What will be trending on social media in 2022?

The time has finally come! Instagram finally published its first edition of expected trends for 2022. Not only that this is a great opportunity to analyze what we can expect in the future of social media but also connect to the article we wrote on Gen z and how they will drive the business industry in the future.

Instagram stated in their report that their main focus was tapping into the minds of Gen Z.

 We tapped into the minds of Gen-Z to learn more about the rising Instagram trends across categories including music, fashion, creators and celebs, beauty, social justice, and so much more. From redefining how they approach education and the idea of a “career,” to maximalist fashion statements, these future-focused audiences are consistently creating the reality they want to live in. Instagram is where these tastemakers are leading on the creation of culture, exploring new territories, and taking what already exists in unexpected directions.

So let’s get started!

Trends on Instagram in 2022

In this interesting report, we can notice a huge variety of possible trends and the world of content creators, influencers, and trendsetters. The report covers areas such as Fashion and Beauty, Shopping, Music and Dance, Celebrities and creators, Career and Education, Food, Wellness, Memes, Gaming, and Social justice and explains what can possibly happen in these areas. So let’s start from the beginning

Fashion and Beauty Trends

Affected by 2 years of constant lockdowns due to the influence of pandemics, the fashion gurus from Instagram believe that the following 2022 will be a year of distinctive changes in the fashion industry and trends. Their prognosis is to expect a lot of alt-fashion. They stated that 50% of young adults are going to try bolder fashion such as Dark Academia and Nostalgic.

When it comes to the beauty industry, they believe that more and more younger people are aware of the dangerous effects of the cosmetic and skin industry and will most likely transfer and focus on brands and products that produce natural skincare products. According to the report, 1 out of 3 young adults will focus on buying “clean” and minimal products.

Shopping Trends

As 2020 and 2021 were the years of the e-commerce boom, we can expect to see further development of online shopping in 2022, however, with a little twist. The Instagram report suggests that there might be a shift in the way young adults will be shopping as more than half of them are looking for new types of experiences.

In 2022, we can expect huge support towards digital thrift stores as many young adults focus more on global sustainability and the reuse of clothing moving from big brands and fast fashion solutions. On the other hand, 1 out of 4 is expected to sell their own clothing through platforms.

Music and Dance Trends

Music and dance trends reached a peek through platforms such as Tik Tok and Instagram reels and they are here to stay! From what we can notice, it is expected to see bigger and bigger development. In the past 2 years, music discovery through dance challenges on such platforms increased the popularity of many smaller artists too. With this, music started to have a more visual experience.  According to the report, 1 out of 3 young adults is expected to see more dance challenges and are more likely to follow such accounts. On top of all,  70% expect to discover more artists and music through social media in 2022.

Celebrities and creators trends

Year after year we heard a lot about the good and bad sides of influencers and how much they impact people. On the other hand, we have what is today called creators. Same but again different kinds of people who have the ability to influence people one way or another.  In Instagram’s latest report they state, 80% of people say that creators have the same or more influence than influencers.

On top of that 1 out of 4 people from the age of 13-24 that micro-influencers hold the credit for most of the trends, and  4 out of 5 say that online “celebrities” have more influence than actual celebrities such as singers or actors.

Career and Education trends

Gen z says no to 9-5! This generation will definitely change how we learn, and how we work. The influence of pandemic made us all shift to online sources, however, many believe that this was just an eye-opener for what is going to happen in the future. It makes sense also that 90% of Gen Z believes that the real knowledge comes from real-world experience and many of them are considering alternative ways to lead them to desired careers as not only do they want to grow faster but also lower the amount of debt they have after finishing their universities.

Food Trends

Generations of home chefs! We are sure you came across a ton of cooking content lately all over social media. Based on Instagram, younger generations are focused on trying out recipes and learning how to bake bread, but at the same time making awesome content. According to them, 2022 should be a year of learning more kitchen skills.

Wellness Trends

It’s finally the time to talk about mental health and its importance. Gen Z is driving the topic all over the internet trying to influence people to shut down this taboo and focus on solving the issue. Together with mental health, there is a holistic approach to wellness and home enhancements. Based on the report, we can expect a huge shift towards more eco-friendly homes and creative activities.

Meme Trends

Humor, humor, and more humor! Younger generations love memes and so should you. As simple as it could be.

Gaming Trends

Gaming has been a huge hit for years and it is not going anywhere. Younger generations spend more time in front of the screen than ever before, and games became more than just a social platform. We the rise of AR and VR we can expect everything and anything. According to Instagram, 1 out of 5 teens expects to participate in VR concerts in 2022.

Social justice Trends

We have all seen what Gen Z can do regarding social injustice and environmental catastrophes. Not only offline, but also online. Based on the research, 52% of them follow at least one account that promotes a cause and/or supports activism. We think this is a great time to start working on improving the lives of others and to make a change.

What do you think will happen in 2022?

Now we got a question for you! We want to know what do you think will happen in 2022 regarding social media and do these trends sound realistic to you? Hop into the comments section and let us know! We want to hear your opinion!

Recommended reads