Born between 1997 and 2012, Generation Z is the first digitally-native demographic. Their digital habits, spending power, and values are setting trends for future generations. Gen Z's spending is projected to grow from $2.7 trillion in 2024 to $12.6 trillion globally by 2030, per Bank of America, making them a critical audience for marketers.

Who is Gen Z and how much time do they spend online?

Gen Z is the first generation with no memory of life before smartphones. Their digital immersion shapes how they learn, shop, and communicate.

Gen Zers spend an average of 6.9 hours daily with media and entertainment content, according to Deloitte's 2025 Digital Media Trends report. Of this time, 1.4 hours go to social media and 1.3 hours to streaming video. 89% are second-screen users, consuming multiple media simultaneously. Unlike previous generations who adapted to technology, Gen Z treats seamless digital integration as the baseline, making no distinction between online and offline experiences.

How does Gen Z consume digital media in 2026?

Gen Z gravitates toward digital video over traditional television. Nearly all Gen Zers (96.3%) are digital video viewers, compared with 80.5% of the general population. They prefer:

• User-generated content over professional productions. Fifty-six percent of Gen Zers say social media content is more relevant to them than traditional media, per Deloitte.
• Creators over celebrities. Fifty-two percent of Gen Zers feel a closer connection to social media creators than TV personalities, compared with 32% of the total population.
• Short-form vertical video. TikTok leads at 64%, followed by Instagram Reels (55%) and YouTube Shorts (54%), per a December 2024 Toluna survey.
• Creator-first longform content. More than half of Gen Z users use YouTube now more than they did in the past year, according to a May YouGov survey.

This generation's attention must be earned quickly. Old models of interruption advertising fall flat when users can scroll past within seconds.

Which social media platforms do Gen Z prefer and why?

Social platforms serve as Gen Z's primary hubs for information, discovery, and commerce. Ninety percent of Gen Zers are social media users, per EMARKETER. Platform preferences reveal distinct patterns:

• Instagram has higher penetration (74.8%) than TikTok (69.8%) among Gen Z, though TikTok users spend more time on the platform.
• YouTube remains dominant for long-form content, with Gen Z breaching 90% penetration.
• Snapchat is heavily concentrated among 12- to 24-year-olds, and 52% of its user base is from Gen Z.
• Reddit leads for candid, community-driven conversation. Nearly 62% of 18-24 year olds in the US are unique Reddit visitors, according to EMARKETER.
• Discord has emerged as a social hub beyond gaming, with Gen Zers ages 18-24 accounting for 31.2% of US site visitors in March 2025, per Comscore.

Time spent on TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook among adults under 25 declined from 2022 to 2025. , while Instagram time has increased by 10 minutes.

How does Gen Z discover and shop for products?

Gen Z approaches shopping cautiously, researching extensively before purchasing. Their path to purchase blends digital and physical touchpoints:

• Social commerce leads. Gen Z's social media buyer rate is 56.0% versus 36.5% for the total population, per EMARKETER. They discover products primarily through TikTok and Instagram.
• In-store still matters. While they embrace digital channels, Gen Z also relies on in-person shopping for certain categories, preferring stores for big-ticket items like appliances, per a PYMNTS report.
• They are price conscious and often opt for “dupes,” or cheaper alternatives to premium products. 82% of Gen Z planned to buy dupes during the 2025 holiday season, according to a PwC report.
• Secondhand is mainstream. Sixty-eight percent of millennials and Gen Zers buy secondhand, up 3 percentage points year-over-year, per ThredUp's 2025 Resale Report.

Gen Z digital buyers are projected to grow from 83.3% in 2025 to 90.3% by 2029, faster than any other generation.

What are Gen Z's financial habits and payment preferences?

Gen Z is the first mobile payments-native generation. Eighty-five percent use their phones for in-store or online purchases, per the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Their payment preferences include:

• Debit over credit. Gen Z prefers debit cards as their primary payment method.
• BNPL dominance. Over the holidays, 54% of Gen Zers used buy now, pay later services, outpacing the 50% who used credit cards, per J.D. Power. Gen Zers will account for 30.2% of US BNPL users, per EMARKETER's 2025 forecast.
• Mobile banking as default. Fifty-seven percent primarily use mobile banking apps.

Financial strain is real: Gen Z is spending nearly twice as much as they have in savings, and the share living paycheck to paycheck rose from 57% in January 2023 to 69% in January 2025, according to a PYMNTS Intelligence report. Gen Z is concerned about their financial futures and will favor brands that recognize that strain.

What values do Gen Z expect brands to demonstrate?

Gen Z demands more from brands than affordability. They expect companies to take genuine positions on social issues. Gen Zers in the US want brands to support mental health more than any other cause, cited by 53%, per ICSC and Big Village. Environmental causes and racial/gender equity tied for second at 47%.

Their expectations come with consequences: Forty percent of Gen Z has stopped purchasing from brands that reversed DEI efforts, per an Ad Age-Harris Poll.

While Gen Z is known for its commitment to social issues, their beliefs are not a monolith. Just as many US teens feel strongly about LGBTQ+ rights as they do men’s rights (16%), according to a July Attest survey.

How is Gen Z using AI and what does it mean for marketers?

Gen Z leads AI adoption. Sixty percent of Gen Zers ages 18-28 have used ChatGPT at least once, compared with 40% of the total population, per Tinuiti. Among teens, 64% use AI chatbots, with 30% using them daily, per Pew Research Center.

For these users, ChatGPT leads at 59%, followed by Google Gemini (23%) and Meta AI (20%). Gen Z is more open to AI than any other generation, but remains wary about its role in the creative process, seeing it as a productivity tool rather than a creative replacement.

Gen Z uses AI more than every other generation, and their top use case is searching for information (74%), according to a July Associated Press survey. For marketers, this shift has implications:

• Optimize for AI extraction. Gen Z leads in AI use while shopping (61%), according to a September PayPal survey. Structured data, conversational content, and detailed FAQ pages help brands appear in chatbot responses.
• Monitor AI mentions. Track how chatbots reference your brand when answering queries.
• Understand where AI is welcome and avoid overuse. Gen Z prefers no AI involvement at all in creative work (54%), but only 13% swear off AI for shopping, according to an August Goldman Sachs survey.
• Expect behavior changes. Gen Z treats AI as a utility, using it for tutoring, shopping advice, and creative tasks. Their comfort with the technology will shape how they expect brands to interact with them.

Here is a breakdown of major generational groups:

• Gen Beta (Born 2025-2039): The newest defined generational group.
• Gen Alpha (Born 2010-2024): Second-generation digital natives who have never known a world without smartphones. YouTube viewership among Gen Alpha surpassed traditional TV viewership in 2025 (62.8% versus 58.9%).
• Gen Z (Born 1997-2012): Socially conscious digital natives prioritizing mental health, sustainability, and equity.
• Millennial/Gen Y (Born 1981-1996): Came of age with the internet; value convenience and digital solutions.
• Gen X (Born 1965-1980): Independent, tech-adaptable, and skeptical; prefer authentic brand messaging.
• Baby Boomer (Born 1946-1964): Strong work ethic, traditional values, and significant buying power.

How can brands effectively connect with Gen Z in 2026?

Reaching Gen Z requires approaches different from those that worked for previous generations:

1. Prioritize creators and unpolished, user-generated content. Gen Z values real people and genuine endorsements. Forty-nine percent would watch TV shows featuring their favorite creators, per Deloitte.
2. Invest across social platforms. Instagram offers broader reach while TikTok delivers deeper engagement. Cover both.
3. Enable social commerce. Gen Z already trusts social platforms for inspiration and information. Remove friction between discovery and purchase.
4. Offer affordable products, flexible payments. BNPL adoption is high and growing. Brands that integrate installment options meet Gen Z where they are financially.
5. Stand for something. Purpose-driven brands win, but only when commitments are sustained. One-off campaigns will backfire.
6. Prepare for AI-driven discovery. As Gen Z shifts search behavior toward chatbots, ensure your brand's information is structured for AI extraction.

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.

EMARKETER forecast data was current at publication and may have changed. EMARKETER Pro+ clients have access to up-to-date forecast data. To explore EMARKETER solutions, click here.