Social media is a powerful platform for young Black American consumers to stay connected to media and entertainment, news on current events, and their favourite brands. According to Horowitz’s annual report, FOCUS Generation Next, three in four (75 per cent) Black Gen Z consumers use social media apps every day or almost every day, with YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram being their top-used platforms. Two-thirds (67 per cent) of Black Gen Zers use TikTok regularly, over-indexing compared to total Gen Zers (55 per cent). They also report higher usage of X (formerly Twitter) than overall Gen Zers.

In a fragmented streaming ecosystem, social media plays a key role in content discovery among Black Gen Z viewers. The study finds that a majority (79 per cent) of Black Gen Zers say that they started watching a show because of a clip they saw on social media at least occasionally. This segment also uses social platforms to keep up with shows they watch. For example, when they miss a live episode of a show, more than half (55 per cent) of Black Gen Z viewers report watching episode recaps on social media at least occasionally.

Black Gen Z consumers also rely on social platforms for news on current events. For more than half (54 per cent) of Black Gen Zers, social media is the top source of news information, followed by friends and family (36 per cent). In addition, almost half (47 per cent) of this segment relies on social media more than traditional news outlets to find out what’s going on in the world. Black Gen Zers prioritise news and information relevant to the Black community, as well as social justice issues.

Beyond news and entertainment, Black Gen Zers look to social media to engage with brands. For instance, almost half (46 per cent) of Black Gen Z consumers say that they have clicked on an ad from a brand that shows up on their social media feed at least occasionally. In addition, 1 in 4 (25 per cent) Black Gen Zers say that they use social platforms to stay connected with brands whose products they love.

“There are tremendous opportunities for brands at the intersection of social media and culture—especially when trying to reach Gen Z given their diverse, intersectional identities,” notes Adriana Waterston, Executive Vice President and Insights & Strategy Lead for Horowitz Research, a division of M/A/R/C Research. “Social media strategies that leverage Black influencers who resonate authentically with young Black Gen Zers are really critical in order for brands to reach this demographic.”

The FOCUS Generation Next 2024 study integrates data from Horowitz’s core syndicated studies to highlight similarities and distinctions in Gen Z consumer behaviors and attitudes compared to the general market. This report covers everything from subscriptions to viewing behaviours to opportunities for advertising and takes the pulse of Gen Z on key social and political issues. The sample sizes for each survey range from 512-1,080 Gen Z respondents (aged 13-27) in the US, depending on the study. Data have been weighted to Census.

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Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Research, Social Media

Tags: Black, Gen Z, Horowitz Research’