Understanding Gen Z’s social media habits has been an ongoing task for brands and marketers.
From brand engagement in the comments section, to random virality of user-generated-content, the ways in which Gen Z resonates with content on social media platforms vary. Sometimes overarching consumer trends fall short of providing results.
To really understand how to best engage with the demographic online, one must think like Gen Z.
“Gen Z isn’t just another consumer group—they’re an entirely different species,” said Aiyana Mansoori, Co-Founder of Not an Agency.
“Born with smartphones in hand, they’ve redefined the way brands have to approach marketing, especially on social media,” she explained.
Mansoori suggests that Gen Z has broken the traditional sales funnel. “Forget about the linear path; Gen Z’s buying journey is more like a web of interconnected experiences, driven by instant gratification, authenticity, and influence,” she said.
How to navigate the social media frenzy
Cutting through the noise while also trying to be a part of it can sometimes feel like a daunting task. The best way to approach the social media frenzy is to first understand it.
“One thing a lot of agencies and brands fail to understand is that social media isn’t just a platform for Gen Z; it’s their ecosystem,” said Mansoori.
“They’re not only consuming content—they’re curating, creating, and sharing it at lightning speed.
This constant content cycle means that brands can’t just rely on catching their attention once and slowly guiding them through a structured process.
Gen Z expects instant value, and if they don’t get it, they’ll move on,” she explained.
The demographic’s consumer patterns on social media can sometimes be spontaneous. Strategies must shift from traditional static messaging and move to being a medium for instant gratification.
“Gen Z’s social media habits have completely blurred the lines between discovery, engagement, and purchase,” Mansoori said.
“They might discover a new product in an Instagram story, DM the brand for more details, get feedback from their friends, and make a purchase all within the same platform,” she explains.
Trust and transparency
Growing up in the current golden age of social media has provided the younger demographic with in-built skills to understand when they’re being led by brands online.
“Gen Z has grown up in a world where misinformation is rampant, so they’re hyper-aware of when they’re being sold to. And they don’t like it,” said Jyotsna Sunil, Co-Founder of Not an Agency.
“This generation craves transparency,” said Sunil.
“They want to know the story behind the product, the ethics of the company, and they’ll do a deep dive into your brand’s history before even considering a purchase,” she explained.
This phenomenon has redefined the way the generation lends its trust to brands. “The need for genuine connection has created a new kind of process—or maybe it’s better described as a filter—where only the most transparent and honest brands and people make it through,” said Sunil.
Best practices for social media marketing for Gen Z
From an agency’s perspective, Mansoori and Sunil have whittled down their approach to be more adaptive to the dynamic consumer patterns of Gen Z.
“Our approach isn’t just about staying relevant—it’s about being in tune with what people actually care about,” said Sunil.
“We’ve let our generation’s approach to the world shape us as an agency. That’s why we prioritise storytelling over selling, and why we’re not afraid to break the mold with our clients,” she said.
Sunil explained that “co-creating experiences that resonate” instead of “just executing a strategy” would be more valuable to working with clients.
Mansoori echoed this, and suggests, “Instead, focus on being where they are (which is everywhere, all at once), offering authentic experiences, and being ready to pivot at a moment’s notice.”
“Gen Z isn’t just another consumer group—they’re a force that’s reshaping the entire landscape of marketing,” she said.
