Value access, not ownership: the app behavior of digital natives
Digital natives are adept at using different apps and media at the same time, don't know a world without the internet and are crucial to the success of brands. The study "How to Win Gen Z" by App Annie examines how companies can best address this increasingly important target group.
As a first step, brands need to understand how teenagers use their smartphones. The study provides an insight into the consumer behavior of Generation Z and their favorite apps. Around 98% of digital natives already own a smartphone by the age of ten. What's more, Generation Z is not only made up of media professionals who skillfully juggle various apps and media, it also makes up the largest proportion of the global population at 32%.
As new consumers, the brand preferences of seven to 22-year-olds are not yet established, giving companies the opportunity to position themselves individually. However, as a first step, brands need to understand how teenagers use their smartphones.
Interact with brands on their own terms
Digital natives don't know a world without the internet and their first phone was probably a smartphone. If you want to reach Gen Z, the best way to do this is via their cell phone. 71% of boys and girls believe that brands and companies should help them achieve their personal goals and aspirations.
So digital natives, growing up with access to services like Uber and Spotify, value access over ownership. Digital mobility has given them the platform to interact with brands on their own terms. Among other things, the study shows that:
- The user behavior and the most popular apps of Gen Z vary depending on the market - for example, German teenagers spend around 25 percent less time playing games than the global average. Gen Z users in Japan, on the other hand, spend twice as much time.
- Digital natives spend around 150 sessions per app per month, 55 percent more time in the top non-gaming apps than the other generations.
- Seven to 22-year-olds spend an average of 3.7 hours per month in an app, apart from classic games. In Germany, this figure is around 3.1 hours.
Increasing growth with demographic knowledge
"Gen Z is the first generation to grow up 100% in the mobile world," says Ted Krantz, CEO of App Annie. "The study shows how digital natives use their smartphones and what impact this has on the mobile economy."
Prioritizing the development of a mobile product and advertising strategy that is tailored to the individual needs of Gen Z is crucial for the future success of brands. Those who fail to adapt will lose out to disruptive competitors.
The study "How to Win Gen Z" comes from App Annie, a company that provides app data and insights to help companies successfully position themselves in the global app market and gain a better understanding of the app market, their business and the opportunities it presents.
