## Top Platforms
– Instagram: About 89% of Gen Z social media users are on Instagram, making it highly popular for both entertainment and staying connected with friends and family. Instagram also leads for customer care and product discovery.[3][1]
– YouTube: 84% of Gen Z are active on YouTube, which remains a key source for long-form video content, entertainment, and brand collaborations.[2][1]
– TikTok: 82% usage, highly favored for trend discovery, short videos, and news updates among Gen Z.[1][3]
– Snapchat: Used by around 58-65% of Gen Z, especially for casual communication and content sharing.[4][5][2]
## Other Noteworthy Platforms
– X (formerly Twitter): Used by up to 73% of Gen Z for news and trending topics, though with less active daily engagement compared to Instagram or TikTok.[6]
– Pinterest and Reddit: Both platforms are growing with Gen Z for community interaction and discovery, though their active reach remains behind the top four.[7][6]
– BeReal: Experiencing rapid growth in this demographic, though still a niche platform compared to the leading apps.[4]
## Usage Patterns
– Video consumption (both long- and short-form) is central to Gen Z’s social media activity, with streaming and creative content sharing dominating how they engage online.[8][2]
– Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are now also used for searching products and news, not just social sharing.[6][1]
Brands and content creators targeting Gen Z in the U.S. should focus most on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to reach the largest and most engaged segment of this audience.[2][3][1]
Sources
[1] How Gen Z uses social media and what that means for brands https://sproutsocial.com/
[2] Visualizing Gen Z’s Favorite Social Media Platforms https://www.visualcapitalist.
[3] Understanding Gen Z and Social Media Use in 2025 – Slate https://slateteams.com/blog/
[4] What are the most visited social media platforms among Gen Z?… https://www.comscore.com/lat/
[5] U.S. Gen Z users of selected social platforms 2025| Statista https://www.statista.com/
[6] Social Media Use by Generation: 2025 Trends & Statistics https://partnercentric.com/
[7] US Social Media Users by Generation 2025 – eMarketer https://www.emarketer.com/
[8] Gen Z Technology and Media Preferences 2025 – eMarketer https://www.emarketer.com/
[9] Social media statistics for brands in 2025 – GWI https://www.gwi.com/blog/
[10] Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 | Pew Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/
[11] These are the top apps Gen Z young adults downloaded this year https://techcrunch.com/2024/
[12] The State of Gen Z – CTAM https://www.ctam.com/industry-
[13] Social media and Generation Z in the United States – statistics & facts https://www.statista.com/
[14] Biggest social media platforms by users 2025 – Statista https://www.statista.com/
[15] Gen Z’s Most-Used Social Media Features, App by App – YPulse https://www.ypulse.com/
[16] Social Media Trends 2025 – Hootsuite https://www.hootsuite.com/
[17] Gen Z Media Consumption 2025: Social Media & What’s Next | Attest https://www.askattest.com/
[18] What’s the most active social media platform right now? : r/socialmedia https://www.reddit.com/r/
[19] Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 : r/Infographics – Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/
[20] Social Media Fact Sheet – Pew Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/
