Evolution of Technology Among Generations

By Lauren Uihlein

Generation’s Use of Social Media

Everyone perceives technology differently and chooses how they want to use it in their daily lives. As technology advances, individuals have to keep up with the pace, forcing them to learn how to utilize new platforms or just be one step behind. As each day goes by, new ideas are thought of every second, making technology crucial to our society today.

Some aspects of social media are great, but some aspects impact people in a harmful way, making it important for people to know the effect it can have on each generation. Generation X, Millenials, Generation Y, and Generation Z use different types of social media platforms to communicate, advertise, and vary on types of content they publish of themselves. 

Platforms of Communication Among Generations

As older generations were growing up, they did not have the same access to technology as the younger generations, for example, Generation Z. The first so-called “modern” mobile cell phone came out in 1983. This meant that Generation X and older did not communicate the way people do now. Because these generations grew up having mostly face-to-face conversations, they are often not in touch with the latest form of communication.

They prefer talking to someone over the phone because they can hear their voice, and conversations flow faster. Nowadays, most Millenials and younger generations choose different platforms for communication. Most social media platforms used by Generation Z include Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. It seems as though the younger generations prefer to hide behind a screen instead of having a conversation face-to-face or even over the phone. This reason is that social media consumes us more than it ever has before in our society.

Before Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat came out, Twitter and Facebook were the most well-known apps. They still are for the older crowd. However, as technology continues to develop, all these apps will soon become old news. Twitter and Facebook are already becoming irrelevant to several generations, making you wonder what the next new app is going to be.

Advertisements Created for Certain Generations

Advertising plays a significant role when targeting specific audiences. Companies must put themselves in each generation’s shoes to promote themselves correctly. A majority of Generation Z uses social media for entertainment. This means that brands have to attempt to sell their product through the specific platforms used in order to inform them.

If the company’s product is still not getting the attention they want it to be, it will reach out to influencers. When a company reaches out to an influencer, that is when its sales will skyrocket most of the time. This is why YouTube is so important; it is the main platform used by famous influencers. In contrast, older generations will still hear about an ad or product through standard television along with the radio.

As our society keeps developing, advertisers are becoming more aware of what generation uses certain apps and where to promote their products, meaning they can target and persuade each generation easier this way, instead of everything being showcased on television or radio. 

Content Posted by Generations

Often, older generations don’t spend as much time scrolling through people’s social media accounts and posting pictures frequently. Younger groups, specifically Generation Z and partially Millennials, focus on what people post and how people perceive their own social media platforms. Social media is never going away. It consumes every person’s daily life, whether they accept it or not.

This is why it’s important to keep everyone up to date.