Which Platforms Are Best to Encourage Gen Z to Donate Blood?

If you're struggling to attract younger donors to your blood donation center, social media may be the solution. The average person spends 151 minutes per day on social media – up from just 104 minutes in 2014. When it comes to Gen Z, the numbers are even higher. 35% of Gen Zers report spending 4+ hours on social media per day. 

But when you’re building your social media marketing strategy, it’s important to make sure you’re targeting the right social media platforms. Let's get into it, discuss the top social media platforms among Gen Z, and provide some tips on how to develop an effective blood donation marketing strategy.

Understanding Social Media Usage Among Gen Z – Video-Oriented Platforms Are King

Many marketers remember the “Pivot To Video” trend that started in 2015. And while that may have been a bit of a false start, the numbers don’t lie. Today, video is king when it comes to social media, particularly among Gen Z. According to a study by ComScore, these are the most popular social media platforms among people between the ages of 18-24.

• YouTube – 84%

• TikTok – 61%

• Snapchat – 58% 

• Instagram –  56%

All four of these platforms are primarily video-based including Instagram, which has been very successful in pushing its “Reels” as a competitor to TikTok. There’s a pretty big drop-off from the above four platforms to the next batch of social media apps and platforms:

• Facebook – 34%

• X (Twitter) – 33%

• Pinterest – 27%

• Reddit – 24%

• LinkedIn – 10% 

• Twitch – 10%

• BeReal – 4%

While there’s certainly something to be said for marketing on these above platforms, it’s clear that if you want to reach Gen Z, in particular, you’re better off focusing primarily on video-focused platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.

Tips For Reaching Gen Z Donors on Social Media – Maximize Campaign Effectiveness

Just putting up a couple of ads on TikTok and calling it a day won’t cut it. Especially on video-focused platforms, users have tons of content competing for their attention. How can you cut through the competition? Here are a few tips on reaching Gen Z donors on social media.

1. Be authentic – Gen Z craves authenticity. According to one survey, 82% of Gen Z consumers prefer photos of real customers in advertising. According to another, 73% of Gen Z advocates for brands based on their values. Instead of a slick ad with stock imagery, consider a more authentic approach such as an influencer partnership or a testimonial from a real Gen Z blood donor.

2. Engage ASAP – On platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, users will swipe away within just a second or two if they're not interested in a video. That means that you only have a few seconds to grab a potential donor’s attention. A/B testing can help you develop more engaging, effective videos and ads that will boost user engagement.

3. Keep things short and simple – Short videos often lead to more engagement than longer videos. According to most experts, the best length for a TikTok or Reel is between 10 and 30 seconds. Keep it short and sweet and your content is likely to perform better among Gen Z.

4. Make blood donation a memorable experience – Even more than the millennials that preceded them, Gen Z are all about the “experience economy.” So think about how you can make the blood donation experience memorable and shareable, too! After all, you’ll get more Gen Z donors if you can encourage your current donors to share their own experiences on social media. Photo booths, post-donation donut bars, gift bags, unique hashtags – providing donors with a fun and memorable experience means that they're more likely to share it with their own communities.

5. Use demographic data to your advantage – One of the most powerful aspects of social media marketing is that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok collect tons of data from their users. This gives you more control over who sees your ads. You can target specific locations, age groups, income levels, education levels, and more. We love that Snapchat provides detailed information about interests too, such as the amount of people in the audience that are sports enthusiasts or love pets. This lets you target exactly the demographics you want – such as Gen Z blood donors.

Need Help Reaching Young Blood Donors? Incept Health Has You Covered

Social media marketing is an excellent way to attract more Gen Z blood donors – but creating a great social strategy isn’t exactly easy. So why not turn to the experts? At Incept Health, we provide a full suite of digital marketing services including social media marketing. 

With our help, you can attract more blood donors of all ages, get more recurring donors, and grow your blood donation center sustainably. Contact us online to set up a consultation and see how we can help your organization thrive.