Snapchat recently reported a sizable increase in mobile video viewing among its Millennial and Gen Z users. Snap’s David Roter, VP of Global Agency and Brand Partnerships, noted that there have been “fundamental shifts in mobile behavior,” especially among younger audiences. With people consuming tons of entertainment while staying home during the pandemic, video habits are changing, but what’s interesting is how different age groups decide to watch videos in their free time.

According to Interpret’s New Media Measure®, there’s a direct correlation between age and mobile video consumption, with the youngest generation, Gen Z, preferring to watch videos on mobile over TVs or computers – 47% of Gen Zers use mobile for video content compared to 24% who choose TV and 29% who choose computers. Millennials and Gen Xers are slightly behind at 40% and 39%, respectively, while just 30% of Baby Boomers choose mobile for video – these older consumers prefer watching on their computers.

For brands attempting to reach certain demographics, understanding which platforms people are more likely to use to watch video content can be hugely beneficial as they plan their advertising strategies. Putting ads on the appropriate platforms and spending more efficiently will lead to better ROIs.

The rise of mobile video consumption among younger audiences has also played a role in product planning at major media firms. Facebook, for example, unveiled its Watch Together feature for Facebook Messenger last September. Watch Together enables users on mobile devices to watch videos along with live videos of their friends for a shared viewing experience. Messenger’s Stan Chudnovsky said that younger users in particular (especially those who don’t have access to a laptop yet) gravitated towards this new feature.