So I've wrapped my head around Turf-Wars; I usually lead my team.
BUT I suck hard at Splatzones and would welcome tips on doing better in this style.
There are probably tips for splatzones on the forums or it'd be better to make a new thread for this, but I have a few tips that I've found to be pretty helpful.
1. Rush the center. This is way more important to do in zones than in turf war, since whoever controls the zone first has an advantage over the opposition.
2. However, don't rush if your team isn't rushing. The last thing you want to do is rush and die 1v4 and then leave the early time period as a 3v4 for your team.
3. Most importantly, I see this happen so often in this mode: because you are contesting one central area, the teams will be going for kills way more often than in turf war. Because of this, it's not uncommon for the match to be swung in the opposition's favor if a two or more of your teammates are killed during your offensive. This then leaves 2 inklings fighting 3 or 4. Many people would try to continue to fight for the zone at this point and more often than not, the 2 remaining squids die because the 4 enemies have the zone and can focus on killing the 2. This then ends up leaving the 2 who just respawned alone. Thus, I find it so much better to just back and fill your special and wait for a 4-squid push, instead of staggering your offensive which will almost always fail if you are outnumbered.
4. Obviously, things change a little if you're playing defensively. If a few members of your team have been picked off, do your best to hold the zone but don't be afraid to back splatterhop while inking the zone. This is helpful because it'll prevent the opposition from controlling the territory (although you may lose it for a second) but it also puts you in a more favorable position for your respawned to jump to you.
5. Of course, always practice. Don't start a ranked match with a new weapon you haven't practiced with. Be patient!