If you’ve been keeping up with our Art of Sway + ICYMI podcast you might have noticed a trend over the last few weeks with Meta. Meta’s social platforms are making major moves to attract Gen Z. Here’s a quick rundown of what we’re noticing:
Meta Instagram Updates
- Instagram Live Broadcasts for Close Friends: Now you can stream live to just your close friends instead of your entire follower list. This feature is part of Instagram’s effort to cater to Gen Z’s preference for more intimate and personal sharing.
- Multiple Close-Friend Groups: Instagram is testing a way for users to share stories with different groups of close friends. As Instagram’s VP Ashley Yuki said, people “don’t want to share everything with everyone,” especially Gen Z, who values segmented sharing.
- Birthday Shout-Outs: Gen Z loves hyping each other up, and Instagram is making it easier to share birthday content and reminders, tapping into the celebratory culture of this generation.
- Notes Updates: Instagram is testing new features for the Notes feature, which is very popular with Gen Z for its quick, authentic updates. Users will soon be able to leave voice recordings as their status and share short 15-second voice memos accompanied by a selfie video. These additions are designed to appeal to Gen Z’s preference for short, personal content over traditional posts.
Meta Facebook Changes
- Facebook Feed: Facebook has refocused its core products to highlight content discovery, including shoppable goods in Marketplace, dating, groups, and events. This shift aims to keep Gen Z engaged with dynamic and relevant-to-their-interests content.
- Facebook Reels: Short-form video is getting a bigger push on Facebook with Reels, and it’s now easier to share these videos privately via messaging. This change is clearly aimed at appealing to Gen Z’s love for bite-sized, shareable content.
- Creators: Facebook’s professional mode simplifies the process of becoming a creator. They’ve moved to a performance-based payout model and expanded monetization to all formats – photos, videos, and text, making it more attractive for Gen Z creators looking to monetize their content.
We’re keeping a close eye on these Meta shifts at Sway Group, and we’re here to help you create campaigns that truly resonate with Gen Z. From leveraging new platform features to optimizing your presence in the spaces that matter, we’ve got you covered.
(By the way, while Gen Z tends to be the golden ring every marketer is reaching for, let’s not forget about the older generations! After all, many of us are 1) still somehow capable of using social media by blindly pushing buttons with our canes, and 2) the ones footing the bill for those oh-so-trendy Gen Z purchases.)
Reach out any time with questions, or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Danielle
