Motivations to use Social Media, Socio-Demographic Characteristics, and Perceived Quality of Life of Italian Generation Z

Purpose: This empirical study aims to identify the relationship between motivations for using social media, the demographic characteristics, and perceived quality of life variables of Italian young people, aged 12-20. This research is part of a larger study. Methodology: Data were collected from 24,676 young people in 2023 through one of the largest online platforms for Generation Z. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. In particular, our universe is the population of Italian young people, 12-20 years old, who use a popular platform dedicated to their age group. Findings: The study reveals significant heterogeneity in social media use motivations, demographic characteristics and perceived quality of life variables among the youngest Italian people. Five clusters of young people have been identified. This finding has numerous marketing implications for firms targeting their offering and communication to these buyer personas. Research limitations/implications: We collected data from a single European country and the results cannot be generalized. SMEs should invest more in social media communication tailored to different sub-targets within Generation Z. Originality/Value: No previous studies have used a large-scale sample to investigate the relationship between demographic characteristics, perceived quality of life, and motivations for using social media by Italian Gen Z.