Member Article

Exploring the preferences and expectations of Generation Z and their digital experiences.

Unlike their predecessors, who use the internet mainly to source information, 86 percent of Gen Z rely on the internet primarily for social media and entertainment, demonstrating a marked shift from “inform me” to “entertain me.” This is according to a new global study from WP Engine.

Where prior generations saw function or utility, Gen Z sees fun, connection and emotion. For them, there is no “online” or “internet.” Gen Z doesn’t distinguish whether they are online, on an app, in a social network’s platform or walking around with their mobile phone. To this generation, the digital world is ubiquitous and blends seamlessly with the real world- they price shop in stores, they hang out with their loved ones while waiting online and they watch their favourite shows together with thousands of friends.

The expectation is not just that the web will play an increasingly larger role in their life, but that it is, and will continue to be, an absolutely integral part of their life. 51 percent of Gen Z believes that in five years the internet will determine what they do on a daily basis, 38 percent believes their online reputation will determine their dating options, and a surprising 68 percent believes that online actions, including social media posts and past purchases, will affect future job offers. 58 percent of Gen Z even believe that they predict internet usage will be as accurate for understanding whether a person gets a loan as their credit score.

So what are some of the key findings that WP Engine discovered?

• Gen Z doesn’t just view the digital world differently; they are more dependent on it than previous generations. 22 percent of Gen Z can’t go for more than one hour without the internet while 33 percent of Boomers can go two or more days without it. Another 39 percent of Gen Z says they could only comfortably go without online access for 2-8 hours. In other words, 61 percent of Gen Z can’t go more than eight hours without being online.

• Gen Z is 25 percent more likely than other generations to provide personal information to gain a more predictive, personalised online experience. In five years, 47 percent of Gen Z believe that websites will know what you are looking for before you tell them. 32 percent of Gen Z would stop visiting a website if it didn’t anticipate what they needed, liked or wanted. In addition, 41 percent of Gen Z believes that in the next five years websites will become more human in experience by exhibiting personalised emotions when you visit and interact with them.

• 45 percent of Gen Z believe virtual reality will be adopted within three years or less. 76 percent believe that the way we interact with the internet will change significantly. Biometrics, predictive technologies, voice and gestures are all predicted to replace typing on a singular device. For Gen Z, technology isn’t a tool for productivity, rather it’s a door to empathy.

• Authenticity on the internet is a significant factor for Gen Z. 41 percent of Gen Z needs to trust that people online are who they say they are and reviews come from real customers who purchased the product and aren’t incentivized. Conversely, 72 percent of Boomers want secure payments online and are less concerned with authenticity.

• With so many generational differences, one area where all generations resoundingly agree is with the need for safer, more secure digital experiences. Three of the top five things that all respondents want most from the web are better blocking from malware, more protection from fraud or ID theft and better authenticity around the trustworthiness of a website. However Gen Z takes this a step further. Gen Z is over 25 percent more likely than Boomers and Gen X to choose a digital world where websites or apps can predict and provide what users need at all times over one where a person is completely anonymous and has to make multiple manual selections. Gen Z is transitioning from fearful to fearless, because they see security as an enabler of better, more engaging online experiences

Gen Z is a large, increasingly influential group with a relationship to technology unlike any previous generation. In fact, their human experience is their digital experience, and they are dependent upon it. Gen Z has never known a time devoid of online access and they depend on it for entertainment over information. They also crave authenticity in all aspects of these digital experiences, and see security enabling better, more personalised interactions.

Gen Z believes the future will be personal, with connected appliances and devices and uniformly personalised experiences across websites, apps, and platforms. This presents a huge opportunity to connect with them - in more human, more secure, more predictive and more personalised ways than ever before.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by WP Engine .