The top digital trends Gen Z is embracing in 2024

Known as the generation that runs the internet, it’s important to know the top digital trends that Gen Z’ers are adopting this year...

Whether it's transitioning to short-form content platforms other than TikTok, or popularising innovative social platforms, it’s clear that Gen Z knows what they’re doing; everything they touch turns to gold!

It’s no secret that Gen Z has been the pioneer generation for heading social trends, and with the rise of TikTok, these trends have skyrocketed like nothing else.

According to Pion’s 2023 Youth Trends Report, apps such as TikTok and Instagram have been made exceptionally popular amongst Gen Z, so much so that 67% of marketers have increased their “influencer budget” to appeal to these platforms. 

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Gen Z’s preferences and behaviours are shaping market trends, which makes businesses trying to cater to their needs that much more important.

Understanding insights into Gen Z’s digital habits can help you – yes you – foster an engaging online environment, using the platforms and digital trends this generation is using to promote authenticity- something Gen Z values greatly.

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If you’re looking for practical tips for businesses to use on adapting their marketing strategies to align with Gen Z’s digital habits, you’ve come to the right place. 

Emerging digital platforms: beyond the TikTok-sphere

While TikTok remains one of the top social media platforms for Gen Z, apps like BeReal, Locket, and Reels (Instagram’s short-form content feature), have also made their rounds amongst users this year.

In 2024, we’ve seen an uptick of Gen Z increasingly turning to platforms that offer unique experiences and features, such as Locket.

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Locket is an app that allows users to share photos directly to their friends' home screens, blending social interaction with everyday phone use. Platforms like Locket cater to Gen Z’s preference for real-time engagement, personal connections, and innovative communication methods.

Locket went viral on TikTok recently, prompting an uptick in downloads. Apps like these need to gain visibility amongst Gen Z, and the best way to do that is through TikTok, as it has the most reach and potential for virality. 

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As these platforms continue to grow, they present new opportunities for businesses and marketers to connect with Gen Z in ways that are authentic and engaging. Understanding the distinct features and appeal of these emerging platforms is crucial for any brand looking to stay ahead in the digital landscape.

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There is one platform in particular that has had young consumers hooked since it's inception. Yes, we're talking about BeReal. BeReal launched in 2020, but really took off in 2021. The concept is simple: once a day, a user gets a notification that it’s ‘⚠️ Time to BeReal. ⚠️’.

They'll then have two minutes to take a picture of whatever they are doing for their close friends to see. What started as a social experiment took off – the app has about 73.5 million users and about 43% of users are between the ages of 16 and 25.

Is there scope for marketing on BeReal?

BeReal became popular because it eschewed influencer marketing and ads. However, it recently launched a few notable updates. In January, they announced the launch of RealPeople: BeReals from Gen Z’s favourite celebrities and influencers. 

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Users can find The Jonas Brothers, Niall Horan, Nina Dobrev, Dixie D’Amelio and more, all sharing candid moments via the app. They also launched RealBrands: official brand accounts that can showcase their promotions and offers in the app.

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This was a clever move from BeReal. The brands, creators and celebrities that appear on the platform are all ones making waves with young consumers – BeReal shared they’d chosen specific brands that are “having an impact on pop culture today” – including MAC, Adidas, Gymshark and Glossier.

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Notably, BeReal has emphasised they’re not selling out. In fact, they specifically stressed RealBrands are not ads: users will only see their content if they choose to add the brands. Equally, they’re playing by the same rules as all other users. Brands will only be able to share spontaneous, real moments. If anything, they’re subject to more strict rules: they have to post within the two minute timeframe to appear on the app.

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82% of Gen Z buyers are more likely to trust a brand if it uses images of real customers in its ads. Marketers can use BeReal to give customers exclusive behind-the-scenes content and unedited, raw shots. 

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Gen Z’ers are now embracing new features of already-established social moguls, such as Instagram

While Instagram is about as well known as TikTok, Reels didn’t take off until recently. When Instagram reels launched, it became known as “worse TikTok,” or the place to go if you want to explore TikTok trends that had happened months prior.

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This blog, from 2020, discusses why Reels is a TikTok copycat, that Facebook “can’t get it right,” and that Reels is an example of everything wrong with Meta. However, fast-forward a few years, and the tide has changed completely.

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One author reveals how this year, she posted continuously on Reels, with her major finding being that “Reels work. They grow your account, increase your engagement, and will help your account as a whole and then some.”

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Adapting marketing strategies

In order for your brand to “do it right” with an audience that is so hard to please, there are a few key strategies adopted by popular social platforms that may help your brand appeal to Gen Z like Reels, Locket and BeReal did. 

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For starters, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Instagram Reels launched in 2020, and really didn’t even begin to gain major traction amongst everyday users until 2023, and is still on the rise in 2024.

Growth takes time, and if your brand isn’t reaching the amount of engagement you had hoped for, don't give up.

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Secondly, using other platforms to boost your product is crucial. Locket did as well as it did because it went viral on TikTok, a compelling, highly-popular social media platform.

Overall, it’s clear that Gen Z values authenticity, innovation, and let’s be honest, short-form content that requires minimal effort and fosters a short attention span.

So, experiment! If you’re using TikTok solely to leverage your brand growth, why not switch it up a bit? Move on over to Reels, and see what it can do for you! Start embracing unconventional ways to boost content. Again, growth is all about innovation. Embrace being different! 

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Like what you’ve read? Subscribe to our weekly briefing for Gen Z news and trends, delivered directly to your inbox every week. 

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This blog was written by Scout Weeks, Pion summer intern

Scout is a born and raised Texan studying communications and media along with digital studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Post graduation, she hopes to work in content and communication strategy for a travel company abroad, a la Emily in Paris. In her free time, she enjoys hanging with her best friends (which happen to be 4 cats), going on walks, and dissecting her Spotify Daylist.

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