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The generational edition
Samer C.
November 11th, 2024 • Reading Time: 6 minutes
Together with
Today’s edition was triggered by a tweet.
Even after a dozen years in social, I've never been more fascinated by generational content preferences than I am right now.
The tweet in question shows a fresh study from NP Digital, and trust me – it's a goldmine of insights that might make you rethink your 2025 content strategy.
Yes, it might not be representative.
Yes, generational preferences always change.
But…it’s an angle that’s easily overlooked.
Let’s dig right in!
The Tweet, the Study
Different age groups interact with various content formats differently.
For example, millennials like webinars, while baby boomers like email newsletters. And although all of the age groups are consuming short-form videos, they don’t all like blog posts.
So, depending on your… x.com/i/web/status/1…
— Neil Patel (@neilpatel)
2:33 PM • Nov 5, 2024
Video is the Ultimate Royalty
This is the least surprising insight in the study: every single generation gives high marks to both long-form and short-form videos (consistently scoring 5/5).
Yes, even Baby Boomers!
If you've been sleeping on video content for your older audience, 2025 is the time to change that.
The data screams that video isn't just for the TikTok generation anymore.
Here's something that might surprise you: Baby Boomers and Gen X are still very much engaged with email newsletters (scoring 5/5 and 4/5 respectively).
As someone who’s also been preaching creating your own newsletter and owning your audience, this makes me happy.
Email isn't dead – it's just generationally selective.
Who really owns your audience?
Being a Creator has never been easy, but unpredictable algorithms make connecting with your audience on social media harder than ever.
Enter beehiiv, the newsletter platform used to send this very email.
beehiiv frees you from the algorithms, giving you the tools to connect and create a more direct relationship with your followers.
Plus, with a network of premium advertisers and paid subscription options, you can tap into new revenue streams from day one.
The Podcast Paradox
If the election was any indicator, it is that podcasts are very, very powerful.
One of the most intriguing finding is the podcast engagement pattern.
Gen Z shows stronger engagement with podcasts (5/5) compared to all other generations.
Even Millennials only score it at 4/5.
If you’re a brand, content creator, even a small business, this suggests a massive opportunity for targeting younger audiences through podcasting.
Get acquainted with your local podcasts, folks.
Text Posts: The Great Equalizer
Remember when we thought long-form text was dead?
The data shows that Gen X and Millennials are highly engaged with text-based posts (5/5), while Baby Boomers aren't far behind (4/5).
Only Gen Alpha seems to be turning away from this format (for now).
What this Means for 2025…
The key takeaway?
A one-size-fits-all content strategy is not going to move the needle.
Your audience isn't just split by demographics – they're split by content format preferences.
The winning strategy? Build a multi-format approach that meets each generation where they are.
But…be selective; this generational strategy component gives us the privilege of being selective, and if resources are scarce or if you’re a one-person team, this comes in handy.
Take from this the parts that speak to your most desired audience, test, and reiterate.
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