Young consumers and social media influence
Editor’s note: Ciara Murphy is a research and insights manager at Snap Inc. with over a decade of experience conducting advertising and audience research. She specializes in transforming consumer insights into compelling narratives that help brand partners and marketing stakeholders understand the "why" behind the numbers.
Telecom has long been defined by churn, price sensitivity and practical decision-making. But for younger consumers, more of that journey is now happening in social environments.
New research that we conducted with Snapchat points to a clear shift: For Gen Z and Millennial consumers, social media is not just a channel for awareness. It is part of the decision-making process itself.
In a category where loyalty is often weak, 69% of Snapchatters surveyed said they have changed service providers since signing up for their first plan. The research also found that 78% of Gen Z respondents make their own purchasing decisions, suggesting younger consumers are both willing and empowered to switch.
For brands, competing on price and network claims remains important, but it is no longer enough. The social layer that exists during the path to purchase is now pervasive, helping consumers explore options, validate choices and decide when to act. Understanding its role requires a nuanced approach to market research.
Social has become part of the research process
One of the clearest findings is how deeply social is embedded in telecom consideration. Seventy-one percent of Snapchatters said they use social media to research telecom providers and plans.
In high-consideration categories, marketers often separate discovery from evaluation. But younger consumers do not necessarily experience those steps as distinct. They move fluidly across content, recommendations, reviews and advertising, often within the same platform.
For marketers, that means social content must go beyond generating impressions and actually help people evaluate.
In telecom, validation matters as much as information
Telecom decisions may be practical, but they are not made in a vacuum. Among Snapchatters, 70% said they turn to friends and family first when looking for information on social, and they were more than twice as likely as non-users to rely on friends when choosing their first telecom plan.
Social doesn’t replace traditional word-of-mouth but rather hosts and amplifies it. In telecom, people are not just asking what the cheapest plan is; they are also asking what feels like the right choice for someone like them.
Creators can help simplify a complex category
Creators are also playing a growing role in telecom decisions. Snapchatters were twice as likely as non-users to sign up with a telecom brand if they saw a creator discuss it, and two-thirds said creators have at least some influence on their telecom purchases.
That is notable in a category not traditionally seen as creator-driven. But creator content can make plans, bundles and financing options feel more understandable and relevant, and authenticity is likely what determines whether that influence leads to action.
Life transitions create moments of openness
Timing also matters. Major life events such as graduating or starting a new job emerged as key triggers for provider switching and plan reassessment.
Consumers often stay with a provider until something changes: a move, a new budget or a new household. For younger consumers, these moments are especially important because they are often making these decisions independently for the first time.
How social drives purchase decisions: The opportunity goes beyond awareness
Perhaps the most consequential finding is that social influence is translating into action. More than half of Snapchatters (55%) said they had purchased a telecom plan or switched carriers after seeing an ad on the platform.
While self-reported behavior should be interpreted carefully, there is a lesson here that social is helping move consumers past the consideration stage and spurring them to take action. For telecom marketers, that means social should be treated as a core part of how category decisions happen.