Remember the college days when you use to groan at the task of writing a 3,000-word paper? Marketing can really make you miss those days sometimes and Mark Twain’s words explain it best.
“I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead,” said the famous writer.
Marketing requires us to write longer forms of content like 500-word blogs or 300-word white papers, as well as shorter, attention grabbing headlines and tweets. Can you imagine what Mark Twain would’ve said about Twitter’s 280-character count? Marketers around the world rejoiced when Twitter removed their character limit for photos and videos.
So why is short copy so hard to nail? Social media doesn’t allow us 1000’s of words to get our point across. The attention span of an Instagram user is so short, you have to spark an emotional connection with them in seconds. Lucky, pictures help to tell your story, but your copy really brings it home. We thought of 5 tips that will help you create enticing copy to sell, but not oversell your products and/or services.
Consider your Purpose
Why are you writing this Facebook post or tweet? Before you start writing, know what you want your audience to do with the information you’re providing. This will help you nail the subject of your copy.
Avoid the Obvious
Reiterating a message that your audience already knows won’t impact them. Think about it: how can you wow them with common sense? Instead, include something you know they don’t know or opt for a message that will incite an emotional response.
Reveal a Reward
Your reader isn’t going to click on your headline just because it’s there—even when they’re bored. There’s too much information out there for them to click on your link if there’s nothing in it for them. You don’t have to reveal everything, but give them a snippet of the benefits they’ll receive by reading more.
Beware of Fake Benefits
Always remain mindful that there are many others trying to sell the same products/services that you’re trying to market. Some will embellish a little when talking about the benefits of their businesses to gain more sales. Remember the key to social media is authenticity, so focus on what your product/service really does for your customers and push that message.
The key to social media is authenticity, so focus on how your brand really helps your customers. Share on XIdentify Your Target Reader
We always use think about our audience when writing social media posts, but let’s take it a step further. Picture your ideal customer. What do they look like? How old are they? What are they interested in? What are their needs and wants? What do they complain about? You can even draw this person according to your answers. Now write for that reader as if he is your friend. Just remember, if you have a professional audience, you’re writing to a professional friend.
Now that you know how to write for social media, learn what not to post in to keep your business’ reputation intact.