63 per cent of people within Generation Z would prefer to only see content or advertising from brands they already follow on social media, showing marketers that they may need to change their strategy when marketing to this audience.

According to a survey 1,000 16 to 21-year olds, conducted by YouGov and commissioned by Jaywing, 73 per cent of Gen Z people say they see too many ads on their social feeds, and only 16 per cent feel these ads are relevant to them. However, 60 per cent said they are more likely to share content they like or feel strongly about, showing the need for relevance when targeting the generation.

“This research highlights the importance for brands to get their advertising right,” said Brian Taylor, managing director at Jaywing. “It’s vital to tailor the approach for the channel, and create authentic content that users will want to share online both in public and private feeds. Being brought up in the digital age has made Gen Z less tolerant of irrelevant advertising, and far more precious about quality and honesty. If the content is good, the sharing will come naturally without the need for invasive adverts.”

The research also found that 68 per cent of Gen Z people value their privacy on social media more than post engagement from strangers. This is further highlighted in the fact that Gen Z update their dark social channels twice as frequently as their public, or broadcast, channels. On top of this, 55 per cent are more likely to share content through messaging apps than on their news feeds.