Rethink Media Group– Digital, Social & Media Marketing Team in the heart of the Midwest.
The content you put out has the power to make people feel passionate about your brand. Content marketing is a great way to share and demonstrate the company’s values to convert your target audience into loyal customers and fans. Here are 10 tips to help you become a Social Media Content Writing Pro!
1. Use A Casual Voice
What are your brand’s values, and how are you going to get them across on social media? Understand that your social media accounts are not supposed to be a replica of your website. Even if you are a serious corporate brand, you will need to soften your tone and make it more casual. Remember why people are using most social media in the first place — to connect with friends — and why they’re following your Facebook page instead of just visiting your website. Remember too, that while casual, your tone should be adjusted for each social media network.
For example, on Linkedin, the professional network, you might say “Our marketing team has compiled a list of the best social media writing tips. Click below to read them.” On Facebook, where it’s considerably less professional, you might say “Need to improve your social media writing skills? Check out our hot tips.”
Takeaways
- Avoid lengthy or convoluted sentences.
- Stay away from colorless “business-speak.”
- Don’t use an unnecessarily long word if there is a shorter alternative.
2. Keep it Simple
Although Facebook gives you 400 characters, please don’t use them all! The optimal length of a Facebook post is 40 characters and after that point the engagement wanes. Studies show that some of the most shared posts are just 11 words and incorporate video and emoji. If you want to share a blog or story with your readers, then introduce it briefly and include a link to read it.
Takeaways
- Your social media page is a great place to link to your blog, not to copy and paste it.
- Use emojis to illustrate your point instead of explaining it in long sentences.
- Use fewer words as a teaser to your link, video, or infographic.
3. Don’t Forget a Call To Action
Your Call To Action or “CTA” is something you need to be aware of every time you write for your brand. Does that mean you need to be constantly promotional? No. But you do want your target audience to take action, don’t you? Whether it’s to read your article, watch your video, join a conversation, share a post, or attend an event; There is always a desirable response. For social media, start with a thought-provoking question and an invitation for your followers to take action.
Takeaways
- Be punchy and direct with your CTAs like “Watch Now” or “Read More.”
- Ask a short question or make an impactful statement and pique interest.
- Don’t confuse your audience by asking for too many actions. For example: “Watch our video then come back and comment and share our post.”
4. Keep it Personal
Focus on using pronouns such as “we,” “I,” “me,” and “you” as opposed to “the company,” “the client,” or “the team.” Remember, you are trying to build connections and engagement — so lecturing your followers from your office won’t cut it. Write as though you are speaking directly to each person and you will see a much better engagement rate!
Takeaways
- Explain to your boss why informal language works better on social media.
- Speak directly to each person to improve your engagement rates.
5. Research Pays Off
You can be the best writer in the world, but if you don’t do your research, your posts won’t resonate with anyone else! For example, say your company’s target audience is women. What else do you know about them? News flash: There are billions of women in the world and they’re not all alike!
To write well you need to understand who you’re writing to. Create a persona of your audience; understand their interests, lifestyle and values. The more you know about them, the easier it will be to write directly to them.
Takeaways
- Create a persona for your target audience and pin it to your desk so you never forget who you’re talking to.
- Include data in your posts – for example, “85% of our customers surveyed love this new shampoo.”
- Tailor your language to your audience. If they are females aged 13-18, don’t use the same words as you would for females aged 30-45.
6. Break Some Punctuation Rules!!
You may be a professional writer, but social media writing isn’t like other writing styles! That means you can break some traditionally held rules when it comes to creating social media posts. Here are some examples that go against the grain:
It’s OK to miss out punctuation, abbreviations, and words to save on character limits
Unlike email or web text where block capitals are considered rude or aggressive, it’s OK on social media! The same goes for exclamation points! (in moderation!)
It’s fine to hashtag words or replace them entirely with an emoji like #Taco or use the taco emoji. In fact, if you don’t use emojis, you’re probably missing out on engagement!
Takeaways
- Incorporate hashtags in your sentences especially on Twitter and Instagram.
- Just because you have a long character limit, doesn’t mean you should use it. Short sentences are best.
- Breaking a few rules doesn’t mean poor grammar or bad spelling.
7. Write Great Replies
Posting updates is only part of your job as social media manager, You also need to construct on-point replies to your fans. This is where you really need to understand your brand voice! Are you the cheeky brand that likes to play with fans? Are you the straight-to-the-point brand that answers questions without chatting? Either way, it’s important that your social team is briefed on answering questions in the same style.
Takeaways
- Your replies should be in the style of your brand so your audience enjoys the same brand experience throughout.
- Your replies should be friendly, polite and informative.
- Your replies should be timely. Don’t wait too long to reply back to any type of comment.
8. Check Your Spelling & Grammar
It doesn’t matter how much fun your brand is, how casual you want to be, or how many abbreviations you’re using; Your spelling and grammar needs to be correct. Poor spelling and grammar reflect badly on your brand and will give your audience the impression that you’re not on top of your game. Use a free tool like Grammarly, that not only checks your spelling, but also your grammar.
Takeaways
- Don’t rely heavily on the spellchecker, it will detect incorrect spellings but not whether your sentence is grammatically correct. For example, “we are baring all” or “we are bearing all.”
- Don’t rush – read your content through before you post it.
9. Bring Your Captions to Life
You can have the best product in the world, but if you don’t know how to caption it, it just won’t sell. In the same way that a headline can make or break an article, a caption can make or break your post. This is especially true in the tech world where you need to summarize the product functionality in very few words to make it stand out. A good caption may be funny or informative, depending on your brand, but it does need to summarize the product and create intrigue.
Takeaways
- Remember, you don’t need to write pages about the product in your caption, simply link to a blog or product page.
- Always include a link to purchase or view the product.
- Keep your sentences short and punchy for added impact.
10. Keep it Upbeat!
Unless you’re managing social media for a funeral home, you need to maintain an upbeat and positive tone to your posts! I understand that this can be tricky, especially when you’re having the worst day ever, but you need to put your branding hat on and get happy! Your updates, captions, and headlines should be exciting, inspiring, and positive to drive your fans to take action.
Takeaways
- If you have a complaint on your social profile, acknowledge it publicly and then take it over to private messaging.
- Don’t allow negative emotions into your posts or replies or you will create a dark mood on your pages.
So now what? Maybe you’ve just read this and thought…”I have no idea how to find the time to get started with something like this.” That’s where we come in! We help create effective strategies for digital marketing, social media and various other forms of advertising. We are experienced, dedicated, and ready to help you take your business to the next level!
For more information, check out our website http://www.rethinkmediagroup.net and follow us on your favorite social platforms @rethinkmg for social updates, tips & tricks.
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