Like a school of fish, consumers move fast, shift directions quickly, and follow the currents of trends in the digital sea of the internet. Our technological world is rapidly evolving, and it’s imperative to know who your people are, where to find them, and how to reel them in.
One of the simplest ways to better understand your target audience is by using age demographics as a guide.
Age doesn’t depict the whole story, but it’s a powerful and necessary starting point to help you shape your messaging, choose the right platforms, and engage your audience where they spend most of their time.
Let’s break down which age groups use top social media platforms and how this can better inform your marketing.
Facebook: Home Base for Older Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers
Primary Users: Ages 35–65+
Facebook continues to be a stomping ground for Gen X and Baby Boomers, who use the platform to follow groups, connect with family and friends, and engage with long-form content. Millennials enjoy interacting with informative content, researching products, and browsing reviews.
Marketing Tip: Facebook is a great platform for storytelling, testimonials, and community building. Avoid oversaturating your followers’ timelines with ads and promotional content. Instead, push content with a personal touch, which yields lasting and valuable results.
Instagram: Creative Corner for Millennials and Gen Z
Primary Users: Ages 18-45
Instagram is the go-to for Millennials who have a keen eye for visual aesthetics, clear and clean advertising, and behind-the-scenes looks at brands. Gen Z is also active here, but they consume more short-form content like Reels. Instagram is the best of both worlds for these age groups: polished visuals for Millennials and raw, entertaining moments for Gen Z.
Marketing Tip: Make sure to produce top-tier, high-quality visuals to appeal to your Millennial audience. Gen Z will appreciate relatable and funny short-form videos. Invest in PR tools and platforms to create media lists of contacts to collaborate with; Instagram is where influencer partnerships thrive.
YouTube: A Fan Favorite Across All Age Groups
Primary Users: 18–55+, evenly spread
YouTube garners attention and steady engagement across nearly every generation, a rare phenomenon in the digital space. It’s the second most visited website in the world, with over 50 billion users each month. Gen Z and Millennials use YouTube for entertainment (blogs, ASMR videos, DIY projects, etc.) and educational purposes (video essays, how-to videos, etc.). Gen X and Boomers tune in for videos such as tutorials and news recaps. Interestingly, all generations experience comfort and nostalgia through YouTube’s vast array of content, with Gen Z and Millennials rewatching their favorite videos and Boomers viewing vintage clips and music.
Marketing Tip: Use YouTube for both educational content and storytelling. Long video length doesn’t scare the average YouTube viewer, as long as the content is informative and engaging. However, make sure to edit your videos with precision and tailor the tone of your content to resonate with your target demographic.
TikTok: Gen Z Territory
Primary Users: Ages 13–30 (Gen Z and young Millennials)
TikTok is the birthplace of trends nowadays. This is where most younger demographics go to scroll through memes, view live content to interact with friends and influencers in real time, and keep up with all the trends. But don’t be mistaken, not all of Gen Z is enthralled with TikTok (or social media in general). To see how Gen Z’s relationship with social media is changing, read “Unplugged on Purpose: Why Gen Z is Saying “Bye Social Media!.”
Marketing Tip: Create original ideas for your content, but also keep up with the trends and incorporate them into your content. Most users come to the app to laugh, so ensure that your content is light-hearted and entertaining. But there’s hope if you’re not the best comedian; you can opt for producing more mentally stimulating content that makes your viewers think critically.
Age Is A Smart Starting Point, Not the End-All Be-All
Age demographics are a valuable place to start when understanding your audience. But, it isn’t the only place to start, and your demographic research certainly shouldn’t end here. Two 30-year-olds can use the same social media platform for different reasons and in different ways based on lifestyle, values, or personality. This is where psychographics come into play. To learn more about how your audiences’ attitudes, behaviors, and lifestyle habits can inform more effective marketing strategies, read “How to Identify Your Target Audience & Tailor Content That Actually Connects.”
Demographic data simply opens the door to knowing your audience, but to understand your people, digging deeper is the way to go. Combine age-based factors and insights with rich behavioral data to develop a well-rounded marketing strategy. Need help getting started? Get in touch with us for a consultation.
