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Whether you’re a B2B or B2C business, you know that social media is a powerful tool to use in conjunction with your other marketing strategies. Social media platforms provide you with the perfect opportunity to connect with your audience and spread your message to a broad audience. However, the tricky part is it’s not always easy to grab people’s attention with social media posts.
While there’s no single 'perfect' formula for writing engaging social media posts, there are a few guidelines and tips that can help you improve the quality of your posts and increase your engagement.
Your social media presence matters more than you think
Social media use has become an intrinsic part of modern marketing. With the number of active social media users officially passing the 4.55 billion mark, the opportunity to connect with and grow your audience has never been greater.
Today, businesses of all sizes use social media to connect with customers and build brand awareness. But what separates the average business from the brands that succeed is the quality of their social media content.
In the U.S. alone, users spend an average of 65 minutes on social media a day. This is an opportunity for you to build your brand, showcase your products and services, and engage with your audience. By creating a social media presence that promotes your brand and engages your audience, you can turn your social media activity into a powerful marketing channel. The key is knowing how to make the most of your social media presence and harness its ability to grow your business.
5 Simple tips for writing engaging social media posts that work
Social media is an excellent way to get your brand out there and engage with your customers in an informal and relaxed manner. However, if you don't think about what you're posting, it can seem cold and corporate. It's easy to get lost with your marketing efforts and not engage with your audience.
Here are five tips to keep in mind when writing engaging social media posts for your feed:
1. Know who you are speaking to
As with any form of content, the first step in creating engaging copy for your social media is to know precisely who you are addressing. Are you creating educational posts for your B2B audience or fun and interesting posts for your B2C audience? This will help you tailor your content to the audience you want to reach.
You need to have a solid understanding of who you are talking to. This may require you to do some extra research, or it may simply mean talking to some of your current customers or followers. Armed with this knowledge, you'll be better prepared to write engaging posts that resonate with your audience.
2. Keep posts short, sweet, and to the point
What genuinely separates social media from other forms of content is that social media posts are meant to be bite-sized and informal. This means that posts are intended to be short, sweet, and to the point.
This ensures that you're making a point and that your audience is getting the information they came for. However, this doesn't mean that you should sacrifice quality for brevity. You can still be informative and educational without rambling on.
A great way to help you keep your posts short, sweet, and to the point is including relevant images, GIFs, or links to other pieces of content. Doing so will not only increase the chances of your audience stopping to see what you have to say, but engaging further by reacting, commenting, or visiting the link you've shared.
3. Personalization matters in social media too
While it may seem small, personalization is an essential factor in writing engaging social media posts. By tailoring your posts to the person/audience you're speaking to, you're ensuring that your audience feels as though you're speaking directly to them. This is a great way to connect and turn a one-time interaction into a future business relationship.
4. Your tone plays a role in how your posts are received
When writing social media posts, your tone is just as important as the words themselves. When you speak to your audience in a formal, business-like manner, you could be coming across as cold and impersonal. This is the opposite of what you want to achieve when writing social media posts for your brand.
By taking a more casual approach and using colloquial language, you're able to create a more personal connection with your audience. This will help you feel more authentic and help you build a stronger community around your brand.
5. Engagement is a two-way street
Finally, it's crucial that you remember that engagement is a two-way street, especially regarding social media. If your audience is taking the time to engage with your posts by commenting or asking questions, you should be taking the time to reciprocate. This doesn't mean that you need to respond to every comment or question, but making a conscious effort to do so will go a long way in showing that you value your audience.
Get the most of your social media strategy with more tips from the BBB
When it comes to your social media strategy, the more engagement, the better. By being active on social media and engaging with your audience, you're able to build a stronger community around your brand. This, in turn, provides you with a larger audience that is more likely to come back for more, which is a win-win for your business.
In need of additional suggestions on making the most of your social media strategy? Then check out the BBB business news feed and our BBB HQ for more tips and tricks!
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BBB of Southern Piedmont and Western N.C. contributed this article.