Older generations rely more heavily on family, friends, and TV ads to learn about new products. Personal recommendations are the most powerful purchase drivers for Gen Z as well, but social media—which includes ads, videos, and online influencers—is increasingly important to product discovery.

• Gen Z taps a wider array of online and offline sources—including ratings and reviews, social media, online influencers, and in-person experiences.
• Gen Z makes little distinction between online, mobile, and offline sources and zigzags effortlessly among them to find information.
• In June 2021, half of US Gen Z internet users agreed that social networks were important information sources for shopping decisions.

• In another June 2021 survey, 65% of Gen Z adult respondents said friend and family recommendations were the two most trusted sources for product recommendations.

Social media plays a central role in how Gen Z discovers products and buys, with many following brands on social media and identifying influencers as another important source of guidance.

• Turning to social media to research a product or brand is a common behavior for Gen Z adults (18 to 24) after hearing about a new brand or product, and nearly half of survey respondents in July 2021 said they will use social media to purchase.
• Gen Zers cited YouTube as a popular social choice for researching products, followed by Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
• More than older cohorts, Gen Zers are likely to engage with brands through social media. A higher percentage of Gen Zers follow brands on social media, are more likely to purchase from a brand with a strong social media presence, and more have purchased a product because of an influencer.
• When asked which products they are most likely to buy due to social media, Gen Zers’ top-cited category was clothing, followed by beauty/skincare products and technology.