Welcome to The perspective, A series where HubSpotters weigh in on the latest business and marketing trends.
“We’re not your mom’s Facebook.”
This bold statement was passed around the Facebook event for younger creatives in NYC earlier this summer.
As the social giant turns 20 this year, they know that a big part of their future depends on Generation Z. Especially when you consider that only 52% currently say Facebook is their favorite platform only 33% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 use it at all.
(For comparison, 72% of Generation Z say TikTok is their favorite platform and 63% of teenagers actively use it.)
Can Facebook actually show the younger generation that it’s about more than “old” people and outdated memes?
To find the answer to this question, we first need to figure out why Generation Z decides to put their social energy elsewhere.
And who better to ask than a member of HubSpot’s amazing social media team and one of my amazing Gen Z colleagues?
Selected voices:
Here’s why Generation Z isn’t on Facebook
“I think it depends on the type of content on Facebook,” he says Reece CallawayBrand and Social Content Manager at HubSpot.
“Because Facebook is one of the oldest social media platforms still around, we see a lot of Millennials and the Feeds generation on Facebook, and Facebook is just not the place for that.”
And Callaway makes a great point. The other part of Facebook’s attempted rebranding is to position itself as a “hub for all cultural happenings” on the platform’s underground.
Creating a culturally relevant space for younger generations is an important first step – but not necessarily easy to accomplish.
The perspective of Generation Z
Justina ThompsonAssociate Marketing Manager at HubSpot (and Generation Z villain himself), believes that Generation Z is not like other generations on Facebook because Facebook has a reputation for being more family-oriented than a true social platform.
“Growing up, my Facebook account was monitored by my mother, and I used it primarily to keep in touch with aunts, uncles, and middle school friends whose profiles were also monitored by their parents,” Thompson says.
“As time went on, I craved more autonomy over my online presence, which I wasn’t able to do through Facebook.”
These are also reasons why I no longer have Facebook and am a Millennial.
My timeline was a mix of random posts from family members and the occasional “hbd” from someone I haven’t had contact with since elementary school.
It became difficult to curate my schedule and following to match my interests.
Thompson also says Generation Z wants to excavate their own identity online — especially where no one they know is watching. That’s why TikTok is so popular among this age group.
“People from anywhere can interact with your content and don’t need to know you in real life. There’s no preconceived impression they have of you.”
Thompson continues: “Facebook is about connecting with communities that already know you. Places like Instagram and TikTok have proven that you don’t have to be close to someone you know to build connections. That, in my opinion, is the hurdle that Facebook still has to overcome.”
I agree – Facebook needs to make this leap to compete. Channels like Instagram and TikTok have high-quality algorithms that make it easier for users to curate their feeds and find new people.
So this all begs the question…
Can a “rebrand” work… or is it too late?
In theory, Thompson believes a Facebook overhaul could work. And I’m inclined to agree. But she says it’ll take a lot more than changing what we see in our feeds to get Gen Z back there.
“I think investing in what’s already on the platform, like Facebook Marketplace, is a good start – especially because I’ve personally had positive experiences with this part of Facebook,” says Thompson.
And she is not alone. Our research shows that social media is the #1 channel for Gen Z product discovery and 43% have purchased something on social media in the last three months.
Plus, Facebook Marketplace actually exists The great appeal of Generation Z on the platform at the moment.
“However, Facebook is not just its marketplace. It’s an amalgamation of many things, and all of those pieces need to communicate with each other in a meaningful way,” says Thompson.
She continues: “I think TikTok is doing a great job here. While I’m not the biggest fan of TikTok’s monetization efforts, they’re well done because they’re integrated into the content you see when you scroll.”
And because other channels like TikTok are already so popular with Gen Z, Callaway says it will be difficult to redirect their attention.
“It will be very difficult to displace Generation Z from other platforms where they are already active,” he argues. “I think there is an opportunity for (Facebook) to rebrand itself. However, they have a 20-year reputation to fall back on.”
He’s right – Generation Z still sees Facebook as the social channel for older generations, full of inspirational quotes and Boomer humor. It’s not impossible, but this reputation will be pretty hard to shake.
So what’s the key to bringing Generation Z back?
Facebook says They focus on three main features to get Gen Z to buy: the feed, the reels, and the creators.
They plan to highlight more relevant content, including Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Dating, and Groups and Events, to attract a younger audience.
In my opinion, this is not a bad strategy. Thompson previously praised Facebook Marketplace, saying providing tailored, audience-focused content is always beneficial.
Callaway says: “I think they would have to get a lot of the biggest YouTubers that Gen Z enjoys to regularly post content on Facebook and do it in a way that gets Gen Z to choose Facebook to to view this content on another platform.”
He continues: “Furthermore, Facebook needs features that are unique to Facebook, not just a copy of a popular feature from another platform.”
Thompson highlights the need for unique features to attract younger users. Here are three ideas they think Generation Z might be interested in:
- A customizable timeline: “Make the timeline more customizable so Generation Z can filter out random family input while still getting the information we actually need.”
- Easier Content Monetization: “TikTok has the Creator Fund, but it’s incredibly hard to participate… maybe Facebook could make some of these policies more accessible.”
- App integrations: “I love that Tiktok is more integrated with other apps – like CapCut – to make it easier for people to create quick, post-ready content. I think such integration would be great.”
Someone on Facebook, probably:
Facebook + Gen Z = 🫶🏽?
Thompson shared, “Facebook needs to understand that Gen Z’s priorities are changing rapidly. We are interested in having uncensored access to the information we need to solve problems and live comfortable lives.”
It’s an uphill battle and not a guaranteed victory, but I think Facebook can take steps to bring Gen Z back – as long as they differentiate themselves from the competition and refine the platform to meet their social needs.
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