Within our last internal research, which revolved around better understanding social media, we asked a series of questions that we hoped would go beyond the functional and data safety reasons of why people choose to use the social media platforms they do.

In other categories, research showed that consumers tend to select brands that align with their higher value human needs. Needs such as the desire to belong, feel safe, or even feel loved.  Does the same apply to social media? Is there anything deeper in why we select certain social media platforms vs. others beyond their functionality and popularity?  Do fundamental human motives steer us one way or another?  We asked a series of questions to 500 social media users ages 13+ and the results were very thought-provoking.

Gen Z social media users indicate that the social media platform which balances most of their emotional, higher value human motivations is Instagram.  Based on this same research, we found that Instagram is the 2nd most used social media platform, with 68% of Gen Z currently using it and likely growth in the future - as it has a Net Growth Momentum (% use more a year from now-% use less a year from now) of 10%.

Interestingly, among Millennial social media users, there is not one predominant site that they feel meets all their emotional, higher value human motivations.  On the contrary, they may use different social media platforms to meet different needs, which also reflects their higher levels of social media usage.

What does this mean for these platforms? How can they usethis information?  Instagram specificallyhas a great opportunity with Gen Z.  Ourinternal data also shows that Instagram still largely remains a platform topost pictures, inspire and be inspired and connect with others. However, accordingto a recent article from BusinessInsider more than half of Gen Z surveyed now also use Instagram as anews source.

As Instagram evolves, it should leverage the strong multilevel connection it forged with Gen Z to continue engaging them at the deepest human levels and speak to what truly motivates them, outside of functionality, safety of data and news. This can help the platform grow stronger, withstand trends or scandals that have brought down other social media platforms, evolve and continue putting users at the center of their brand strategy.

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