The news: This month, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok shared trend reports for 2024, outlining what they think will take off among users—particularly Gen Z. Their forecasts indicate messaging, search, and shopping will become even bigger priorities across platforms.

Survey says: Instagram surveyed Gen Zers around the world, finding that sustainable fashion choices, self-improvement, and activism will be top of mind for this generation next year.

• Instagram’s report also played up the importance of messaging, noting that Gen Z sends DMs to connect with others—and that the majority have DMed a celebrity.
• The focus on DMs aligns with parent Meta’s broader ambitions for messaging, which it’s increasingly prioritizing. While brands can’t directly advertise within Instagram DMs, Meta’s “click-to-message” ads, which users can click to start a conversation with a business, are the company’s fastest-growing ad format.

Crystal ball: Pinterest relied on usage data and predictive models to inform its trend forecast. It expects blue makeup, combat sports, and “slowcations” will become favorites among Gen Z and millennials.

• The platform made its trends report shoppable this year via a pop-up in New York. Over the past few years, Pinterest has been working to become a shopping destination, rolling out shoppable ad products that are more focused on lower-funnel results for marketers.
• Pinterest is one of many platforms currently investing in social commerce. TikTok rolled out TikTok Shop in the US in September. Meta and Snap recently inked partnerships with Amazon that let users shop within their apps, after Pinterest announced a similar deal with the retailer earlier in the year.

While it has been through considerable trial and error in the US, social commerce sales per buyer in the market will almost double from 2023 to 2027, per our forecast.

Coming up next: TikTok commissioned several studies for its 2024 report, which focused on sweeping trends that brands should keep an eye on. For instance, it said “unpredictable, collective stories” that lack classic story arcs will become more common, advising brands to lean into co-creation with their fans.

• The app also highlighted its search capabilities, noting that hashtags like #tiktokfinds and #whattowatch are growing as people look to the app for products and recommendations.

Gen Zers are more likely to visit Amazon, TikTok, and YouTube before traditional search engines like Google, research from Jungle Scout found earlier this year. Now that Instagram and TikTok have officially launched their search advertising products, social search will become a bigger priority for marketers in 2024.

Our take: As platforms invest additional resources in messaging, shopping, and search functionalities, brands are increasingly motivated to dedicate more time and marketing dollars across these channels.

Stay tuned: Keep an eye out for more 2024 predictions in our Social Trends 2024 report, which comes out in January.