It’s no secret by now that social marketing is more than worth your time and money. In fact, it’s become less of a helpful resource and more of a downright necessity in recent years. As we’ve discussed on this very blog before, there are now 2.3 billion active users on social media in 2016, and 51 percent of all purchases were influenced by social media.
So, we know that you know that you should be marketing your business on social media. But we’ve certainly noticed a whole lot of companies that aren’t using it as well as they could be, specifically in their social media copywriting. It’s not hard to get better at writing for social, and we’re here to help. Here are five ways you can start putting digital pen to social paper in more successful, engaging ways.
Tip #1: Get to the point
Brevity is the essence of social marketing. Before posting that Facebook status on your page, take a look at it and take out all the flair. The fact is that posts with less than 80 characters have a 27 percent better rate of engagement. Stop showing off and stick to the basics.
Tip #2: Actually have a point
Social media is bloated with businesses pumping out content. Why should anyone read yours? Make sure your posts are informative, useful and engaging. Content for the sake of content is essentially dead. If you manage to be both brief and provide information the reader can actually use — you, sir or ma’am, have mastered social copywriting.
Tip #3: Show, don’t tell
If you’re not regularly using images and videos in your social media posts, what are you doing? Besides the fact that Facebook tends to prioritize photo and video content in people’s feeds, everyone is more likely to react to an interesting visual. It’s human! Make pictures and videos one of your primary concerns. Also keep in mind, in reference to our last point, that a nice infographic is a great way to convey more detailed information in a compelling (and shareable) way.
Tip #4: Don’t be afraid of the first-person voice
The stiff, businesslike tone of (October 14, 2016)’s copywriting is the Big Bad Wolf of social marketing. Loosen up and act like a person: Use “I” and/or “we.” Don’t tweet, “For all your business guy needs, look no further than Business Guy Business Stuff.” Just shake off some of that professionalism and say, “We’re so excited to help you get that business guy stuff we all need!” (Well, don’t say exactly that, but you get the idea.)
Tip #5: Headlines are key
Attention-grabbing headlines have been a necessity since newspapers first started pressing, but now the social world practically revolves around them. Online empires have been built on the backs of headlines that promise the world in just a click. If you’re linking to one of your blogs or website pages on your social site, take the time to ensure that the headline that pops up from that link is dynamic and juicy. (And remember, on Facebook, you can rewrite the headline that shows up on their feeds to be specifically targeted for social.)
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