As TikTok struggles to safeguard its user data, a competitor focused on security is making a play for Gen Z viewership. Zigazoo, a threaded video platform that initially appealed to kids, is now attracting teens and twentysomethings by working with influencers like Jack Wright and Hannah Kosh.
To help its community age up, Zigazoo is launching a new app catered to Gen Z. That platform will take the Zigazoo moniker, while the company’s initial product will continue to serve Generation Alpha under the name Zigazoo Kids.
Zigazoo was founded during the pandemic and quickly amassed $25 million in VC funding. Its backers include big names like Serena Williams, Jimmy Kimmel, and Charli D’Amelio. The platform’s big selling point is its robust set of trust and safety features, which have earned praise from nonprofits like Common Sense Media. Zigazoo limits trolling and abusive language by encouraging users to create video threads in lieu of text-based conversations. A large moderation team screens all uploads to ensure they abide by Zigazoo’s family-friendly guidelines.
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By focusing on trust, Zigazoo has attracted Gen Z consumers who are tired of the toxicity present on TikTok. In a press release, the company cited a recent study in which 48% of Gen Z respondents said social media makes them feel anxious, sad, or depressed. Zigazoo is hoping to win over those disenchanted consumers by providing them with a more positive social space.
“We’ve had an amazing time scaling our Generation Alpha-focused social platform which has not only attracted millions of users, but also a wonderful lineup of investors, celebrities, and brands who love what we have built,” said Zigazoo Founder Zak Ringelstein in a statement. “We decided to launch this new platform after seeing that so many Gen Z-ers, looking for a more positive and authentic social media environment, had already been organically migrating to Zigazoo. We wanted to create a social media oasis that was especially tailored for this audience. And the timing is perfect given the potential that TikTok may become off limits to U.S users very soon.”
The celebrities who love Zigazoo include Wright and Kosh, who will appear at a launch event to celebrate the Gen Z-focused version of the app. When the Spring Break Launch House hits Orlando, it will highlight the big-name users who will populate the brand-new Zigazoo. That group will include influencers as well as actors, models, and musicians.
Zigazoo (the new version, not the one that’s becoming Zigazoo Kids) launches on March 25. The app will begin with an invite-only phase before opening up more widely in the future.
