How can you write copy that appeals to Gen Z on TikTok?

This could be a great opportunity to utilize a Gen Z member of your company's team to help educate on an authentic Gen Z voice. And if your team doesn't have a Gen Z member (but your brand prioritizes marketing to that audience) – it's time to hire. There's no better way to understand an audience than by having that audience represented and having a seat at the table. Aside from that, dive deep into how Gen Z communicates. Not only in captions, but also how they reply to comments, write on-screen copy in TikTok videos, etc. Study!

1. Scroll TikTok. A LOT. Gen Z moves faster than sound, scroll through TikTok (their current favorite social platform of choice) and take notes! From captions to comments to copy on video - Gen Z is constantly evolving language. 2. Keep it short. Attention spans are short. Make it quick. Make it easy to understand. 3. Keep it casual. And funny. Legitimately. Humor and quip are the essence of Gen Z. They can smell a phony from a mile away, if you're wanting to connect with Gen Z through copy - make 'em genuinely laugh. And don't make it stiff. 4. Make it authentic. Remember when your parents used slang in the WRONG way? Don't do that. Do the research to figure out the right way to say "rizz" or don't say it at all.

Don't use copy. Use images and video to tell your story. An image is worth 1,000 words and a video can be worth a million. Use copy and text sparingly to earn attention and look for other ways to captivate.

Gen Z hates being generalized & addressed to in a ‘know it all’ manner. In my experience keeping the copy short, crisp, witty & humorous is the way to go. Again, don’t generalize, evaluate the message being delivered, keep it consistent to your brand message & lastly be conversational. One last thing to avoid: over indexing your copy with Gen Z slang, DO NOT DO THIS as it will come across as cringe (see what I did there ??) #KeepItReal

Short-form video started to boom after TikTok surfaced and TikTok is best known for its short, snappy content - and as majority of Gen Zers stream short-form content it’s the perfect place to spark their interest! Brands and marketers have the opportunity to engage Gen Z with quick and entertaining content on TikTok and to draw them into the bigger brand picture.

Gen Z has currently one of the lowest attention spans ever. This means that long-texts and content that takes too long to get to the point, will be ignored. Short. Fast. Remove noise. Remove jibberish. Use lots of punctutation. Separate your text. ALWAYS! Make your content text more dynamic. Change up the capitalisation and the way you write. But make sure the content is NOT boring and IS straight to the point.

Stand out by being inventive. Gen Z craves uniqueness in a world full of repetitive content. Don’t be afraid to try something new or different. This could mean unusual editing, fresh perspectives, or inventive storytelling.

Gen Z is THE content generation. Having been steeped in social content that feels performative, pandering, and fake, they’re chasing something different that TikTok and other Gen Zer favored platforms have in common: authenticity. Best way to start creating TikToks is to explore. The TikTok algorithm won’t punish you if your content doesn’t work, so keep trying different content ideas to reach your audience. One of TikTok's most defining elements is its ability to make its users feel good - so try to find a way to entertain your audience even in an untraditional way. Brands that can effectively communicate in entertaining way will reap the rewards on TikTok – and on their bottom line.

Gen Z can sniff out insincerity from a mile away. Be real and honest in your copy. If you're promoting a product or service, highlight its genuine value. Authenticity builds trust, and trust builds loyalty.

Gen Z values realness and they trust TikTok to give them what they’re looking for. For marketeres, in 2024 and beyond when marketing to Gen Zers, you need to be both authentic and transparent. And if you’re doing good for the planet and focusing on sustainability, that should probably also be part of your brand messaging.

One thing that hasn't changed is the interaction and engagement on social media. It's still the same - if you show care and respect towards your audience, they will reciprocate. It's important to remember that there is a person at the other end of the screen. Always keep in mind that social media is all about P2P (person-to-person) interaction.

Give Gen Z a way to join the conversation and add in their unique perspective. An innovative way I've seen this done recently is at the start of a video, the creator is showing how they set their phone up to get their cool shot. An example is the tapping your phone to the ceiling trend that blew up last year. Creators would show themselves tapping their phone to the ceiling before their fun birds-eye view video went on. It invites others to join the trend by showing them how to do it from the start. Not salesly, not pushy, just a way to simply invite others to join by giving them the knowledge on how to.

Consistency is key when it comes to any platform. It is the only way to stay relevant. Posting once every few months will not gain you the attention that you believe it will. For your brand to do well you have to show up, and stay true.

Keep your content regular and in tune with current trends. Staying relevant means being aware of what's happening now in their world and incorporating that into your content in a timely manner.

One thing that's missing here is the importance of encouraging user generated content. It's all about getting your audience involved and letting them be a part of your brand's story. When your followers create content related to your brand, it's like they're giving you a shoutout to their own followers. This not only increases your brand's reach but also adds a layer of authenticity. Plus, it's a win-win: your audience gets to be creative and have fun, and you get genuine, relatable content that resonates with Gen Z. So, start encouraging your audience to share their experiences with your brand on TikTok and watch the magic happen!

Leverage TikTok's AI creative assistant and inspiration tools available on their platform (Creative Centre). This dashboard is built to steer your copy and content, utilising TikTok's data resources. It gives you the insights necessary to effectively connect with audiences. Remember, sometimes the key to success lies in utilising these tools at your disposal, so you don't need to always reinvent the wheel.

Always stay flexible and ready to adapt. Monitor feedback and analytics to understand what works. Remember, what's popular today might not be tomorrow, so keep evolving with your audience. And most importantly, respect them as savvy digital users; don't underestimate their ability to discern quality content.