A woman has gone viral after sharing the key differences in how different generations post stories on Instagram, and the social media viewers can’t get enough.
Alexandria Haddad, 34, shared the video on TikTok (@alexandriahaddad) and offered her theory about how Generation Z, millennials and baby boomers post content on Instagram. While it seems that Gen Z (people born between 1997 and 2012) prefer simple Instagram stories without much on-screen text, boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) do the complete opposite. Haddad jokingly told Newsweek that they “take full advantage of editing capabilities.”
As for millennials (born between 1981 and 1997), chances are they will tag their location and whom they’re with and throw in a caption for good measure. In most cases, millennials “really care how their stories are curated and perceived,” according to Haddad, who lives in New Jersey.
Since she shared her theory on TikTok, the video has captured plenty of attention. In just several days, the clip has gained over 2.3 million views and more than 164,400 likes.
Alexandria Haddad, 34, explains on TikTok how different generations post stories on Instagram. Haddad, a millennial, loves seeing how people of different ages express themselves on social media.
@alexandriahaddad / TikTok
“Gen Z do not add any text, GIFs or tags on their story posts in most cases. Their stories are either shared photo dumps, zoomed-in photos or photos that fit the vibe,” Haddad said.
“Whereas millennials love to aesthetically edit their photos and are constantly tagging their partners, friends, restaurants and locations. They also caption their photos on [Instagram] Stories either with a description of what they are doing or just a witty caption,” she said.
Finding a description of how Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) posts was more difficult. Haddad said they “aren’t chronically online” and post minimally. They prefer to use social media to check in with friends and family rather than post publicly.
As for boomers, expect their Stories to include all the GIFs, filters and large fonts, with photos rotated so they’re at an angle, and plenty of embellishment. Haddad doesn’t see this as a negative, however, as she admires their self-expression.
Of course, if Haddad, the owner of social media agency Aesthetics Social, had to pick which generation is her favorite, there’s no doubt what her answer would be. “Millennials, of course, because that is my tribe,” she said.
While these differences might seem minor (and there are certainly far greater matters that divide the generations), Haddad suggests they are the result of each generation’s relationship with social media.
She believes the younger generations use the idea that “the more raw and real” something is, the better. By contrast, older generations want to use every single editing tool at their disposal.
She told Newsweek: “Gen Z grew up with social media, and they either don’t care to post on these platforms because they crave a more authentic connection or they don’t see the need to embellish when posting.
“The older generations have so many options at their fingertips for expression. So why not use them all at once?” she said.
This was echoed by trends expert and speaker Daniel Levine of the Avant-Guide Institute, who says that older people don’t care about “gaining online clout” and making sure their posts look polished. For them, it’s just a bit of fun and a novel way to share information.
Levine told Newsweek: “People from different generations post differently, just as they have different sensibilities and even talk differently in real life.
“Online, Gen Z content is often super casual and laced with humor based on personal experiences. By contrast, millennials usually share more polished content, and they take a more strategic approach about what they think will benefit their personal brand.”
It isn’t just what they’re posting on social media that differentiates the generations. Levine suggests that there’s also disparity in where they’re posting it. People of different ages tend to go for the social media platform that has the most “technological familiarity” to them and helps with their social motivations, he said.
So while Gen Z might be well adept at using TikTok and love the millions of views they can gain from it, boomers are more likely to feel at home on good old Facebook.
What Do TikTok Users Think?
After posting her clip on TikTok, Haddad was blown away by the number of responses she received. In just a few days, her viral video has gained more than 1,000 comments on TikTok.
While many of the reactions were positive, there were quite a few contradicting ones too—especially from Gen Zers.
“It’s been really fun to watch my take on this trend unfold,” she said. “There were very positive comments and also polarizing ones, but it’s all good fun. I’m enjoying having conversations in the comments and replying with more videos to keep it going. That’s what social media is about—relating, learning and connecting with others.”
One TikTok user commented: “The millennials way is so much nicer and cleaner looking.”
Another person wrote: “I feel seen as a millennial.”
“It’s crazy how accurate this is,” added one TikToker.
Another commenter joked: “Gen X? Forgotten, as usual.”
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