Writing content for a content-saturated generation ✍

Yoooo what's u- hold on. Perhaps that's a little too casual for this blog post. Allow me to start over. *clears throat* 😉

Hi there! My name is Diya and I work as a creative content writer in FamPay. I write for various touch points of the company, including (but not limited to)

• the push notifications sent out from the FamPay app,
• the latest Instagram post from FamPay,
• an advertisement from FamPay currently running on Facebook,
• or even a personal message that was sent out along with FamPay merch!

Being a creative content writer is really fun because I'm not just writing content that's being expected of me, I also get to brainstorm with different team members and come up with ideas that our audience would love to see.

For example, I'm constantly communicating with members of the Research Team, especially when it comes to push notification content, as they guide me on who the audience is, what the right messaging should be, what the intent behind the communication is, and more. Besides, what would communication be without research, right?

Anyhoo, less talk about me and more about content.

Creative content writing is incredibly important to brands because it is, most certainly, a prominent channel of communication that is built between a brand and its users. What you want with your content is for your audience to engage with it, and also get persuaded to try out the product/service that the brand has to offer.

Writing good, consistent content can help with several aspects: establishing your brand and its tone of voice in a saturated market, boosting your search engine optimisation (SEO), increasing brand recall and customer retention, and more!

Don't forget that what you're writing is just as important as who you're writing for.

Always be mindful of the audience that you are targeting, as your ideas and writing style will have to adapt according to what your audience finds interesting, exciting, and relevant. So if I'm talking to the Gen Z, I won't be talking to them about early 90s nostalgia, because that's probably not what they're interested in. Instead, perhaps a piece on dating app comparisons, or a mindless quiz on what kind of Starbucks drink you are would catch their attention. Honestly? The stranger the better when it comes to the Gen Z. 🤷‍♀️

So let's address the elephant in the room: our beloved audience, the Gen Z. Did you know that the average attention span of a Gen Z is 8 seconds? It would literally take me longer to say my full name out loud. They're also constantly shifting between several digital platforms - averaging around 5 screens  at the same time. THAT'S how difficult it has become to capture the attention of this tech-savvy generation. The sheer amount of content that is constantly being uploaded and consumed online is no joke - (read here to get your mind blown 🤯) - so how in the world does a brand compete with that?!

Writing for this content saturated generation may seem like a sequel of Mission Impossible, but there's still hope.

Right before we get into the nitty-gritties though, here's a general point to always make sure of when you write content - always stick to your brand guidelines and tone of voice. Remaining consistent is key; you don't want to be changing your brand's personality through your writing every 2 seconds. For example, in adherence to FamPay's tone of voice, all the content we put out is written in a positive, friendly, helpful, empathetic manner to connect with our audience best, while showcasing our brand personality.

Okay, now on to the good stuff! Here's some tips to keep in mind while writing for the Gen Z:

Keep it short and sweet ✅

Remember when I mentioned their 8 second attention span? While talking to the Gen Z, you shouldn't be writing novels; you should be writing haikus instead. Create snackable content that won't take up much of their time - they have a million other things to watch anyway. It's hard enough as it is to redirect their attention away from video content, so keep your copy short, crisp, and to the point so that you manage to send out your message to the consumer in just a few seconds.

Make it relatable 😍

This stands for every consumer, no matter who they are. By writing about something that your audience can relate to, you further increase your chances of capturing their attention as you have piqued their interest on a personal level. So when it comes to the Gen Z, think of what they love and hate, what kind of experiences they have as a teen, what are the most relevant issues to them at their age, etc. So, for example, topics such as their school life, video games, the awkwardness of puberty, their favourite movies, TikTok, etc., are all things that the Gen Z would show an interest in, which you can make the best out of.

Check out some of the ways we kept it "rel8able" for our Gen Zs.

We also try and make special celebratory days more relatable by presenting it in a quirky, fun format that the Gen Z can relate to.

You don't always have to keep it PG 13 💃

We mean that in more ways than one. Just like how FamPay exists for the teen community (13+), we like to do the same with our content to keep it fun. Let's be honest - Gen Z is smart, and they know a lot more than they probably should at their age. When you step over the line and say something weird, with a possible double meaning (😉), it's more likely to get their attention, because it shows you trust them to be mature enough to understand such content. It almost feels like two best friends sharing an inside joke with each other.

Check out our caption for the post below as a fun example. 😛

Befriend the trend 🤩

Oh to be the origin of an online trend. 😩 Since that's not easy, you could play your part in the latest trends instead. Again, considering teens spend hours a day on social media, they are very much aware of the latest trends, which gives brands the best opportunity to come up with something timely, funny, and super relevant. You're also likely to reach a larger audience given that it's based on something that is currently taking the internet by storm. Check out some of the ways that we've befriended the trend -

Make them laugh 🤣

The way to a Gen Z's heart? Memes. Humour is one of the best ways to entertain your audience. There's a reason that meme accounts have hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of followers on social media - most of which consist of teens. Use a good meme to connect your brand with your audience, and they'll come back begging for more! Plus, memes make you feel good, and there's nothing better than being associated with feel good content as a brand.

Be their brand new friend 🤗

Pun intended. To get close to the Gen Z, you got to skip the formalities. Think of it as meeting their parents and calling them Mom/Dad from Day 1 - that's best friend material right there. You're their new best friend, and you're going to have to talk to them that way. Keep your communication funny, informal, conversational, honest, uplifting - basically all the things you'd want to hear from your best friend. 👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏾

Here's a few fun comment responses from us. 🤗

Personalise the communication 🎁

This works especially well for in-app content, push notifications, and social media DMs. Addressing your user individually by their name is powerful and personal. It allows them to feel recognised and valued, and helps you, as a brand, to cross that bridge towards becoming more of their friend! By the way, personalisation doesn't just end at using a name. With the help of research, data, and user behaviour, you can personalise your copy by picking up on the exact likes or pain points of the personas you're targeting, based on their past behaviour. This personalisation helps your user feel more understood as a person, and not just as an object who is a potential source of money for your business.

So there you have it! A succinct and hopefully knowledgeable blog post on ways to connect with the Gen Z through your content. Remember that it's all about trial and error. What may seem perfect in theory may have different outcomes in practicality, so it's completely okay to experiment and learn what your audience loves and responds to more!

Do you also write content for the Gen Z like I do? Connect with me on diya@fampay.in and let's exchange our processes and valuable experiences! Until then, God speed. 🙏