Why Livestreaming Is the Way of the Future for Generation Z

The roughly 72 million Americans that make up Generation Z—those born after 1998—have grown up in an increasingly digital landscape. Unlike Gen Xers and early Millennials, many of them have never known what it’s like to be “unplugged.” 

They’ve had access to high-speed internet access, mobile devices, tablets, and computers from an early age, and were just as likely to learn their ABCs from an iPad as from a printed book. While their parents may watch TV shows on cable or curated on-demand streaming services like Netflix, many Gen Z kids are far more likely to spend their time consuming media created by “influencer” teens on platforms like YouTube—85% of teens today regularly consume YouTube content. And quite likely, a lot of it: Pre-pandemic, a survey reported that 74% of Gen Z members spent at least five hours online every day. 

What are they consuming in all that time? While video content from influencers and gamers plays a big role, Gen Z kids are also deeply engaged in listening to and watching music. They focus on a far more diverse group of musical interests than most other age groups: A study from digital marketing company Sweety High found that 97% of Gen Z girls listen to at least five different genres of music. Almost all said that music was important or very important to their lives, and 75% of them used YouTube as a primary channel for discovering new acts.

Under normal circumstances, they also enjoy live music experiences frequently. A YPulse survey of 13- to 37-year-olds found that 74% of them enjoy seeing live music, and 54% attend concerts or festivals at least once a year.

Of course, those concerts and festivals are off the table for the moment due to the pandemic—but fortunately, online media isn’t. 

How COVID-19 could change their consumption habits

As nearly all large events scheduled for this year have shifted to virtual models to follow COVID-19-related safety precautions, consumption of online media has gone up among all age groups.

But as the youngest, and most digital-native generation, Gen Z is likely to adopt permanent behavioral changes as a result of the rise of virtual entertainment. 

Livestreams, in particular, have taken off as a lockdown-era entertainment method for the masses. The live streaming sector grew 45% between March and April this year. Twitch, the livestreaming platform used primarily for video gaming, grew by over 50% in that time, up to more than 1.6 billion hours watched per month including 27,000 hours of live music streaming, a relatively new content genre for Twitch. 

With no opportunity to perform in front of crowds, musical artists and DJs from all genres have been broadcasting livestreams directly into their fans’ homes since the COVID-19 restrictions began in March. While many performances are offered free to fans directly as a way to maintain relevance, others are fee-based or are sponsored by brands. For instance, companies including Jack Daniels Whiskey and Verizon’s Visible have both sponsored their own virtual music festivals, providing a source of income to the participating musicians while promoting their own brands.

Beyond concerts, Gen Z consumers are watching other forms of livestreamed content including video games, “how-to” videos such as makeup tutorials, and live sports. Two time NBA champion and Emmy award winning host of Turner’s “Inside the NBA” launched a live virtual basketball camp, Jet Academy featuring NBA and WNBA All Stars that allows Gen Z campers to learn drills and techniques from the pros including the ability to ask real time questions to Kenny and the players and submit their practice videos. They’re also taking advantage of mobile devices to consume and engage with content: Another study found that 96% of Gen Zers use mobile-focused streaming media, and that video consumption is up since the start of the pandemic. 

Livestreaming as a way of life

Gen Z kids are deeply comfortable with engaging with online content from all devices, whether mobile, desktop, tablet, or smartwatch. Not simply content to consume, many of them are also creators: They might start their own YouTube channels, create video clips for TikTok, or livestream their video game screen on Twitch. Engagement is key across every sector—they’re used to commenting on their favorite creators’ videos and seeing them respond, answering live polls, and creating content that responds to existing videos. 

Now that so many entertainers and brands have shifted to livestreaming out of necessity, it’s likely that even after larger in-person social events return, Generation Z young adults will continue seeking out livestreamed entertainment, and find new ways to engage with the content in real-time across all of their devices. 

Even as they begin attending live events again, they’re likely to participate in livestreams simultaneously so that they can build an even stronger interactive connection with the event. They might do this by chatting with fellow fans, asking questions to their favorite artists, and participating in interactive games and polls, for example. As AR technology becomes more commonplace, they’re also likely to use livestreams as a way to enhance the live experience: In sports, for example, AR technology can be used to display player positions or highlight plays. 

We’re seeing a temporary widespread shift from the physical world to the virtual world among all age groups, but such changes are likely to help Generation Z become a generation that’s equally comfortable in both spaces. Rather than viewing livestreaming as an alternative to real life, today’s young adults are likely to see this medium as a vibrant, engaging way to enhance their interactions with a brand or event. 

As a brand or event sponsor seeking to build a relationship with this audience, it will be important to build a long-term strategy that embraces livestreaming technology and digital engagement as a key method for interacting with them. By meeting Generation Z everywhere they are—both online and in the real world—you’ll be able to build lasting and valuable connections with them.