Gen Z’s Most-Used Social Media Features, App by App

Gen Z uses the features on different platforms to match how they want to connect, express themselves, or be entertained on each

  • Gen Z is fans of TikTok Reposts, Instagram Stories, and Reels that let them interact on social media indirectly and casually
  • Snapchat is a truly social platform, so they’re using Snap Map and Stories most to keep close tabs on their friends
  • YouTube Shorts deliver on TikTok-style, video-driven content in a familiar space, giving Gen Z the entertainment they love
YPulse has said it before: Gen Z isn’t using every social platform the same way. Whether they’re watching deep-dive explainers on YouTube or sending quick messages on Snapchat, each app serves a specific purpose in their day-to-day. And it’s not just about the platforms themselves—the features within them matter, too. From Reels and Stories to Snap Maps and TikTok Reposts, their specific engagement reveals exactly what keeps them coming back to their favorite apps. For brands, it’s not enough to know what platform Gen Z is spending their time—though we have that data, too—it’s also important to understand how exactly they’re spending it. Different features drive different types of engagement, so which ones on each top platform does Gen Z use most?   To find out more what exact features are really keeping young people locked in, YPulse’s Social Media Monitor survey asks 13-39-year-olds to select the features they use from a list tailored to each platform they use. Our data shows these are the top five features on each...

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