Social Media and the Reading Decisions of Generation Z

Joanna Sobura

doi:10.18290/rns2026.0008

Published : 2026-02-25

No. Online First

Social Media and the Reading Decisions of Generation Z

Joanna Sobura

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0001-2939

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18290/rns2026.0008

Abstract

The aim of the article is to identify the impact of social media on the reading decisions of young Generation Z readers, including relevant platforms and content types. Based on a literature review and empirical CAWI research among 105 Generation Z participants, the study explores how online creator recommendations influence this group. Findings highlight social media as a key source of book information, comparable to family and friends. Short, dynamic content significantly increases book awareness and interest. Although creator recommendations influence reading decisions, the overall level of trust in book influencers remains moderate.

Keywords:

social media, social media marketing, generation Z, book promotion, reading promotion

Details

References

Statistics

Authors

Download files

pdf

Citation rules

Sobura, J. (2026). Social Media and the Reading Decisions of Generation Z. Roczniki Nauk Społecznych, (Online First). https://doi.org/10.18290/rns2026.0008

Altmetric indicators

Cited by / Share

Licence

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

References

Alalwan A. A., Rana N. P., Dwivedi Y. K., and Algharabat R. (2017), Social Media in Marketing: A Review and Analysis of the Existing Literature, Telematics and Informatics 34, no. 7, pp. 1177–1190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2017.05.008

Bessarab A., Baranetska А., Mykytiv H., Skiban O., and Tregub A. (2025), Media Approaches for Effective Book Promotion, Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología – Serie de Conferencias, 4:1500, pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.56294/sctconf20251500

Bruns A. (2016), User‐Generated Content, [in:] K. B. Jensen, E. W. Rothenbuhler, J. D. Pooley, and R. T. Craig (Eds.), The International Encyclopedia of Communication Theory and Philosophy, pp. 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118766804.wbiect085

Budzanowska-Drzewiecka M. (2015), The Effects of Blogger Recommendations on Young Adults’ Online Purchase Intention, Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego, Problemy Zarządzania, Finansów i Marketingu, no. 39, pp. 109-120. https://doi.org/10.18276/pzfm.2015.39-09

Chymkowski R., Motrenko J. B., Zasacka Z., and Koryś I. (2025), Stan czytelnictwa książek w Polsce w 2024 roku. Warszawa: Biblioteka Narodowa.

De Melo A. (2024), The Influence of BookTok on Literary Criticisms and Diversity, Social Media + Society 10, no. 4, pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051241286700

Dera J. (2024), BookTok: A Narrative Review of Current Literature and Directions for Future Research. Literature Compass 21, nos. 10-12, pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1111/lic3.70012

Eandhizhai P. G., Kavitha A., and Yuvaraj R. (2025), Strategies for Social Media Marketing to Engage and Shape the Purchase Behavior of Gen Z, Journal of Management World 2024, no. 5, pp. 36-41. https://doi.org/10.53935/jomw.v2024i4.692

Elkatmış M. (2024), Examination of Social Media Usage Habits of Generation Z, Frontiers in Psychology 15, Article 1370823, pp. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1370823

Euzéby F., Passebois-Ducros J., and Machat S. (2024), Exploring the Impact of Book Influencers on Reading Intentions in the Scroll Era, International Journal of Arts Management 27, no. 1, pp. 17-39.

Fauziah A., Siti Khaeriah A., Pratiwi A., Amelia D., Yusrul Hasanah H., Setiawati H., Firmansyah I., and Marsya Salsabilla R. (2024), Media and Celebrity Culture: The Influencer Phenomenon on Social Media, International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Studies 4, no. 4, pp. 264-268. https://doi.org/10.62225/2583049x.2024.4.4.3034

Guerra-Tamez C. R., Kraul Flores K., Serna-Mendiburu G. M., Chavelas Robles D., and Ibarra Cortés J. (2024), Decoding Gen Z: AI’s Influence on Brand Trust and Purchasing Behavior, Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence 7, Article 1323512, pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3389/frai.2024.1323512

Guiñez-Cabrera N. and Mansilla-Obando K. (2022), Booktokers: Generating and Sharing Book Content on TikTok, Comunicar 30, no. 71, pp. 119-130. https://doi.org/10.3916/c71-2022-09

Gupta M. and Sharma A. (2021), Fear of Missing Out: A Brief Overview of Origin, Theoretical Underpinnings and Relationship With Mental Health, World Journal of Clinical Cases 9, no. 19, pp. 4881-4889. https://doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v9.i19.4881

Hennig-Thurau T., Gwinner K. P., Walsh G., and Gremler D. D. (2004), Electronic Word-of-Mouth via Consumer-Opinion Platforms: What Motivates Consumers to Articulate Themselves on the Internet? Journal of Interactive Marketing 18, no. 1, pp. 38-52. https://doi.org/10.1002/dir.10073

Hrehorowicz A. and Chmielewska A. (2024), Znaczenie mediów społecznościowych dla rozwoju czytelnictwa w perspektywie przedstawicieli pokolenia Z, Społeczeństwo. Edukacja. Język 20, pp. 49-62. https://doi.org/10.19251/sej/2024.20(4)

Ilieva G., Yankova T., Ruseva M., Dzhabarova Y., Klisarova-Belcheva S., and Bratkov M. (2024), Social Media Influencers: Customer Attitudes and Impact on Purchase Behaviour, Information 15, no. 6, pp. 1-32. https://doi.org/10.3390/info15060359

Khalid J., Abbas A., Qasim Mahmood M., Tariq A., Khatoon M., Azhar S., Akbar R., Rafia, Akbar A., Meer A., and Din M. (2020), Significance of Electronic Word of Mouth (e-WOM) in Opinion Formation, International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications 11, no. 2, pp. 537-544. https://doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2020.0110268

Liu X. and Zheng X. (2024), The Persuasive Power of Social Media Influencers in Brand Credibility and Purchase Intention, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications 11, no. 1, pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02512-1

Manic M. (2024), Short-Form Video Content and Consumer Engagement in Digital Landscapes, Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov. Series 5: Economic Sciences 17, no. 1, pp. 45-52. https://doi.org/10.31926/but.es.2024.17.66.1.4

Mougharbel F., Chaput J.-P., Sampasa-Kanyinga H., Hamilton H. A., Colman I., Leatherdale S. T., and Goldfield G. S. (2023), Heavy Social Media Use and Psychological Distress Among Adolescents: The Moderating Role of Sex, Age, and Parental Support, Frontiers in Public Health 11, Article 1190390, pp. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1190390

Nadanyiova M. and Sujanska L. (2023), The Impact of Influencer Marketing on the Decision-Making Process of Generation Z, Economics and Culture 20, no. 1, pp. 68-76. https://doi.org/10.2478/jec-2023-0006

Nugroho S. D. P., Rahayu M., and Hapsari R. D. V. (2022), The Impacts of Social Media Influencer’s Credibility Attributes on Gen Z Purchase Intention With Brand Image as Mediation: Study on Consumers of Korea Cosmetic Product, International Journal of Research in Business & Social Science 11, no. 5, pp. 18-32. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v11i5.1893

Obreja I. and Frunza A.-L. (2023), Social Media Marketing: A Content Analysis of the Implications of Book Influencers, 14th International Conference of Doctoral Students and Young Researchers, Oradea, December 2023, [in:] Emerging Markets Economics and Business. Contributions of Young Researchers, Oradea: Oradea University Press, pp. 187-190.

Obreja I. and Manolica A. (2024), Beyond the Hashtag: Exploring the Multifaceted World of Bookstagram, The Annals of the University of Oradea Economic Sciences 33, pp. 553-561. https://doi.org/10.47535/1991AUOES33(1)064

Okhrimenko G. and Fedoruk O. (2024), Strategies for Using Social Media in Book Marketing, Library Science. Record Studies. Informology 20, no. 3, pp. 32-40. https://doi.org/10.63009/lsrsi/3.2024.32

Patel M., Sanghvi M., and Vidani J. (2025), Unmasking the Influencers Impact of Social Media Personalities on Gen Z Buying Decisions, International Journal of Sustainable Applied Sciences 3, no. 1, pp. 13-30. https://doi.org/10.59890/ijsas.v3i1.147

Prasanna M. and Priyanka A. (2024), Marketing to Gen Z: Understanding the Preferences and Behaviors of Next Generation, International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research 6, no. 4, pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2024.v06i04.26612

Prensky M. (2001), Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 1, On the Horizon: The International Journal of Learning Futures 9, no. 5, pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1108/10748120110424816

Ridwan N. H., Musa C. I., and Haeruddin M. I. M. (2025), Decision-Making Behavior of Generation Z in Online Purchases: A Systematic Literature Review, Multidisciplinary Reviews 8, no. 12, Article 2025384, pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2025384

Salam K. N., Singkeruang A. W. T. F., Husni M. F., Baharuddin B., and Pratiwi D. (2024), Gen-Z Marketing Strategies: Understanding Consumer Preferences and Building Sustainable Relationships, Golden Ratio of Mapping Idea and Literature Format 4, no. 1, pp. 53-77. https://doi.org/10.52970/grmilf.v4i1.351

Salman Farid A. (2024), Dynamics of Changes in Literacy Culture in the Social Media Era: Comparative Study of the Millennial Generation and Generation Z, KnE Social Sciences 9, no. 12, pp. 627-643. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v9i12.15885

Segarra-Saavedra J. and Torres-Huamanyauri Y.-E. (2024), Promoting Books and Encouraging Reading Through Book Influencers on TikTok, Ocnos 23, no. 2, pp. 1-16. https://doi.org/10.18239/ocnos_2024.23.2.479

Setio Devi K., Nurkamilah S., Roseliana Mazidah Z., Ilmi B., Setiawan Saefullah R., Iridayanti Kurniasih Rr., and Nurlistiani (2024), The Utilization of Social Media by Generation, KnE Social Sciences 9, no. 12, pp. 362-372. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v9i12.15866

Shorey S., Vyugina D., Waechter N., and Dolev N. (2024), Communication Preferences and Behaviors, [in:] C. Seemiller and M. Grace (Eds.), Gen Z Around the World: Understanding the Global Cohort Culture of Generation Z, Bingley: Emerald Publishing, pp. 31-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83797-092-620241004

Singh D., Katoch R., and Singh P. (2022), Social Media Marketing and Gen Z: A Study of Brand Attitude, Self-Brand Connection and Purchase Intention, IUP Journal of Marketing Management 21, no. 3, pp. 7-23. https://doi.org/10.24818/BASIQ/2023/09/040

Singh H. and Singh S. K. (2024), Bookstagrammers vs. BookTubers: A Comparative Study on Readers’ Preferred Social Media Book Influencer [in:] B. Barbosa (Ed.), Marketing Innovation Strategies and Consumer Behavior, IGI Global Scientific Publishing, pp. 325-347. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-4195-7.ch014

Sinha J. I. (2025), Tapping Generation Z Micro-Influencers for Marketing and Branding, Journal of Brand Strategy 13, no. 4, pp. 391-401.

Sobura J. (2023), Social media marketing jutra – oczekiwania pokolenia Z wobec aktywności marek w mediach społecznościowych, Marketing i Rynek 2023, no. 3, pp. 33-44. https://doi.org/10.33226/1231-7853.2023.3.3

Sosnowska J. and Wójciszyn-Wasil A. (2024), Komunikacja influencerska o książkach na TikToku. Przykład profilu @mrukbooki, Kultura-Media-Teologia 59, no. 4, pp. 150-167. https://doi.org/10.21697/kmt.2024.59.09

Thangavel P., Pathak P., and Chandra B. (2022), Consumer Decision-Making Style of Gen Z: A Generational Cohort Analysis, Global Business Review 23, no. 3, pp. 710-728. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150919880128

Waworuntu E. C., Mandagi D. W., and Pangemanan A. S. (2022), ‘ I See It, I Want It, I Buy It’: The Role of Social Media Marketing in Shaping Brand Image and Gen Z’s Intention to Purchase Local Product, Society 10, no. 2, pp. 351-369. https://doi.org/10.33019/society.v10i2.463

Wiederhold B. K. (2022), BookTok Made Me Do It: The Evolution of Reading, Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 25, no. 3, pp. 157-158. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2022.29240.editorial

Wijaya H., Listiana N., Nugroho F., Hertin R. D., Istiqomah N. A., Maghfuriyah A., and Anjara F. (2024), The Influence of Social Media Marketing and Influencer Marketing on Consumen Behaviour (Case Study of Gen-Z In Kota Depok, West Java), Neo Journal of Economy and Social Humanities 3, no. 2, pp. 64-72. https://doi.org/10.56403/nejesh.v3i2.203

Zasacka Z., Chymkowski R., and Koryś I. (2024), Stan czytelnictwa książek w Polsce w 2023 r. Warszawa: Biblioteka Narodowa.