The media world is changing at a speed that traditional marketing struggles to keep up with: Gen Z is leading the change in the media diet that is contagious and also reflected in the behavior of millennials and GenX. We have seen it nonchalantly move from the use of video content through social media – to Podcast and vice versa towards VodCast, in just five years.
Audio enters the most common communication strategies among young people[1]
In the ranking of the most used social media by the various generations, Discord appears in GenZ – the first audio social media strictly linked to gaming – which clearly highlights the tendency to exchange information and interactions via voice and audio, synchronous and asynchronous.
And Discord is indicated as the preferred news access channel for esports
Esports is generally popular with younger audiences, with nearly half of Gen Z and Millennial gamers reporting they are very or extremely interested. For brands, understanding the behaviors of esports fans will likely provide a better understanding of how they consume other media. Gen Z is more likely to engage with esports on social media, while Millennials are more likely to purchase content. For brands, this means approaching both groups differently, but always keeping digital content top of mind. Social media has a growing influence on both generations, especially community-focused video platforms and messaging services
From Video to Podcast and Back.
Podcast listeners are an emerging group of Gen Z that will help companies future-proof their brand. Podcasts offer a personal and relaxed atmosphere that hits the mark for Gen Z, often leaving room for audience engagement as well.
And with video podcasts combining the best of visual content and spontaneous conversation, the format is set to occupy even more of young people’s time.
Podcast enthusiasts aren’t passive listeners; they’re active, motivated, and engaged. To connect with this group, brands need to prioritize community building, embrace feedback, and offer exclusive content that engages them.
The trend is also spreading among Gen Alpha, the segment where podcast listening has grown the fastest in the past year. Since 2021 there’s been a
29% up rise in the number of 12-15 year olds saying they listen to Podcast
When it comes to spoken content, podcasts have dethroned radio shows in just a few years. It was incredible just past five years but it happened and media are not ready and aware about this.
Podcast listeners are also much more active in consuming digital news: 88% read online magazines, 91% watch digital TV. The emerging trend in recent months is disruptive: the new generations are adopting AI-based search strategies where the conversational and therefore more emotionally engaging approach is greater. These are sudden changes that are consolidating with a speed never seen with previous media channels that took years to establish themselves.
Your customers might be searching for you on AI chatbots
AI-Chatbot search it’s now one of the top three ways Gen Z search for information.
As the only generation to pick social platforms over search engines for shopping-related research, Gen Z clearly like customized results, which explains their enthusiasm for AI. Plus, with over a fifth of 12-15 year-olds saying they mainly use social media to find things to buy, it’s likely Gen Alpha will have similar search preferences as they age. Brands should future-proof their strategies to include AI, as even if people don’t trust everything they see on chatbots, they’re finding more reasons to spend time on them.
Which media channel most favors purchases?
The product or brand is not only seen or heard, to be effective a message must remain engraved in the consumer’s mind and resurface when they really need it. To this end, research tells us which media work best, in terms of trust or impact, at the exact moment when the desire to buy something arises, whether on impulse or not. In this dynamic, all digital channels undisputedly predominate among the younger generations, including music and spoken content streaming, while offline media inexorably slide into the last positions.
Since attention is a rare and rationed commodity, Brands should always take into account the degree of engagement that each of these channels guarantees and monitor them in the most appropriate way. Audio is leading the way new generation are engaging themself with media and how they want to be reached. They are the future but also the present.
Be ready!