services throughout.
Also, one in three generation Z members follow brands that they are considering making a purchase from.
21. 73% of Generation Z Follower More than One Brand on Social Media
Generation Z are 73% more likely to follow a brand account on social media, compared to any other generation.
Statistics also indicate that the majority of generation Z follow one or more brands, and more than 52% follow at least three brand profiles.
22. 75% of Generation Z Don’t Think that College Is the Only Path to A Good Education
A lot of generation Z have been affected by the Great Recession in 2008, as well as a lot of consequences of the college loan crisis, which means that a high number of generation Z members don’t consider college as a prerequisite to being successful in life.
A lot are choosing to go right into the workforce after school, and 89% of them say that they don’t plan on taking on debt to obtain a college degree.
23. More than Half of Generation Z Say that They Want to Start Their Own Business
Another really interesting statistic is that 54% of Generation Z say that they aspire to become entrepreneurs.
More than 30% of generation Z say that they have thought about taking a gap year right after high school.
89% say that they have thought about going down a different path than a traditional degree.
24. 76% of Generation Z Members Say that They Are Capable of Driving Their Own Careers
Another really interesting statistic is that the majority of generation Z believe that they are capable of driving their own career.
38% think that having a work-life balance is really important, and 58% say that they would be prepared to work nights and weekends if this resulted in more pay.
25. 81% of Generation Z in America Say that Money Is Their Biggest Stress
Just 64% of older Americans consider money their main stress. 77% of generation Z are stressed out about work.
26. 80% of Generation Z Want to Work with Cutting-Edge Technology
Generation Z have a really deep understanding of technology, which drives their desire to work with it.
44% of generation Z are comfortable using the latest technology, and 91% say that technology is going to greatly impact their job choices, while others say that automation and technology are going to account for a more reasonable work environment.
27. 52% of Generation Z Are Confident in Their Technology Skills Required for Employment
More than half of generation Z believe that they have the technology skills necessary that employers are looking for out there.
57% say that education has prepared them successfully for future careers, and 75% say that they learn from peers, as opposed to online programs.
28. 70% of Generation Z Say that Salary Is the Biggest Motivator
Generation Z is a much more practical generation compared to other generations like millennials.
65% believe that salary is incredibly important, and 70% say that salary is their top motivator.
On top of this, they are concerned about benefits as well.
70% say their health insurance is at the top of their concerns when they are considering a job choice.
29. 36.4% of Generation Z Have Never Purchased Something Because of An Email Marketing Campaign
If you are an email marketing expert, here is where you need to take notes.
According to this statistic, more than a third of generation Z haven’t ever made a purchase because of an email marketing campaign.
28.5% of generation Z members say that email has persuaded them to buy something two to five times a month.
30. By 2026, Generation Z Will Account for 82 Million of All American Consumers
Statistics like this obviously indicate that this generation is really important when it comes to businesses succeeding in the next decade, and even beyond this.
However, this understanding needs to go beyond easy stereotypes like low attention span, as well as Internet addiction.
FAQs
Who Is Generation Z?
Generation Z is the generation below millennials, and it is the generation above generation Alpha.
It is anybody that was born between 1997, and 2012.
The generation Z age range is between 6 and 24 years old.
How Many Generation Z Are in America?
According to the latest gen z demographics data, there are 67.17 million of them in America.
However, this isn’t the largest age group in America, because millennials take out the number one spot when it comes to this.
As far as baby boomers go, they account for 69.56 million, and looking at generation X, they account for 65.17 million.
How Many of Generation Z Use Social Media?
Social media is where generation Z spends an average of three hours per day.
33% say that they use social media to share updates and pictures, while 30% say that they use social media to hang out and chat with their friends, 26% say that they use it to get inspired, 24% say that they use it to get news, and 23% say that they use it to follow celebrities.
Final Thoughts
As you can see from these statistics, there is a lot that we can learn from the younger generation especially when it comes to online marketing.
As you can see, generation Z prefers to use the Internet to not only chat with family and friends, but to make important purchases, so if you are a brand, and your target demographic is the younger generations, you will definitely want to start taking notes.
Some of these gen Z statistics for 2024 would have been surprising, and others would have been expected, but at the end of the day, a lot remains to be seen about the second youngest generation in the world currently.
