Why Your Social Media Writing Matters
Success in social media is more than just having great visuals. Does your writing reflect that?
If you’re running a social media-driven business, it’s easy to get caught up in the visuals. After all, posts with images and videos tend to perform better than those without.
And while it’s true that visual content is important, it’s not the only thing that matters. In fact, great writing is essential for a successful social media campaign.
Why? Because your words are what will help you connect with your audience and build trust. If your writing is sloppy or full of errors, people will quickly lose interest.
Similarly, if your writing is completely unattached to the reality of who you are and what you do, people will see right through it.
If you take the time to create quality content that is relevant and engaging, you’ll find that people are more likely to stick around. And when they stick around, they’re more likely to buy from you.
So if you’re serious about social media success, don’t forget the power of great writing. Here are a few quick tips to help you get started.
1. Keep it simple: Use short, easy-to-understand sentences.
When writing on social media, think of your reader as someone with a very short attention span.
They’re likely scrolling through their feed quickly, so they won’t have time to decipher complicated sentence structures. Keep it simple and to the point.
For example, have you ever seen influencers and media marketers break their posts into one-sentence chunks?
That’s because it’s easier to read and digest.
See, you are reading one right now!
Do you find your eyes glide through these posts quickly and effortlessly?
If so, that’s the goal.
2. Use strong verbs: Verbs are the engine of your sentence.
Verbs are powerful in writing. They give your writing energy and movement. Much like fishing, verbs can hook and reel readers to the place you want them to go.
So choose them carefully!
Instead of saying “I am writing an article,” say “I’m creating an article.”
The latter sounds much more active and present, don’t you think?
3. Be consistent: Inconsistent writing can be confusing for readers.
If you switch up your style or tone too often, it’ll be hard for people to follow along. So, find a voice and stick with it.
Not sure what tone to use?
Think about who you are as a brand and what kind of message you want to send. Are you fun and quirky? Serious and professional? Something in between?
Your tone should be reflected in every piece of content you create, from your website copy to your social media posts.
4. Edit, edit, edit: Take the time to proofread your work before you hit publish.
The bane of every writer’s existence is the typo. They sneak into our copy even when you’ve read and re-read your work a million times.
But typos can be detrimental to your credibility, so it’s important to take the time to edit your work before you hit publish.
If you’re not confident in your editing skills, there are plenty of tools out there that can help, such as Grammarly or Hemingway App. Use these to help you catch any mistakes you may have missed.
If you want people to take you seriously, take the time to edit your work before you hit publish.
Plus, many social media platforms make it difficult to edit posts, and nobody wants to “delete and repost” their content.
5. Write like you talk: Social media is a casual medium, so your writing should reflect that.
Use contractions, emojis, and colloquialisms to sound more like a real person. And make sure it sounds like YOU. If you try to imitate someone else’s voice, it’ll come across as inauthentic.
Read your content out loud before you hit publish to make sure it sounds natural.
If it feels like you’re forcing the words, go back and revise.
6. Get help: If writing isn’t your strong suit, consider hiring a freelance writer to help you out.
There’s no shame in admitting that writing isn’t your thing. But that doesn’t mean you should give up on social media altogether.
If you’re struggling to create quality content, consider hiring a freelance writer to help you out.
An experienced writer can help you capture your brand voice and create content that resonates with your audience. (Plus, they know a thing or two about what makes great writing.)
Enhance Your Feed with Quality Writing
The bottom line is that social media writing matters — a lot. If you want your business to succeed, you need to focus on creating high-quality content.
So take the time to polish your writing, and you’ll see better results from your social media campaigns.
Are you struggling to create quality messaging for your social media posts? Reach out to me today and see how an experienced content writer can come alongside your social media strategy.
