Resource: State of Community - How Gen Z is disrupting the industry of influence
I’ve always had a soft spot for Tumblr, so it’s great to see them spending some research $ to create a "State of Community" report with youth culture agency Archrival.
Sadly, I don’t have access to the data and the digital version of the report doesn’t appear to have a research methodology. It’s impossible to say how many respondents, their ages, and which countries the respondents are from.
And as with all research from platforms and agencies, the results should be viewed with the questions “what did the report leave out?” and “which solution does this platform or the research partner provide that solves the problems/meets the opportunities highlighted in the data?”
Nonetheless, it is a useful resource that focuses on how Gen Z views and values online and offline communities.
Here are the key takeaways from Tumblr’s State of Community study
TLDR;
The act of “being in a community” has been redefined by young consumers. Gen Z are increasingly looking to brands to help them find a sense of belonging. 85% of Gen Z respondents in the study say it’s important for brands to create a sense of community compared to only 79% of Millennials. Brands that don’t yet have a community strategy, and those who don’t create digital spaces that are less about content saturation and more about meaningful engagement, will be left behind.
Social networks were designed by and for Gen X and Millennials, but for Gen Z, the social landscape is different. The study talks about ‘Millennial social media’ evolving from private networks and community spaces (MySpace, Bebo, Orkut etc.) to the mass, ad-funded media it is today.
Social media, as the study brilliantly puts it, to Gen Z has always been “the vast everybody”. And the study suggests they have grown up as real-world communities appear to be shrinking and becoming more fragmented. The challenge for Gen Z isn’t about reaching the masses on social media - hey, one of my friends’ daughters reached millions of people with an accidental viral TikTok! Their challenge is finding meaningful, intimate connections that are no longer a given in today’s social media platforms.Gen Z feel technically connected but not connected to other people and their communities:
The study states that Gen Zs acknowledge that people today are technically more connected than they were 10 years ago, but that the last decade has made people more lonely and less community-oriented. Two-thirds of Zs now agree, “The promise of social media uniting humanity is broken.”Gen Z are overwhelmed by social media and content saturation: The study suggests that respondents are overwhelmed by the constant flow of content, with 56% of respondents expressing fatigue from social media content. Many believe that ad-flooded social media platforms disrupt deeper interpersonal interactions and diminish the authenticity of their social experiences.
Shift to niche digital communities: In response to content overload, the study suggests that Gen Z is increasingly turning to smaller, niche communities that offer privacy, exclusivity, and more meaningful interactions.
30% of respondents said that they had either joined or increased their participation in a niche digital community.
Platforms like Discord, Slack, Patreon and Tumblr are gaining traction as spaces for deeper engagement. 79% of the Gen Z respondents reported feeling a stronger sense of belonging in these niche digital communities compared to local communities or traditional institutions (64%), or the workplace (61%), sport teams and clubs (60%), or religious or spiritual groups (51%).Desire for authenticity over virality: Brands creating or jumping on viral trends is less impactful than it once was. Gen Z respondents perceive it as inauthentic and acknowledge that it is hard for brands to keep up with the sheer speed of trends. Instead, they value genuine interactions and prefer influencers with relatable and unpolished personas. Recommendations from peers or smaller "nano-influencers" are more trusted than celebrity endorsements.
Integrating digital and physical community: While digital communities are prominent, there is a growing interest in integrating real-life experiences with online interactions. Events like live speed dating, live communal listening to podcasts and community meetups are popular ways Gen Z is bridging online relationships with face-to-face connections.
Trust and the role of experts and insiders: With scepticism towards traditional advertising and influencer culture, the study shows that Gen Z tends to trust insiders, employees, or "authentic" individuals within brands who they believe can provide unfiltered insights. The study suggests they have a preference for transparency and brand communication from employees and subject matter experts.
There’s lots of juicy nuggets and some good data in here.
How Gen Z defines community
The study asked respondents to define community.
The top answer with 66% was “a sense of belonging: a place where I feel accepted, valued, and part of something larger than myself.”
That sense of belonging is foundational to how Zs see and shape themselves, especially during such a formative time in their lives.
But this Gen Xer feels that perhaps it has always been so for young people.
Important community features for Gen Z
As a parent to two Gen Z’s the following chart made my heart sing.
Co-creation/collaboration (69%) and integration with digital and real-life activities (62%) are important, but much less so than feeling safe and secure (84%) and high quality content and discussions (85%).
These drivers alongside meaningful interactions with other members (80%) is clearly propelling a migration to online communities for young people.
Psychological safety, high quality content and meaningful interactions with other members are the most valued features of online communities for Gen Z.
Source: The State of Community - How Gen Z is Disrupting the Industry of Influence
Research like this is gold dust. Especially for those of us who believe consumer brands should adapt their strategies to include building and working with smaller, more authentic communities. And creating experiences that blend digital and real-world engagement can be powerful and impactful.
For more details, and to remind yourself about Tumblr’s brilliant design aesthetic, check the full report.
Book a Free Consultation
Want help launching or growing a community? I’m ready and waiting to hear from you. Book an introductory call to speak to me about your challenges, projects or questions you might have.
Photo by joseph marrufo
