Gen Xers Rule Social—Not Millennials

Gen Xers (34-49 years old) are more active on social media than Millennials (18-34 years old), and more likely to make purchases based on social media engagement, too. Surprising, but true.

On average, Gen Xers spend roughly 10% more time per week on social media than Millennials, and that difference is increasing year-over-year. Across devices, the older generation is more engaged in social media on PCs and tablets, and catching up quickly to the younger generation on smartphones.

Gen Xers engage more with brands on social than Millennials. While both groups are equally likely to follow brands, a greater percentage of Gen Xers interact with brands each month. Most importantly, 67% of Gen Xers say they are likely to buy from a brand they follow, while only 60% of Millennials agree.

Finally, Gen X appears to be easier—and potentially less costly—to reach on social. Almost two-thirds of 34-49 year olds say Facebook is their favorite social platform, with YouTube running a very, very distant second. 18-34 year olds’ preferences are much more fragmented with 33% preferring Facebook, 22% Instagram, 16% Snapchat and 12% YouTube.

Sources: Nielsen 2017, Sprout Social 2017