How Gen-Z and Millennials Watch Video Content

The Evolution of Video Viewing Habits: Gen Z vs. Millennials

Video consumption has changed rapidly over the past decade. Each generation interacts with video content in distinct ways. For marketers and video creators, understanding these trends is key to audience engagement and business growth.

The Surge in Video and Social Media Usage

The growth of social media and video consumption did not happen overnight. It was already rising before the pandemic, but global lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 caused a dramatic spike in digital media use across all age groups (transcription services).

• A study in 2021 found that video and social content usage doubled for both Millennials and Gen Z during the pandemic (Statista, 2021).
• Social distancing increased indoor activities, making people spend more time on their devices.
• Social platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram became primary sources of entertainment and connection.
• Video content is now the most preferred media for learning, entertainment, and even shopping.

Marketers noticed this shift and changed their strategies to focus on online video. According to research, businesses expect online videos to account for more than 80% of all web traffic by 2025 (Cisco, 2022).

• Social media ads and influencer campaigns shape buying decisions for younger audiences.
• Videos deliver messages quicker and are more impactful than text or images.

Video Viewing Habits of Gen Z

Who Are Gen Z?

• Ages 7 to 22 (as of 2024).
• Often called the “creative generation.”
• The first truly digital-native group—they grew up with smartphones and tablets.

Key Habits and Preferences

• 65% of Gen Z use TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube daily (Pew Research, 2023).
• They make up about one-third of the world’s population.
• They value privacy and have short 8-second attention spans (Microsoft, 2015).
• Heavy mobile device users; almost all older Gen Zers own smartphones.
• Prefer influencers and relatable creators over traditional celebrities.
• User-generated content and tutorials dominate their watch lists.

Shopping and Ad Preferences

• They are twice as likely as Millennials to shop on their phones (GlobalWebIndex, 2022).
• Search for deals, coupon codes, and free shipping offers.
• Trust real people and honest reviews—favor authenticity in ads.
• Less trustful of brands: only 42% say they trust businesses consistently (Edelman, 2023).

For anyone creating content for Gen Z, focus on fast, authentic, and mobile-friendly videos.

Video Habits of Millennials

Who Are Millennials?

• Ages 23 to 36 (as of 2024).
• One of the most studied generations, now outnumbering Baby Boomers in many regions.

Key Habits and Preferences

• Spend about 1.5 hours daily watching streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ (Nielsen, 2022).
• Active on multiple platforms: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram.
• Diverse content interests include videos, blogs, newsletters, and news articles.
• 87% use Facebook every day, much higher than Gen Z's 32% (Pew Research, 2023).

Shopping and Ad Preferences

• About 50% trust brands, slightly higher than Gen Z’s trust (Edelman, 2023).
• Value purchases that offer practical benefits—such as discounts and loyalty rewards.
• Open to influencer marketing but also respond well to traditional advertising if it’s informative.

Content Choices by Genre

• Comedy is the top genre: 59% watch comedy weekly, similar to 58% for Gen Z (YPulse, 2022).
• Other favorites: drama, food/cooking shows, and news segments.

How Gen Z and Millennials Shape Video Marketing

• Both generations influence digital marketing and brand strategies.
• They are early adopters of technology and set trends in online behavior.
• Each group has unique expectations for brand communication and video content.
• Understanding these traits helps companies create sharper, more effective videos.

To succeed, marketers and video production teams need to:

• Adjust message styles for each generation.
• Focus on mobile-first video formats.
• Use real people and relatable stories for authenticity.
• Keep videos concise and easy to navigate.
• Leverage analytics to monitor changing preferences.

How Video Accessibility Services Support Engagement

You should not overlook accessibility when making video content. Services like closed captions, subtitles, and translations help all viewers enjoy and understand your videos.

• Captioning and subtitles improve comprehension for viewers with hearing loss.
• Translations reach audiences in different languages and regions.
• Automated transcription and AI transcription subscriptions speed up the process for content creators.
• Proofreading services ensure your transcripts are error-free.

Understanding generation-specific video habits lets you create smarter, more effective content. For creators and marketers who want to reach Gen Z and Millennials, adapting your video approach makes all the difference.

Conclusion: How GoTranscript Can Help

No matter your audience, video content grows more complex each year. GoTranscript provides human-based transcription services, closed captioning, subtitling, and translation to make your videos more accessible and impactful. Explore affordable pricing, order transcription, or order captions today and ensure your videos connect with viewers of every generation.