Whether you love it or loathe it, TikTok has undeniably changed the way we consume media. Long-form content is pretty much dead, and the fact is, if you can’t grab someone’s attention in the brief second or two before they decide to scroll away, you might as well not have bothered to hit “upload” in the first place.
Now, before anyone panics: no, I am not about to suggest that your next paper should be communicated via a lip-sync trend or a sped-up dance to an obscure remix.
However.
TikTok does understand attention in a way that most academic communication just… doesn’t. And whether we like it or not, attention is a finite resource so it’s worth learning a few things from the platform that – for better or for worse - has absolutely mastered stealing it.
Why attention patterns have changed
Once upon a time, people would sit down and patiently read long, uninterrupted blocks of text, not unlike the one you’re reading.
That time is not now.
We live in a world of constant notifications, multiple tabs, and devices that vibrate constantly. Attention hasn’t disappeared as such, but is has become far more selective.
In a world where people have the entire pantheon of human knowledge at their fingertips, people need to decide, very quickly, whether something is worth their time. TikTok didn’t cause this shift, but it certainly adapted to it faster than most other platforms.
But fear not, because the lesson here isn’t that “short is better”. It’s that “early engagement is better”. People will still engage with your content and messaging deeply, but first you’ve got to convince them that what you’ve got to say is worth their time.
Hooks, pacing, and visual variety
The most successful TikTok videos hook you immediately. Not necessarily because they’re shallow or meaningless – though there are plenty of those types of video out there – but because they don’t waste time in getting your attention.
Within the first second or two of scrolling onto a TikTok, you usually know:
What the video is about
Why you should care
Whether it’s going to be worth sticking around for the full runtime
Scientists often have a tendency to do the opposite. Warm up. Add context. Give a whole load of background for several paragraphs before getting into the meat of the matter.
TikTok-style thinking asks: what’s the most interesting thing here, and why isn’t it being presented to me immediately?
Pacing also matters. TikTok is a platform for short-form content and as such, people expect the things they see to by dynamic and attention-grabbing. If you’re giving a lecture, then a single static image shown on a projector for three minutes might be fine, but in the world of TikTok? It’s going to be a hard sell.
How to keep integrity inside short formats
A common fear is that short-form content automatically means oversimplification.
It doesn’t.
Short formats force you to prioritise. You can:
Explain one idea instead of five
Share the conclusion before the caveats
Flag uncertainty without derailing the message
Integrity is all about being honest. You can be precise, transparent, and responsible in 30 seconds if you’re deliberate about what you include and what you leave for later. You might not be able to get into all of the ins and outs of your research in under a minute, but you could certainly hook your audience and encourage them to visit your profile where you’ll have lots more videos which do go into more detail.
Oh, and the good news about simplifying your content without losing nuance? I’ve written a whole blog about it. You can read it here.
What to copy from TikTok… and what to avoid
When it comes to creating content for platforms like TikTok, there are many ideas that are worth copying, and one or two that should be left to the influencers.
Worth copying:
Retaining your audience using clear hooks
Kicking off your videos with strong openings
Using visual storytelling to say more than you’re actually, well, saying
Using simple and direct language to ensure broad appeal
Giving your content a human voice to help it resonate
Best left to the influencers:
Manufactured outrage AKA rage baiting
Making overconfident claims
Giving the audience false certainty
Trend-chasing for the sake of it
TikTok rewards confidence, but science relies on nuance. The sweet spot is being engaging without pretending everything is settled, simple, or dramatic.
You’re allowed to say “we don’t know yet”. You just have to say it in a way people will actually hear.
How labs can experiment safely
The good news is: you don’t need to throw your entire comms strategy into the algorithmic void.
Start small:
Test short clips alongside longer content
Reframe existing explanations into tighter formats
Try different openings and see what resonates
Pay attention to what people respond to, and by this, I mean not just what gets views, but what sparks genuine questions and engagement. Views are great, but comments will give you much more insight.
Experimentation doesn’t mean abandoning rigour, it just means accepting that how people pay attention has changed, and meeting them where they are rather than trying to coax them back to where you feel most comfortable.
Final thoughts
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that TikTok is all about dumbing things down, but as I’ve hopefully demonstrated, that’s not always the case. Instead, it’s about earning people’s attention before you spend it.
Scientists already have fascinating stories to tell. The challenge now is learning how to open with the good bit and trusting that your audience is smart enough to follow once they’re hooked.
And the best news: no choreography required.