Instagram has published its 2023 Trends Report, which aims to highlight the top, rising shifts for the coming year among Gen Z users, based on usage insights, survey data and more.

Though I’m not entirely sure about the methodology - as per Instagram:

“Our findings, included in this report, began with a simple question about summing up 2023 in one word. Our top responses: Healing, Energized, and Main Character Energy.”

Yeah. Okay.

The 22-page report, which you can download here, highlights five key trend areas in the main section:

• Recycle, Reuse, Reconstruct
• Taking Action
• Climate and Expressive Beauty
• Alt Takes On The Metaverse
• The Financial Renaissance

Each trend comes with its own page, along with an emoji aligned with that trend:

The summaries provide some interesting notes, which could help in your planning.

Some of the key data points shared, from a marketing perspective, include:

• In 2023, more members of Gen Z will use their dollars to support causes and communities
• Over half of Gen Z social media users plan to get fashion or beauty inspiration from digital avatars or influencers in 2023
• 2 out of 3 Gen Z shoppers plan to buy skincare or beauty products that protect against extreme weather and sun
• More than half of Gen Z respondents said they plan to DIY their clothes in 2023

The rise of virtual influencers and digital avatars looks set to become even more embedded next year, though I’d be willing to bet against more than half of Gen Z actually making their own clothes (another note suggests that thrift shopping will increase, which I can see as a more likely alternative).

The report also looks at creator trends, with Instagram noting that nearly two thirds of Gen Z users are planning to use social media to make money in 2023.

Instagram’s been working to provide more options on this front, and it’s interesting to see such a high proportion of respondents looking to make money from their social media posts. Makes me wonder about the specific audience used for the survey – but based on this, a lot more people will be looking for revenue opportunities in social apps in 2023.

There’s also a page on dating (?)

Look, the report itself feels very much like it’s been put together by people who think they’re really in touch with the latest trends, but probably aren’t really. That, of course, doesn’t invalidate the stats and insights shared, but the report summary itself, I’m not sure is as valuable as it could be.

And the fonts and styles used are… not great.

Maybe it’s me that’s out of touch, but essentially, I didn’t find the overview as insightful as I felt it could have been. But maybe I missed something – you can download it for yourself and check it out.

To accompany the report, pop culture reporter Darian Symoné Harvin will also be chatting with Gen Z trendsetters about their predictions for the new year. You’ll be able to view those interview clips here.