TikTok for Business releases its What’s Next Trend Report*, outlining what categories are set to have an impact in the UAE and KSA in 2022. The report, which explores fashion, beauty & self-care, food & beverage, and technology, identifies content that saw significant growth in 2021 or remained amongst the most popular themes for Arab audiences and can have a promising impact for brands in 2022. Designed to help businesses better understand what is performing well on the platform and get a full grasp of the current state of affairs on TikTok, the What’s Next Trends Report spotlights key regional insights, rising trends, and top tips for brands in 2022, alongside case studies to help brands prosper on the platform this year.

Shant Oknayan, General Manager of Global Business Solutions, TikTok, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa, said, “Over the past few years, we’ve dedicated our efforts to guiding businesses towards growing on TikTok and optimizing the opportunities the platform has to offer. In 2021, we saw brands increasingly leveraging those initiatives and tools, which has translated into an exponential increase in impact, from discovery and awareness to purchasing intent all the way to selling out. Most importantly, we have seen brands of all sizes adopt our communities as part of theirs and create authentic and fun content that builds connections and fuels growth. With this valuable report, we aim to level up their knowledge and equip them with the right insights to optimize the opportunities coming their way throughout this year.”

Here's what TikTok's trends reports predict for 2022:

Tech & Electronics

On TikTok, a thriving community of tech enthusiasts and real-life tech experts come together to engage, create, and share experiences. In 2021, the audiences took to the platform to browse through creators' unfiltered reviews of the latest devices, watch relatable tech struggles in brilliant VFX fashion, and learn genius tricks shared by the techiest techies in the field. With users resorting to the platform to explore the latest gadgets on the market or get their taste of phone-fixing content, the consumption of Tech content grew by 302% in the GCC. Current popular trends on the platform include “Community Reviews” and “Creators Unplugged”, whereas rising trends to keep an eye for include “Repair Flex” and “TikTok Famous: Appliances”.

Food & Beverage

If there's one place where food, learning, and entertainment collide, it's on TikTok. Thanks to the platform's creative canvas and the ingenuity of its community, "shortcut" recipes such as 3-ingredient cakes, #tortillafold, and #fetapasta bakes have become an essential part of the platform's modern-day cookbook. As a testament to that, in 2021, the consumption of Food and Beverage content on TikTok grew by 197% in the GCC, with users continuing to source inspiration from the kitchens of creators and everyday users. Popular trends that we’ve seen take the lead in the section include “Edible Edutainment” and “A Feast for the Eyes – and Ears”, whereas upcoming trends include “The Traveling Tastes of TikTok” and “Culinary Hacks “.

Apparel & Accessories

Upon making its fashion debut, TikTok turned conventional style beliefs and trend cycles upside down, moving the power of trend-setting from the world of high fashion into the hands of our creative community. And now, after a year of #loveitcouldntwearit moments, a new passion for fashion has picked up momentum in the region — and it's more authentic than ever. TikTok has marked itself as the fashion trend central over the past year and in 2021, consumption of fashion content on TikTok grew by 287% in GCC, with next-gen tastemakers continuing to virtually raid the TikTok closets of others. “From High Fashion to Hack Fashion” and “Life(style) Milestones” are amongst the top trends on the platform currently, whilst “Stitch'ed & Sewn” and “Formal Wear's #ForYou Comeback” make the list of the most rising trends to keep an eye out for.

Beauty & Personal Care

Throughout the past decade or so, the "fight against fake" has taken over the beauty landscape, with marketing that endorses diverse body types, skin imperfections, and "no makeup" makeup looks. Truly leading this shift are next-gen beauty enthusiasts, who are increasingly convinced that looking your best comes from feeling your best, embracing all the imperfections and flaws that make you. As a result, beauty content is booming on TikTok. In 2021, consumption of beauty content grew by 169% in GCC, with beauty aficionados sourcing inspiration from the full-screen bathrooms of others to replicate makeup #tutorials and experiments with DIY regimens. The most popular trends amongst those regimens include “Tutorials Glow Up” and “Creator Glam Squads”, whereas rising trends include “Skin Positivity”.

*The report was compiled using comprehensive insights by TikTok For Business based on platform performance on TikTok, from October 2020 to October 2021, and quantitative first-party data were analyzed.