Key Takeaways From Precisify's New Gen Z & Millennials Media Consumption Report

Evan Shapiro teams up with Precisify to tackle the attention economy. Our new cross-generational research report breaks down media habits across Gen Z and Millennials in the US. Get the exclusive data and expert analysis you need to cut through the noise.

Fragmentation across platforms is now the norm, what this report makes clear is that while Gen Z and Millennials may diverge in where they spend incremental time, YouTube remains the shared ecosystem where efficient, scaled cross-generational reach still exists. For advertisers, that’s incredibly important because it provides a consistent foundation for modern media planning.

Evan Shapiro shares his outlook on the research and landscape

The new Precisify report features an exclusive analyst perspective from media cartographer Evan Shapiro, whose commentary situates the findings within the broader evolution of consumer behavior and media economics.

Evan says:

“How these generations consume media dictates our culture and drives the flow of billions in subscription and ad dollars every year. Understanding their daily consumption habits helps us know where our culture is headed and how the business of media will continue to evolve.”

Key takeaways from the research

Despite differences in how Gen Z and Millennial audiences consume media across streaming, social and creator-led environments, YouTube is the one platform that consistently captures the attention of both groups and leads to conversions at scale.

Unlike platforms that skew sharply by generation, YouTube functions as a full funnel media ecosystem spanning short-form and long-form video, creator-led content, entertainment, music, search, and discovery behaviors.

The new panel research reveals 43% of Gen Z and 50% of Millennials report second-screening on YouTube while watching television, creating new complexity for media buyers who must plan not only for platform fragmentation, but for simultaneous cross-screen attention behaviors.

For brands and agencies, this creator-led attention model is increasingly important — not just for awareness, but for influence, product discovery, and downstream consumer action.

The research uncovers that Gen Z and Millennial consume influencer content across various platforms, with YouTube leading for at least 65% of both audiences.

Mark Bassett, Head of Influencer at Precisify says:

“What this data makes clear is that creator influence is no longer as fragmented as many marketers assume. Creators are now central to how Gen Z and Millennials discover brands, form opinions and ultimately take action. For brands, that fundamentally changes the role of influencer marketing, it is no longer just about reach or relevance in isolation, but about understanding where creator attention is actually driving consumer behavior.”

Download the full research  here for more insights.