Welcome to The Perspective, a series where HubSpotters weigh in on the latest business and marketing trends.
“We are not your mom’s Facebook.”
This bold statement was passed around at Facebook’s event for younger creators in NYC earlier this summer.
As the social giant turns 20 this year, they know a big chunk of their future relies on Gen Z. Especially considering only 52% currently rank Facebook as their favorite platform, and only 33% of teens aged 13-17 use it at all.
(By comparison — 72% of Gen Z rank TikTok as their favorite platform, and 63% of teens are actively using it.)
Can Facebook actually show younger generations there’s more to it than “old” people and outdated memes?
To find the answer to that question, we have to start by unpacking why Gen Z decides to spend their social energy elsewhere.
And who better to ask than a member of HubSpot’s fantastic social team and one of my amazing Gen Z colleagues.
Featured Voices:
Here’s Why Gen Z Isn’t on Facebook
“I think it comes down to the type of content on Facebook,” says Reece Callaway, Brand and Social Content Manager at HubSpot.
“Since Facebook is one of the oldest social media platforms still around, we see a lot of Millennials and Gen X on Facebook who regularly post content that doesn’t resonate with Gen Z. Gen Z wants to see the latest culturally relevant content on their feeds, and Facebook just isn’t the place for that.”
And Callaway brings up a great point. The other part of Facebook’s attempted rebrand is to position themselves as a “hub for all things culturally happening” in the platform’s underground.
Creating a culturally relevant space for younger generations is an important first step — but it’s not necessarily an easy one to accomplish.
The Gen Z Perspective
Justina Thompson, Associate Marketing Manager at HubSpot (and Gen Z baddie herself), feels like Gen Z isn’t on Facebook like other generations because it has a reputation for being family-focused rather than a true social platform.
“When I was growing up, my Facebook was monitored by my mom and I primarily used it to stay connected with aunts, uncles, and middle school friends whose profiles were also monitored by their parents,” says Thompson.
“Over time, I began to crave more autonomy over my online presence, which I couldn’t do through Facebook.”
