For younger generations—the first to have grown up with iPhones and social media apps—social media has emerged as a fundamental part of daily life. People can connect, learn, and be amused using these apps. Among these generations' most-loved social media platforms are Instagram, Snapchat, and Tik Tok.
Created in 2010 by Kevin Systrom, and later bought by Facebook in 2012, Instagram has progressed into one of the most widely used social media platforms to date. According to Jodi Dworkin, a professor at the University of Minnesota, “72% of 13 to 17-year-olds use the app.”1 This raises a question: why are younger generations so allured to this platform? Social media, in general, is popular because it allows users to interact with and remain in touch with people all around the world. On Instagram, users can view stories (which only last for 24 hours) and posts from public accounts or accounts they follow. People can also upload posts to their stories in an effort to attract more attention to that post. Furthermore, Instagram possesses business features to assist companies in marketing their products. The app also recently added a shopping feature, allowing users to shop with a touch of a brand's photos and videos. In fact, each month, 130 million users tap on shopping posts.2 Instagram Reels is another popular attribute; it contains videos for entertainment that might also be seen on Tik Tok. Overall, Instagram contains a wide variety of features (posts, advertisements, videos, shopping, etc.) that appeal to younger audiences.
Another prominent social media app is Snapchat. Chief analyst and CEO of Kepios, Simon Kemp, reports that 82.8% of the platform’s audience is 13-34 years old.3 Through Snapchat, people can form streaks by sending photos or videos to a friend for a consecutive number of days. These photos or videos can only be played once (unless the recipient replays the video once more in which the sender is notified; they can also save the snap in the chat) then they are wiped (disappear). This is similar to texting on the app- texts delete after 24 hours unless saved by a user in the chat. Moreover, users can post to and view others' stories; Snapchat also allows the user to create private stories. These are stories that only a selected number of accounts can view. Another feature is shared stories: when members of a group chat can upload photos and videos to a connected story. Photos and videos can be taken with fun filters; these filters include dog ears, location, holiday themes, etc. When saving clips, there is an option to save them as “My Eyes Only”- a privacy feature in which the user is required to input a password in order to unlock those snaps. A newer factor to the app is Snapchat Spotlight. Like Instagram Reels, it involves Tik Tok-like videos meant for entertainment. Lastly, the user is wished a happy birthday and notified when it’s their friend's birthday. All in all, Snapchat is a platform that includes texts, calls, streaks, stories, filters, and more.
TikTok was the seventh-most downloaded app of the past decade, despite only having been launched in 2017.4 Although this social media platform has become insanely popular among many age groups, the majority (60%) tend to be from Generation Z (10-25 years old).5 On Tik Tok, people can make/watch dance videos, learn life hacks, learn about current events, watch comedy, learn a new recipe, pretty much anything. It’s no wonder users spend an average of 95 minutes per day on the addictively entertaining app.6
Particularly for the younger generations—the first to have grown up with iPhones and social media apps—social media has become an important part of daily life. These apps serve as platforms for communication, education, and entertainment. It makes sense that younger generations choose Instagram, Snapchat, and Tik Tok among other social media platforms.
Jodi Dworkin, Teens Online and Social Media Use (University of Minnesota Extension, 2021)
Jimit Bagadiya, 50+ Instagram Statistics You Should Know in 2022 (Social Piolet, 2022)
Simon Kemp, Snapchat Statistics and Trends (Data Reportal, 2022)
Mansoor Iqbal, TikTok Revenue and Usage Statistics (2022) (Business of Apps, 2022)
Brandon Doyle, TikTok Statistics – Updated July 2022 (Wallaroo, 2022)
Brandon Doyle, TikTok Statistics – Updated July 2022 (Wallaroo, 2022)
Amazing job Avery! I love your article!