"Video resonates with all generations"

The findings of the study "The Future of Content Marketing" paint a clear picture of different age groups. The consumer survey revealed clear differences in surfing behavior, social media use and content preferences between younger (18-24 years) and older participants (over 55 years). In the different age groups from 24 to 55 years, there were gradations between these poles.

Generation Z: Inspire visually - always and everywhere

The younger the consumer, the more connected they are to their smartphone. 68% of respondents aged between 18 and 24 primarily use their smartphone to surf the internet. They use it immediately after waking up and until they go to sleep - 56% of the youngest respondents even take their smart companion into the bathroom. This is why content that works well on mobile devices and is entertaining on the go is particularly popular: videos (65%), photos (51%) and social media posts (49%) are at the top of the list of formats that these users would like to see more of in the future.

Silversurfer: Convince informatively - on the desktop PC

The group of respondents over the age of 55 showed significantly different preferences. They mainly use a desktop PC or laptop to go online. As a result, the content formats that the Silversurfers would like to see more of in the future are less entertaining, but document the general preference for a higher information density: News (59%), videos (43%), studies (40%). Although the oldest respondents are significantly less present in social networks overall, 69% of Germans over 55 stated that they have a Facebook account, followed far behind by Twitter (16%) and XING (14%). The penchant for text-based content is not only evident in the networks, but also from brands and companies, the silversurfers primarily want newsletters (68%); videos (47%) and images in social media (20%) complete the colorful mix. "Our study proves that content marketing does not work per se. It is crucial that marketers identify the appropriate channels, formats and content for addressing customers and continuously evaluate the effectiveness of their measures. Anyone trying to inspire a young audience with newsletters or appeal to a more mature target group on Snapchat is likely to fail. Video is a popular format across all generations - marketers score points with everyone. But even when it comes to video content, they should consider whether funny, entertaining or informative is more likely to resonate with the target group," says Inken Kuhlmann, Senior Manager Growing Markets, Hub Spot.