Facebook’s plan to win over Gen Z

Facebook wants to change its reputation as a space used by boomers and older generations, which is why it unveiled its plan to win over Gen Z and young adult users.

A 2023 Pew survey found that only about one-third of US teens aged 13 to 17 reported using Facebook, a sharp decline from 71% in 2014.

The Meta platform’s new strategy taps into the practical side of its features like Marketplace, Dating, Groups and Events.

It also emphasizes TikTok-like video content discovery, meaning your feeds will be filled with reel recommendations rather than posts from friends and family. Notably, this approach reverses a 2018 decision that prioritized the content of people you followed.

The plan might work
According to Meta, video content accounts for about 60% of time spent on Facebook. So, pushing reels and other video format posts on feeds might increase user count and engagement.

The practical nature of Marketplace, which most college students and youngsters use to furnish their apartments and find local activities through Events and Groups, makes FB more of a utility app.

The social media’s user-friendly interface has a competitive advantage over sites like Craigslist and Reddit. The app reports it had the highest number of users in nearly three years, with 40 million daily active users in North America aged 18 to 29.