Refuel Agency Study: Young Adults Outpace Teens in Social Media Brand Discovery
New research from Refuel Agency indicates young adults (18-24) are now leading brand discovery on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, surpassing teenagers. Many current marketing strategies may not reflect this shift.
Refuel Agency, a media and marketing firm, has released its 2026 Youth, College & Young Adult Explorer study, challenging traditional assumptions about youth social media engagement.
The study segments respondents into distinct life stages: teens (15-17), young adults (18-24), and adults (25+), differentiating between college and non-college students. This approach was adopted after the research team noted that nearly 40% of the youth population does not attend college, rendering previous college-centric studies incomplete.
A key finding reveals that the peak for social media brand discovery has shifted beyond the teen years. Young adults are more active in discovering brands on TikTok (30% compared to 28% of teens) and Instagram (29% compared to 23% of teens). Their weekly social media usage also significantly exceeds that of teenagers.
"Most brands' media plans still treat the teen years as the social media high-water mark. Our data says the opposite," said Liz Carmo, EVP Audience & Brand at Refuel Agency. She noted that campaigns based on outdated assumptions risk reaching the wrong audience.
The research also highlights that while social media ads and influencer content capture attention, their conversion rates are low. Tangible incentives, such as campus food promotions and coupons, proved more effective. The study also found young adults are investing more than previously estimated, despite lower credit card ownership. These findings will inform Refuel Agency's AI models for more targeted campaign planning.