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Relating to millennials vs. Gen Z, the 2 generations have rather a lot in frequent to the purpose many manufacturers will lump them collectively into the identical viewers, pondering they’ll attraction to each.
Do not make this error. Gen Z and Millennials share some issues however are nonetheless two fully totally different demographics. Do not consider me? Properly, this is some information from 700+ customers to show my case.
Here is every thing that you must find out about Millennials vs Gen Z, and why entrepreneurs must know the distinction.
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What’s a millennial?
A millennial is somebody born between 1981 and 1996, putting them between the ages of 28 and 43 in 2024. Millennials are additionally typically known as Era Y and are the primary technology to develop up within the Web Age.
They’re additionally the one technology to recollect a time earlier than social media.
What’s Gen Z?
Gen Z, or “zoomers,” consists of people born between 1997 and 2012, placing them between the ages of 12 and 27. Just like millennials, Gen Zers grew up within the web age.
Nevertheless, in contrast to millennials, zoomers grew up with social media and smartphones —making them the primary totally digitally native technology to develop up in a digital-first world.
When you consider the generational variations on the most important attainable scale, the oldest millennials are of their early 40s, is likely to be settled down, and might be making bigger purchases like vehicles or houses.
The youngest members of Gen Z are 12 years previous, would possibly love youngsters’s exhibits, and will not be straight making buying choices any time quickly.
Other than the apparent age variations above, six extra components make these two generations basically totally different.
Components That Differentiate Millennials and Gen Z
1. They’ve totally different attitudes about expertise and cash.
Understanding the period an age group grows up in may help you determine generational commonalities like motivations, spending or saving habits, or ache factors that all of them share.
Two issues that differentiated every technology’s childhood period included expertise and the financial system:
Know-how
The obvious distinction between the eras through which every technology was raised is the presence of expertise. Millennials grew up utilizing DVD gamers, big private computer systems, cell telephones with tiny screens, and dial-up web.
At the moment, we thought these applied sciences have been groundbreaking.
“I am thought of a younger millennial, virtually Gen Z,” says HubSpot Advertising Supervisor Erica Santiago, “however I nonetheless keep in mind the handfuls of VHS tapes and DVDs I had on rotation as a child. I keep in mind my first telephone being a tiny pink flip telephone with the world’s smallest display.”
Now, most kids and teenagers inside Gen Z have entry to iPads, smartphones, limitless Wi-Fi, or streaming companies that put our prized DVD gamers to disgrace.
Many members of this technology may need additionally grown up in households with early sensible house expertise.
Whereas millennials watched innovation start, Gen Z was immersed in it from day one.
However though Gen Z by no means needed to know a time once they did not have a cool gadget to unravel fundamental issues, the influence of expertise, the web, and social media has nonetheless taken a toll on the group.
Analysis exhibits that Gen Z — which has been known as the “socially-conscious technology” — offers with way more physique picture, psychological well being, and cyberbullying points than some other age group has prior to now.
Consultants have additionally known as Gen Z the loneliest technology regardless of all of their digital connectivity choices.
Financial system
Millennials and Gen Z even have totally different attitudes towards cash. Whereas they each care about their funds and put money into issues that may enhance their careers — like larger schooling.
And, as of 2024, our survey exhibits each generations are curious about higher offers and cheaper alternate options to their traditional purchases.
Nevertheless, millennials put their cash into shopping for extra services or products that can give them a constructive expertise, whereas Gen Z is extra targeted on financial savings and sensible merchandise.
Millennials within the U.S. constructed up their very own funds shortly after the Recession, which resulted in 2009.
For a few years up till 2019, regardless of monetary woes brought on by the poor financial system, rising house prices, and excessive unemployment ranges, millennials remained optimistic about their future and funds.
Nevertheless, some research state that millennials’ monetary optimism is dwindling resulting from post-pandemic inflation, recession, and market droop prevalent in 2023.
This alteration is mirrored in our survey, which discovered that 47% of millennials are spending much less cash on non-essential objects — greater than Gen Z (34%).
“Recently, I have been doing my finest to keep away from spending on issues I do not want,” Santiago says. “Much less ordering off of DoorDash, and extra cooking at house. I’ve began altering previous garments and repurposing them, so I haven’t got to purchase extra.”
Gen Z was born firstly of the financial downturn. Because the oldest members of Gen Z have entered maturity, analysis exhibits that their previous expertise of dwelling within the Recession are main them to make extra sensible spending choices.
Our survey exhibits 41% of Gen Zers are being extra cautious about how they spend their cash, greater than millennials (37%).
If you happen to’re advertising to those generations, you may need to keep in mind these attitudes about cash.
For instance, if you would like millennials to purchase your product, you may need to concentrate on constructing a model that provides a nice or entertaining buyer expertise, in addition to advertising services or products that give immediate gratification.
If you happen to’re advertising to Gen Z, you may need your campaigns to obviously display how or why your product can be priceless or sensible to them of their every day lives.
2. Gen Z is extra prone to make cell purchases.
By now, you would possibly know that each of those generations are closely linked to the web and social media, Whereas millennials watched the web develop, Gen Z has used it since a really younger age.
Every day, millennials spend round 6 hours and 48 minutes on-line whereas Gen Z surfs for about 10.6 hours.
Each millennials and Gen Z additionally go browsing primarily with cell gadgets, however a giant distinction between these generations is that Gen Z was virtually raised with smartphones.
In line with YPULSE, 12 is the common age Gen-Z acquired their first smartphone, 5 years youthful (on common) than millennials.
Supply: YPULSE
Gen Z’s mobile-first mindset additionally impacts how they store. Members of the technology are twice as prone to make a cell on-line buy than millennials.
Nevertheless, millennials nonetheless store rather a lot on cell gadgets. In truth, our survey discovered that 22% of the millennials questioned want to order issues through cell, barely lower than the 28% of Gen Z respondents.
Relating to on-line content material consumption, millennials and Gen Z spend most of their time watching movies and visiting social media websites.
In line with a latest examine, millennials watch on-line movies for 1.5 hours per day, whereas Gen Z averages over three hours. In the meantime, each generations are thought to spend hours every day on social media.
When you may need already recognized that cell optimization and video advertising are a key digital methods, these stats show that it may make it easier to zone in on younger grownup generations.
If you happen to actually need to appeal to consideration from each Gen Z or millennials, you may need to create cell movies, cell e-commerce websites, or different phone-based experiences that cater to them.
You also needs to make sure you market your self on platforms which can be already cell, akin to main social media apps.
3. Each spend a variety of time on social media, however the platforms they use are fairly totally different.
The World Financial Discussion board studies that millennials are logged on to social media for a mean of two hours and 38 minutes every day, whereas Gen Z logs on for greater than 4 hours every day.
Other than the time spent on social media per day, the platforms every technology makes use of are additionally barely totally different.
Whereas my technology thrived on MySpace and Tumblr and now enjoys platforms like Fb, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X, Gen Z has zoned in on video-based platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and — extra not too long ago — TikTok.
In line with our survey, 72% of Gen Z members have used TikTok within the final three months to make a purchase order, whereas solely 51% of millennials have completed the identical.
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The platform is likely one of the fastest-growing social media apps resulting from booming international Gen Z customers.
Gen Z and millennials do have just a few social platform preferences in frequent. One, for instance, is Instagram.
Our survey exhibits that 54% of Gen Zers have used Instagram to make a purchase order within the final three months, solely barely larger than the 53% of millennials who did the identical.
Whereas Instagram is older and extra established than apps like TikTok or Snapchat, it is also pulled in millennials and video-loving Gen Z members.
YouTube can also be a social community that each generations are prominently utilizing. Whereas YouTube was launched when most millennials have been youngsters, 96% of Gen Z customers have accounts on the video-sharing platform.
In line with our survey, Gen Z and millennials frequent YouTube at an analogous charge. 69% of Gen Z respondents mentioned they’ve used the platform within the final three months, whereas 68% of millennials reported the identical.
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The video platform can also be the second-most used search engine and a platform the place many in Gen Z and millennial generations go for product analysis, as 57% of YouTube’s viewers consists solely of the 2 generations.
Professional-Tip: To craft content material that can discover your viewers on varied social media platforms, think about using instruments like HubSpot’s Social Media Administration Software program.
Our software program consists of time-saving instruments that will help you prioritize your social interactions — so you’ll be able to join with the individuals who matter most.
4. Millennials take note of adverts for an extended period of time.
Every technology’s habits align effectively with its common consideration span in relation to content material consumption.
Whereas millennials will take note of content material for 12 seconds, Gen Z will solely concentrate on it for eight seconds.
Moreover, Gen Z enjoys fast or short-form video content material, like that of Snapchat or Instagram Tales, whereas millennials worth long-form content material, akin to detailed movies or podcasts.
Which means that these promoting or advertising to millennials can get away with barely longer or extra in-depth content material, whereas these advertising to Gen Z will need to get their worth proposition out as rapidly and seamlessly as attainable of their campaigns.
As I’ve talked about above, most of right now’s social and on-line platforms have gotten extra video-driven. This mirrors the truth that video utilization is rising rapidly amongst each generations.
The presence of short-form movies can also be repeatedly rising, which can be why our survey suggests millennials are beginning to hop on the short-from video content material prepare, as effectively.
The vast majority of millennials in our survey (47%) say they like to find new merchandise through short-form movies like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. That is virtually on par with the 48% of Gen Zers who share the sentiment.
Both method, in case you’re creating long-form content material for millennials or short-form clips for Gen Z, you may need to embrace mobile-optimized video when selling your model to both viewers.
As a marketer, it’s possible you’ll want totally different instruments that will help you craft the fitting short- or long-form content material for both technology. Fortuitously, HubSpot’s Content material Hub is accessible.
Content material Hub has varied instruments for ideating, creating, and posting participating content material for varied platforms.
To study extra about Content material Hub, click on right here.
Branded Content material
In relation to studying about manufacturers or merchandise on social media, every technology additionally has its personal distinctive preferences.
For instance, Gen Z prefers to study merchandise by means of social media-based movies and influencer advertising, whereas millennials will reply to quite a lot of promotional methods, together with extra conventional on-line adverts, social media advertising, and branded podcasts.
Other than embracing video and cell optimization, in case you’re advertising to Gen Z, you may additionally need to concentrate on content material that feels extra informative and fewer like an advert. This technology has actively rejected conventional promoting techniques.
For instance, in line with Adweek, 99% of Gen Z skip adverts, and 63% use advert blockers to keep away from promoting.
5. Each generations buy lower than previous generations.
A typical delusion about millennials and Gen Z is that each generations are financially illiterate.
As a result of this appears to be a sizzling subject on-line and all through popular culture, I carried out a Cint ballot (previously Lucid), asking the identical group famous above to decide on which technology they thought spent more cash on merchandise.
The Cint ballot beneath demonstrates this delusion and notion as many members mentioned that they believed each technology spend some huge cash:
Information Supply: Cint Software program
Moreover, 36% of survey respondents mentioned millennials spent probably the most on merchandise, whereas the identical proportion mentioned each generations spend some huge cash. Nevertheless, lower than 20% pointed to Gen Z.
In line with varied research, each generations spend lower than previous generations, whereas the oldest Gen Z members focus on accountable spending.
In relation to Gen Z members who’re sufficiently old to make purchases, analysis exhibits that they do much less on-line buying than millennials.
Whereas millennials are barely much less frugal than Gen Z, the concept that the older technology is extra frivolous can also be an enormous false impression.
Whereas many millennials purchase their justifiable share of merchandise, additionally they earn extra yearly than most older generations, are the most educated age group, and are notably optimistic about their futures.
6. They’ve totally different profession motivations.
Each generations have in frequent that they’ve positioned significance on investing at school or abilities coaching.
Whereas older generations may afford each houses and schooling, millennials discover housing out of monetary attain and have primarily targeted on paying the excessive prices of tuition.
Regardless of growing instructional prices, the pattern of investing in schooling is not anticipated to vary for both technology.
Taking a look at every technology’s work habits and early jobs can provide you a sneak peek into what their funds and every day motivations is likely to be sooner or later.
Whereas each millennials and Gen Z are pushed by larger schooling and profession progress, they nonetheless have just a few slight variations that you simply would possibly need to find out about, particularly in case you’re a marketer in tutorial or B2B fields.
Right now, many millennials are working or are enrolled in larger schooling. For the complete decade between 2020 and 2030, millennials will comprise the most important share of the workforce, representing 75% of the workforce by 2030.
However, though most of Gen Z continues to be at school, they’re additionally very career-minded.
In relation to in search of jobs, Gen Z adults are extra financially motivated than the millennial technology.
In truth, 65% of Gen Z workers worth wage over different job perks as 74% 2023 US graduates surveyed mentioned they prioritize stability and wage from employers, outweighing components together with a recognized employer model, a fast-growing discipline, or general advantages.
These within the age group additionally say they will put money into ability coaching if it means they make more cash.
Gen Z additionally applies for jobs extra aggressively than previous generations. Solely 10% of the technology begins their job search after faculty whereas most Gen Z college students start scouting out job choices between freshman and sophomore 12 months.
So, what does this imply on your advertising technique? Each of those generations are exhausting employees, extremely educated, and would possibly earn greater than previous generations.
Nevertheless, Gen Z is extra pushed to make and lower your expenses. Which means that to steer Gen Z, you would possibly must take further time to brainstorm campaigns that present how your product will assist them and why it’s price their cash.
Odds are, they are going to be extra persuaded by the practicality of a product than the “trendiness” of it.
Easy methods to Market to Every Era
Sure, each generations have a variety of issues in frequent.
And whereas there are alternatives to market to each generations directly, it is likely to be extra useful to brainstorm inventive campaigns that zone in on one technology or the opposite.
That can assist you develop a method that beneficial properties consideration from the suitable viewers, listed here are just a few takeaways associated to every technology:
Advertising Marketing campaign for Millennials
By now, you is likely to be most accustomed to advertising to millennials. Fortunately, they’re additionally an ideal technology to market to.
They’re on probably the most distinguished social media networks right now and like to eat a number of totally different kinds of multimedia content material, from movies to podcasts.
They’re additionally sufficiently old to make buying choices, are extra educated than earlier generations, and spend appreciable time within the analysis stage earlier than shopping for a product.
Basically, many various codecs of promoting content material will interact millennials as a result of they’re frequently trying to be enticed by a brand new product that can assist them of their every day lives.
As a result of millennials have a barely longer consideration span than Gen Z, it’s also possible to get a bit extra inventive by testing out longer-form content material like longer advertising movies or branded podcasts.
One of the best forms of advertising campaigns will inform millennials about how your product could make their lives simpler or the way it can remedy their day-to-day issues.
Focusing your technique on social media or on-line platforms like Fb, YouTube or Instagram, the place many adults go to analysis merchandise, will also be useful to your technique,
Advertising Marketing campaign for Gen Z
To efficiently persuade Gen Z to purchase your product, you may need to make content material that rapidly cuts to the chase and explains why your product will present worth to them.
As talked about above, Gen Z loves to make use of video to study merchandise and spends most of their on-line time on cell phones. So make sure you leverage short-form video formatting and mobile-optimized content material in your campaigns.
You may additionally need to zone in on the area of interest social media platforms that they generally use, akin to Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Snapchat.
If you happen to’re not on one among these platforms however nonetheless need to achieve model consciousness there, contemplate sponsoring an influencerluencer who is aware of the viewers and create content material that discusses your product.
Advertising Marketing campaign for Gen Z and Millennials
If you happen to completely cannot price range pinpointed campaigns for millennials and Gen Z, however know you need to market to younger adults, concentrate on the cusp of each generations by making a marketing campaign for 18 to 34-year-olds.
It will help you zone in on younger and barely older adults who can truly make buying choices.
Whereas a marketing campaign with this age goal is likely to be barely extra favorable to millennials between 27 and 42, there’s nonetheless an opportunity you can seize consideration from older youngsters who will quickly be capable of make extra purchases if they cannot already.
Regardless of the variations between these two generations, there are additionally two huge similarities: each love social media and immediate gratification.
Ensure that your marketing campaign clearly explains why your product can be priceless to the age group you are pitching it to, and leverage the social media networks that the age group you are focusing on has in frequent.
For instance, in case you’re targeted on selling your product to folks within the 18 to 34 vary, you may need to be on Instagram, YouTube, and Fb, as a result of most members of this age group are utilizing all three of them frequently.
If you happen to can create a marketing campaign that leverages key social networks accordingly whereas highlighting why your product is so immediately gratifying and helpful, you would possibly appeal to curiosity from each teams pretty rapidly.
Suggestions for Figuring out Your Viewers
As you create campaigns round a selected viewers or age group, it is essential to do digging to study what motivates this group of individuals, what their buying habits are, the place they spend probably the most time, and what they’re in search of in a product.
Listed here are just a few suggestions that may make it easier to on this analysis:
- Determine particular demographics: Strive to not be too particular or too broad. Choose an viewers you’ll be able to study rather a lot about rapidly that effectively aligns along with your product and begin researching that demographic.
- Study their work and schooling backgrounds: This gives you perception on what motivates them and the way a lot they’re in a position to spend on a product.
- Discover out which social platforms they use: When you do that, you’ll be able to analysis every platform and leverage it appropriately throughout your marketing campaign.
- Take into account writing a purchaser persona: A purchaser persona is a fictional character that has a really related way of life to your excellent purchaser. Having a persona in thoughts may help you rapidly take into consideration campaigns and techniques that they’re going to interact most with. It is also a useful place to arrange your whole detailed analysis findings into one easy place.
Millennials and Gen Z might have extra in frequent than they notice, however they’re nonetheless two totally different generations and ought to be marketed to as such.
Now that you understand the variations between them, you’ll be able to craft separate methods to attraction to the teams. Good luck!
Editor’s be aware: This text was initially revealed in December 2019 and has since been up to date for comprehensiveness.
