As Gen Z continues to dominate the intricacies and inner workings of social media, many brands are also curious about their impressional buying habits and prominent activism. In order to better understand this lucrative demographic, Netinfluencer will express the key findings noted in the Never Niche Enough 2023 Trend Report. 

Who Conducted the Survey?

The Never Niche Enough 2023 Trend Report was carried out by The Webby Awards, a foundation that works to celebrate and commend key figures within the digital world. Sometimes referred to as the Webbys, these awards are a subsidiary of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences and aim to judge prolific content creators and businesses on the positive impact they have had on the internet.

The First Annual Webby Awards took place in 1995, focusing on websites that helped to revolutionize the way we use the internet such as The Spot. In 2000, the public was finally allowed to nominate candidates for certain awards, which led to a collection of new categories including Mobile Sites, Apps, and Social Media. Since then, The Webby Awards has grown into a cult celebration of online culture, praising those who build the platforms as well as content creators who work to make them more entertaining. 

Nowadays, The Webby Awards spend a lot of time and effort supporting its previous winners, providing them with an abundance of valuable resources to help them extend their growth. For example, winners are encouraged to promote their success using a wealth of branded content that has been produced in Canva. Nominees are also provided with speech writing tips and performance advice to ensure that they are fully prepared for the upcoming ceremony. 

Survey Methodology 

This report examined a wide range of online data from YouGov, a popular market research platform that allows users to survey a plethora of consumers and discuss how they feel about certain topics. The Webby Awards sent an email survey to around 22 million candidates and asked them a series of questions about their online habits. 

Since this report predominantly focuses on Gen Z, The Webby Awards strived to communicate with individuals that they felt best represented this demographic. It also gained additional insight from YouGov Profiles, which help to explore an abundance of unique data that has been collected from over 300,000 Americans on a yearly basis. 

The Webby Awards also examined some of its own data, conducting detailed research into an assortment of online trends as well as some of the nominees selected in the 26th Annual Webby Awards. This report also displays a wide variety of case studies, which help to exemplify the growth and profitability of key trends seen across social media. 

Three Key Takeaways

Due to the immense sample size seen within this survey, The Webby Awards has managed to create a detailed report that effectively explores the conventional online habits of Gen Z. Described below are just three key findings from this report. 

1. A majority of Gen Z joined social media before the age of 15.
2. 84% of candidates say that creativity inspires them to take part in various online communities. 
3. Over 50% of individuals state that they have been harassed on social media.

What Does This Mean for Influencer Marketing?

The Never Niche Enough 2023 Trend Report begins by describing the ages in which people joined social media. The Webby Awards informs us that 38% of Gen Z joined their first social media platform between the ages of 10 and 15. This gives us a broader understanding of the key demographics seen throughout social media and indicates that children are moving toward these platforms at a particularly young age. However, this report also expresses that 37% of candidates joined social media between the ages of 15-20. Thus, this finding leads us to believe that Gen Z covers a wealth of unique age ranges, inspiring influencers to produce content that can engage both children and adults. 

The second finding within this report focuses on why candidates join select online communities, showcasing that the creative element of social media gives them the most satisfaction. The Webby Awards also use this statistic to promote platforms that host these aspects such as the Virtual Care Lab, which aims to create kinder spaces for people to enjoy online. These examples highlight how Gen Z is more attracted to positivity and independence, rather than the latest viral trend. In turn, we can assume that this demographic is leading a sense of change on social media and aims to make it a more accepting and freeing environment. 

Despite these positive expectations, 54% of users say that they have experienced online harassment. As such, this finding helps us to better understand the drawbacks of social media and its flawless to the forefront of our awareness. In turn, this indicates that more work needs to be done by government officials and the social media platforms themselves to ensure that users are protected when using these services. 

Link to the Report

The Never Niche Enough 2023 Trend Report can be found on The Webby Awards’ website alongside more information about upcoming ceremonies as well as a portfolio of its previous winners.