A new study from Pew Research Center highlights the popularity of TikTok among teens—and the sharp fall in interest as it pertains to Facebook.
The survey, which looked at the social media use of American teenagers ages 13 to 17, found that 67% of participants use TikTok while Facebook, which was a dominant social media platform among teens in Pew’s 2014–2015 survey, plummeted to 32% from 71%.
Instagram—which is owned by Meta, the same company that owns Facebook—still has teens’ interest. According to the study 62% of teens are using it, up from 52% in Pew’s 2014–15 survey.
And while YouTube was the top online source for teens—a whopping 95% of teen participants said they use it—Pew cautioned that acknowledging use of the platform was not the same as being social on it, as many users simply visited to watch videos rather than engage with other users.
“There are now well over five strongly positioned social media platforms to endlessly scroll through, and it isn’t sustainable for our minds to compartmentalize nor prioritize our relationship with all of them,” Jules Terpak, a Gen Z content creator covering digital culture, told TechCrunch. “For the sake of time and sanity, people have to eliminate platforms that begin to lack a value-add incentive.”
Because Gen Z associates Facebook with their parents, there’s not much the platform can offer to warrant their time—especially when other, more intriguing options exist.
For jewelers, however, this sentiment might offer the precise reason to remain on Facebook. While apps such as Instagram and TikTok offer shinier, more exciting content creation opportunities, Facebook might be the place some of a retailer’s most frequent customers spend their digital downtime.
This doesn’t necessarily mean spending an abundance of time on Facebook as a priority over other platforms. When it comes to reaching audiences digitally, it’s still a good bet that you’ll appeal to the millennial and Gen Z crowds (both segments comprise valuable customers) on Instagram and TikTok. But there’s value in spending some ad dollars on Facebook, as a way to reach current and potential shoppers on the site with targeted ads concerning new collections, sales, and the like.
When it comes to teens, however—Gen Z and Generation Alpha to follow—they might not be your best customers yet, but building relationships early is wise so they’ll think of you for future purchase opportunities (not to mention, they might request their parents purchase a gift from their local jeweler or favorite jewelry brand that they saw on, say, Instagram or TikTok).
While the news about Facebook is a headliner from the recent Pew study, you’ll find that it’s rather extensive and offers what could be valuable information to your business.
Top: Since 2014–2015, use of TikTok and Instagram among U.S. teens has grown, while Facebook usage has dropped significantly (photo via Facebook)
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