“Gen Z is extremely online,” a study concludes after finding out this generation spends four or more hours a day on social media. Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, is a peculiar generation that grew up in the digital age. And now they’re carving their own path on social media, one that’s full of aesthetic Instagram feeds, dump accounts, blurry selfies, or no Instagram posts at all. If you’re slightly curious about how this generation handles the Internet, here’s a nifty guide on how to be Gen Z on social media.

Archive all your Instagram posts

what’s up with gen z’s Instagram accounts having 0 posts? just curious

— junc/o (@juncoc0) December 19, 2022

No, they’re not making a comeback like what Taylor Swift or The 1975 did when they were about to release a new era of music. Gen Zs archive their Instagram posts for reasons unknown but one could make a wild guess: Privacy. That or, as we in our geriatric age would assume, they’re trying to amp up the mystery. If someone is not on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you’d naturally be curious about this person. But then again, it could also be because these kids are sick and tired of the virtual life, they’d rather erase their existence from it.

Create a dump account

If a Gen Z kid has zero posts on Instagram, we’re betting our left big toe they have a dump account somewhere. Kids these days use an alter account so they won’t mess up their main account’s aesthetic feed. Think of these dump accounts as B-rolls of their lives — you’re getting exclusive access to the bloopers. If a Gen Z kid lets you in on their dump account, go ahead and feel special.

Learn to do photo dumps

If you think posting on a Gen Z dump account is easy, think again. We might have established that dump accounts are the messy alter egos of their aesthetic mains but this is an aesthetic mess. (Let’s just assume everything Gen Zs do has to be aesthetic). Snaps could include random shots of alley cats, selfies that aren’t aesthetic enough, random food, and ultra zoomed-in photos (never forget the zoomed-in photos).

Bombard your followers with aesthetic Instagram stories without context

@channingstatum dear millenials, we just want what’s best for you &lt3 #igaesthetic #igtips ♬ original sound – nicole

Gen Zs will archive all their posts on Instagram but still have highlights and post IG stories every hour. If that doesn’t make sense, chalk it up to the new generation’s overall social media aesthetic. And these are not your average IG stories of selfies layered with corny text — no. These are taken with an aesthetic in mind but little to no context. A random photo of a sunset, a photo of their shoes, and tons of mirror selfies.

Get on BeReal

@johndyso THIS IS OUR MOMENT 🫡 #bereal ♬ original sound – ac

Never ever let people know you don’t know what BeReal is. That’s equivalent to having a sign on your head saying “I am an old millennial.” We’ll tell you what it is so you can flex your newfound knowledge to the kids. BeReal is a photo-sharing app that allows its users to post only one photo a day at a random time to show followers what they’re doing in real time. These photos are simultaneously taken using the front and rear cameras. If there’s one Gen Z favorite app next to Instagram and TikTok, it’s BeReal so get on it.

Speaking of TikTok…

Get on Tiktok too

@des.quaait’s going down♬ original sound – des.qua

Millennials, do you remember the exhilarating feeling of finding out about Facebook and adding all your friends? Posting statuses, poking your friends, and uploading selfie after selfie was the trend back then. And now the same thing is happening for Gen Zs in the form of TikTok. Some millennials might not get the point of the short videos but hey, it works for the current generation.

Master the blurry selfies

@andrewlicout the thing at the end kills me #genz ♬ original sound – andrew licout

High-definition photos are cool but the blurry selfie adds another layer of awesomeness only Gen Z has mastered. But if you want to try it, here’s a neat trick for iPhone users: Switch to Portrait mode, turn on the flash, take a photo, and shake your phone a little as the flash turns on. The result could be an awesome Gen Z blurry selfie. Fair warning though, it could take a few tries before you perfect this.

Only the 0.5 camera lens matters

Forget all sorts of lenses your camera has, for Gen Z there’s only one that matters — the Ultra Wide Lens. It’s perfect for capturing landscapes and cities at a wider angle but Gen Zs love it for taking wide-angle selfies and groufies with their friends. It could be because wide angles tend to make you thinner if you’re in the middle and it gives everyone a view of your surroundings too instead of just your face filling their screens.

And now that we’ve given you enough tips, go forth and appeal to the Gen Z masses!

Do you have more tips on how to be Gen Z on social media? Share it with us!

Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube, to be the first to know about the latest news and coolest trends!