For years, the popularity of social media’s OG, Facebook, has plummeted amongst younger users. Gone are the days of young people poking others, joining hundreds of groups and uploading selfies from their digital cameras.
With the development of Instagram, Snapchat and more recently TikTok in that time – Facebook has taken a back seat for younger users. Looking at the core principles for each, it’s easy to see why.
Instagram sets out to inspire, Snapchat provides a sense of privacy and TikTok is an engaging beast you just can’t look away from. Within this mix, what does Facebook do to stand out?
Once the go-to platform for young people, Savanta’s ‘State Of The Youth Nation’ report reveals that just 14% of Gen-Z’s use Facebook, down from 31% in 2019. Unsurprisingly, TikTok and Snapchat are the most popular amongst the demographic, with usage rates of 46% and 45% respectively.
However, things are about to change.
Facebook focuses on Gen Z
Not to be deterred in the ever-growing battle for attention, Facebook identified a few of areas that Gen-Z are using the platform for and have decided to update the UX in order to widen its appeal, as revealed by TechCrunch.
Firstly, Gen-Z’s are coming to the app as a thrift shop, browsing on Facebook Marketplace to find some pre-loved goods for a knock-down price.
Secondly, they’re using it as a local discovery app, allowing them to find roommates and join groups that align with their hobbies and interests.
Speaking at Facebook’s IRL pop-up event in Austin, TX recently, Tom Alison (Head of Facebook) revealed the platform’s plans to get younger.
The first is a new ‘Local’ tab, that aggregates local activities, groups and hot spots across the platform, with a ‘weekly’ and ‘weekend’ digest feature that will compilate recommended local events.
There will be a dedicated tab for algorithm-driven short-form video content, called ‘Video’. I’ll try not to eye roll at that one.
Testing of the new updates will be shortly available in select US cities, but usually this means it will arrive in the UK in the coming year.
What does this mean for users?
When it comes to the ‘Video’ tab, I guess it shows that if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. Algorithm-driven video feeds perform really well on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Whilst Facebook is a late adopter of this, the learning of its AI will ensure that the videos served are entertaining and relevant – therefore increasing dwell time on the app.
This will also give a greater opportunity for advertisers and businesses to enter the mix. Given that the social commerce market is on track to be worth $1 trillion by 2028 – ad placements and product links will for sure make their way into the algorithm-driven video feed.
The ‘Local’ tab is a promising innovation that will provide Facebook with a renewed sense of purpose to it’s Gen-Z users. By populating a space with relevant recommendations, it will help to inspire the impulsive, which could see a huge benefit for local businesses.
Users will also have a swipeable section in the Feed, showcasing interesting local information, events and items for sale.
(Credit: Meta)
What does this mean for brands?
The longer dwell time an algorithm-driven video feed provides gives brands a greater opportunity to innovate and advertise. Organically, expect to see dedicated trend-focused video content – this will encourage brands to think outside of the box when it comes to their organic strategy. A good thing, right?
For advertisers, expect to see a surge in performance when the ‘Video’ tab launches. Platforms have a habit of providing great early value in new ad types, before they become popular and more competitive. The early bird catches the worm in this situation.
The ‘Local’ tab looks like it’s the perfect hot-spot for influencer marketing – something that you see occasionally on Facebook, but is more prevalent on visual platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
If local businesses can tap into local creators/people of influence – their content is for sure going to appear near the top of the local recommendations. This could be a gamechanger for local businesses looking to drive footfall.
A question that lingers is around Marketplace. Second-hand selling apps, such as Vinted and Depop, are hugely popular now and have even caused the likes of eBay to scrap selling fees across multiple categories.
To the cynic, this looks like Facebook are trying to steal some of that market for themselves. Now that Meta Pay is available in the UK, expect a seamless checkout service.
What does this mean for you?
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