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Writer's pictureAurel Bakeyala Nkele

Social media: the new Google

Updated: May 17


Publication date: 14.05.2024


In recent years we have seen a radical transformation in the way young people access news. If once the news was learned through the reading of newspapers, magazines or websites, with the birth of the generation Z this method has been clearly exceeded. The new generations, in fact, do not use Google to inform themselves, but prefer to discover the news from social media, especially from Tik Tok and Instagram.


Social platforms are therefore associated with the task of satisfying the need for an in-depth analysis and a key to reading different from that offered by newspapers. This paradigm shift in the new generation’s approach to news is based on three main fields: convenience, immediate accessibility. In fact, they are seen in a much more varied and updated perspective thanks to the use of social media.




The information on social media


As we said earlier, social media has become the new information channels for young people. They had the ability to change the way they think, offering the ability to quickly jump from one topic to another and spend less time on each topic. This, then, allows young people to come into contact with more news in a much shorter period of time. Information, in fact, in this era is characterized by its brevity and immediacy, rather than by the deepening and reflection characteristic of paper newspapers.



The information through the memes


One of the key elements of the new digital language on social networks that has allowed the dissemination of this type of information is definitely the meme. It has made it possible to transmit ideas, emotions and reactions quickly and visually compelling, managing to capture the user’s attention much more easily. The meme has multiple forms and in most cases is used with humorous and playful intent and is perfectly adaptable to social media due to its ability to adapt to any situation. In fact, while traditional journalism offers a much more detailed and in-depth narrative, generally aimed at a more adult audience, the meme is capable of exposing complex social, political or cultural issues in simple, accessible formats.  It is precisely for this reason that memes are often considered by young people more authentic and less filtered than traditional news, resulting more attractive and engaging for the public.


How Tik Tok and Instagram are changing the way we do research


As we said, the success of TikTok and Instagram as a search engine is clearly transforming the way people search and consume information online, especially young people. While in the past Google was the main destination for searching any topic, now more and more young people are turning to social media to meet their information needs, even on more serious and current topics. This change has a clear impact on many areas between companies. In fact, if they want to reach teens effectively nowadays, it is essential to have a significant presence on social media. The platform offers a unique opportunity for companies to connect with this young audience, promoting their products and services in a creative and engaging way. This will allow companies to create more creative content that will reach their target audience.






Conclusion


In conclusion, Social media are becoming the new Google for Generation Z, revolutionizing the way young people search and consume information online. This change will be radical all over the world and will have many implications for companies that will have to adopt their marketing strategies to succeed in establishing themselves in this new world. It is now clear:  Google is out of fashion, you have to focus only on social!



 

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