Gen Z is turning social media influence into real economic opportunity for local businesses, and big brands are moving to accelerate that shift. American Express is expanding creator partnerships and rolling out a national grants program to help small businesses capture young shoppers’ attention and wallets this holiday season.
Small businesses are entering the peak shopping period navigating inflation, softer confidence, and shifting consumer habits, pushing many to seek new digital demand channels to stay resilient heading into year-end. With Small Business Saturday falling on Nov. 29, the stakes are high for local merchants to convert holiday traffic into sustained growth rather than a one-weekend bump.
“Small business owners are navigating an environment where customer expectations and behaviors are changing quickly…And many of the small businesses we surveyed said some of the challenges they see are rising labor costs and building cash reserves to manage unexpected events,” Elizabeth Rutledge, chief marketing officer of American Express told Fortune.
A social-media lifeline
Younger consumers are emerging as the difference-maker, using TikTok and Instagram to surface hidden-gem shops and restaurants and to validate where friends should spend next.
