In a recent report by The Manifest, a small business how-to website, Social Media 55 is featured as an industry leader. CEO Joseph Rothstein shared his insight on what small businesses should know about people’s social media habits across generations.

Of course, it’s no secret that there are generational differences in how people approach social media and these differences are especially important to businesses as they plan their social media marketing strategies.

Regardless of generation, however, social media has become part of everyone’s daily routine with the majority from every generation using social media at least once a day.

Rothstein, a firm believer in the power of social media, wasn’t surprised by this finding.

“I pursued opening a business and named the business Social Media 55 because I believe so much in the value of those two words together,” Rothstein said. “Whether it was on television or in newspapers, social media was mentioned everywhere – With that type of buzz, I knew that it would end up becoming part of our lives.”

Although social media is part of everyone’s daily routine, it plays a different role in different people’s lives and people’s social media habits tend to be influenced by their age and what they hope to gain from their time online.

Facebook Is Losing Momentum With Younger Generations but It’s Most Likely Here to Stay

Younger generations aren’t using Facebook as much.

According to the report, only 36% of Generation Zers (ages 13-17) use Facebook weekly, compared to 87% of millennials (ages 18-34), 90% of Generation Xers (ages 35-54), and 96% of baby boomers (ages 55 and up).

Despite this gap, Rothstein suggested Facebook will remain relevant even as the social media landscape evolves.

“Through thick and thin, Facebook remains the most complex, intuitive, and industry-leading social platform with a forum of users that exceeds 2 billion,” said Rothstein.

Considered the Masters of Social Media, Even Millennials and Gen Z Use Social Media Differently

It should not come as a surprise that millennials and Generation Z use social media more than Generation X and baby boomers.

However, millennials and Generation Z do not use social media in the same ways – Generation Zers tend to spend more time on fewer platforms while millennials tend to divide their time online across more platforms.

For example, at least 40% of Generation Zers report YouTube (89%), Instagram (74%), and Snapchat (68%) at least once a week.

Conversely, at least 40% of millennials report using Facebook (87%), YouTube (86%), Instagram (71%), Snapchat (52%), Twitter (42%), and Pinterest (42%) at least once a week.

“Gen Zers are more targeted and know exactly what they want out of their social media use,” Rothstein said. “They don’t have the time to diversify the platforms they use because they’re focused on mastering the ones they use.”

YouTube Used the Most Consistently Across Generations

One of the reasons younger generations are moving away from Facebook and to platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube is the popularity of visual content over text-based content.

Video content is especially increasing popularity which is reflected in the platforms people use the most.

More than 80% of Generation Zers (89%) and millennials (86%) use YouTube at least once a week. More than half of Generation Xers (68%) and baby boomers (52%) also use YouTube weekly, signaling an increasing popularity in video content across generations.

“Video content is the richest form of visual content,” Rothstein said. “Video leaves an impression on you. It allows you not only to remember the sounds but also the sights.”

Businesses Can Look at Social Media Trends and Habits to Discern How They Should Adjust Their Future Strategies

Facebook, sometimes hailed as the “king” of social media, is still popular with most generations. Younger generations, however, tend to prefer visually-driven platforms.

Businesses should pay attention to current social media trends to learn which platform(s) their target audience is using and where their target audience might be in the future.

Social media marketing agencies such as Social Media 55 can help businesses determine the direction of their social media marketing strategy and when it’s time to readjust.