Here’s a plot twist —
You can have the smartest social media strategy out there…
…but if your social media copywriting falls short, even the brightest ideas won’t bring you the content marketing results you want.
What Is Social Media Copywriting?
Social media copywriting is a WHOLEEE different animal when compared with more long-form copy like blog posts or sales pages.
When creating content for social media platforms, you’re working with a strict character limit and elusive trends that change pretty much overnight — not to mention that you have less than a second to grab your audience’s attention.
So, how do you charm your followers with your social media posts?
I’m spilling my best — wink-wink — copywriting tips for social media in this post.
How to Write Good Copy for Social Media
1. Always Start With Research
“Let’s get to the heart of the matter. The power, the force, the overwhelming urge to own that makes advertising work, comes from the market itself, and not from the copy. Copy cannot create desire for a product.
It can only take the hopes, dreams, fears and desires that already exist in the hearts of millions of people, and focus those already existing desires onto a particular product. This is the copy writer’s task: not to create this mass desire – but to channel and direct it.”
Eugene Schwartz is a great copywriter — even a legendary one — and he came up with a pretty groundbreaking idea that is now the heart of modern copywriting.
Great content ideas don’t come from YOU.
They come from your AUDIENCE.
When you know what kind of social media content resonates with your target audience, you’ll be able to craft social copy that makes them feel connected to your brand.
This is why doing your research BEFORE writing copy is a must.
Here are some of the best ways to do it on social media:
- Surveys and polls: For example, you can create Instagram story polls and quizzes to gain insight into what your audience is thinking. For longer surveys, offering a small reward (like a prize or a gift card) is a smart way to get a big percentage of your followers to engage.
- Starting a conversation: Social media is all about connecting with your audience. Ask open-ended questions in the comments section, or even get a little controversial and ask your audience for their opinions.
- Analytics tools: Most social media platforms have some kind of a built-in analytics tool. And if you’re using a content planner, you typically get all kinds of engagement stats. You can track these statistics over time to gain more insights into your audience and see what kind of content performs best.
Remember what Schwartz said.
Your goal is not to create interest — it’s to channel it.
2. Switch Between Different Types of Content
Want to know your target audience’s worst pet peeve?
Feeling like they’re being sold to ALL. THE. TIME.
People don’t like feeling used. If you’re only posting on social media to convince people to buy your product, it won’t be long before your followers grow REALLY annoyed…
…and tap that unfollow button.
Social media is all about building genuine connections.
This is why it’s important to switch up the type of content that you post.
Your social feed should be a mix of engaging, real conversations — not a broken record of the same sales-y message.
Social media experts often recommend breaking your content down into three different “categories”: education, inspiration, and sales.
- Education: sharing helpful tips and how-to’s that are relevant to your target audience. The goal with this type of content is to be genuinely helpful and to establish yourself as an expert in your field.
- Inspiration: connecting with your audience with personal or uplifting content that makes them feel like they know you. The goal here is to establish your brand’s personality and build a more intimate connection.
- Sales: advertising your product or service (duh!).
That said, you don’t HAVE to fit your content into these three particular categories at all.
In fact, it’s a great idea to come up with content pillars that fit YOUR brand and feel natural to YOU.
There are no hard social media copywriting best practices rules, except for one —
DON’T try to sell in EVERY post.
3. Define Your Brand Voice
Social media copywriting’s biggest goal is to form an authentic connection — and it’s hard to do that if your brand doesn’t have a cohesive personality.
Whether your thing is being quirky or serious, spend some time honing down on what your brand voice is and stay consistent across your social media channels.
Especially if you have a team, it’s a great idea to create a Brand Messaging or Voice Guide for your business, establishing written guidelines for things like:
- Words and sentiments you often use in your copy
- Words and sentiments you stay away from
- Your signature style
The more UNIQUE your brand voice is, the better.
So, trust your gut, get creative, and don’t fall for “you have to be XYZ” advice – the only thing you have to be is YOURSELF.
4. Don’t Overcomplicate Your Copy
The biggest copywriting tip for beginners?
Don’t overthink your social media copy.
Remember that you’re not writing the next great American novel — you’re creating an Instagram post.
Even though there is DEFINITELY room to be insightful, don’t try to pack too much into very few characters.
When it comes to social media copywriting, less is more.
Overanalyzing is also what makes the writing process drag out and feel so hard. Plus, it can make your social media post copy read stiff.
So, remember that most people are scrollers; aim to say more with fewer words….and start writing!
5. Use Character Limits to Your Advantage
When writing copy for social media, you’re writing for a certain medium that shapes your content.
For example, Instagram’s caption limit is 2,200 characters, but your caption gets truncated at 125 characters. Tweets can be up to 280 characters long, TikTok captions are up to 300 characters, and Facebook allows for a whopping 63,206 characters (but please, don’t use all of them!).
You can do more than just be mindful of the character limits — you can get CREATIVE with it and use it to your advantage.
Pack a punch into those first 125 characters of your Instagram post, and create a series of quirky tweets…the world is your oyster!
Whatever you do, think about how the format of the social media platform you’re working with can help you write more engaging copy.
6. Start a Conversation
Social media is a place to connect, so use your channels to ask questions, share opinions, and maybe even get a little — or a lot — controversial.
Many people go on social media when they’re bored and looking for entertainment, so share content that’ll grab their attention!
Remember that you’re writing for real people — not posting into the abyss.
7. Use a CTA
A CTA — or a call to action — is an essential element of every social media post, even if you’re not writing it with the goal of making a sale.
You can use CTAs to ask your target audience to engage in the comments section, share your post to bring new traffic in, direct them to a new article or resource you’ve created…
…and pretty much anything else under the sun
Every single one of your social posts should have a purpose — so think about your CTA before you even start writing.
8. Create Post Templates
Turning high-performing posts into templates can help you save time and effort. Using the same formula produces the most engagement from your audience and makes it much easier to create content that you know will capture your reader’s attention.
There are a few copywriting for social media formulas that you can use to write copy when creating your templates.
AIDA Formula
Attention: Grab your audience’s attention with a compelling headline or hook.
Interest: Spark curiosity or interest by highlighting a problem or offering a solution.
Desire: Appeal to your audience’s desires or needs, emphasizing the benefits or outcomes.
Action: Ask your audience to take action, such as clicking a link, making a purchase, or engaging with your post (ex., like, comment, share).
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PAS Formula
Problem: Identify a common problem or pain point that your target audience has.
Agitation: Agitate the problem and make your audience feel its significance.
Solution: Introduce your product or service as the solution to your audience’s problem, grabbing their attention with its benefits or unique features.
Example: Struggling to convert social media users? Not taking the full advantage of social media marketing means you’re leaving money and impact on the table. Working with expert social media marketers (us 👋) helps you establish authority across social platforms and start seeing more engagement.
FAB Formula
Features: Highlight the features of your product or service, focusing on what it does or how it works.
Advantages: Explain the advantages or benefits of these features, illustrating how they solve a problem or improve the audience’s life.
Benefits: Emphasize the ultimate benefits or outcomes that the audience will experience by using your product or service.
Example: Introducing our newest blog post package! With in-depth keyword research and strategic SEO optimization, our long-form content is going to help you rank higher in search engine results and grow your brand image. When you work with us, you start driving more traffic to your website and hitting your marketing goals!
You can use the copywriting formulas above to create templates for Instagram captions, LinkedIn posts, and other channels to encourage people to interact with your brand!
9. You Need a Hook
The world of social media marketing is fast-paced, and strong hooks stop the scroll and help your content stand out from your competitors’ content.
A hook grabs your audience’s attention and entices them to keep reading your caption or social media post. To write attention-grabbing hooks, you need to have a sharp understanding of your target audience’s needs and to get creative!
To help you get started, here are some hook formulas:
Curiosity Gap
Create a knowledge gap or provoke curiosity by asking a question or making a mysterious statement that leaves your audience wanting more. For example, “Ever wondered how a simple trick can double your productivity overnight?”
Shock Factor
Surprise your audience with a bold statement, unexpected statistic, or unconventional viewpoint that challenges their assumptions or beliefs. For instance, “Did you know that 90% of people are making this critical mistake in their skincare routine?”
10. Write for Accessibility
It’s important to remember that there are diverse groups of people accessing your content, including those using screen readers or other assistive technologies.
When you make sure that your social media copy is accessible, you not only expand your audience reach but also demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity in your social media profiles.
To make your social media content more accessible, incorporate descriptive alt text for images, use clear and concise language, and avoid relying solely on visual content.
11. Creatively Use Hashtags and Emojis
We ❤️ emojis! They’re awesome and are an excellent example of how you can write more creative and relatable content. People have started relying on emojis in their communication more and more, so it’s important to make sure that your social media marketing is up to date!
You can use emojis to add some humor to your social media content, put emphasis on certain parts of your post, or communicate your tone of voice better. The point is that emojis are extremely important and can help you stand out across different platforms!
12. Invest in Copywriting Tools and Training
If you want to write your own content for social media, you need to always focus on improving your copywriting skills so you can write captions that connect and convert.
Investing in copywriting tools and educational trainings are great ways to figure out how to speak directly to your audience’s pain points and write strong copy across different channels. Remember that practice makes perfect!
Copywriting Tips for Various Social Media Channels
Creating high-converting copywriting for social media depends a lot on the platform that you’re posting on.
Creating content on Instagram is different from creating content on LinkedIn or another social media platform, so it’s important to be aware of what the best practice for each platform is.
- Instagram: Prioritize visual storytelling by using high-quality images or videos that align with your brand’s aesthetic and write compelling captions that spark conversations with your audience.
- LinkedIn: Focus on providing valuable insights, industry knowledge, and professional expertise to establish credibility and engage your social network.
- Facebook: Mix graphic design visuals, informative posts, and interactive content like polls or live videos to keep your followers engaged. You can also explore features like Facebook groups!
There are many other social media platforms out there, so make sure to research what types of marketing work for other platforms.
FAQs
What Are Some Common Mistakes To Avoid in Social Media Copywriting?
Figuring out how to create great copywriting for social media is tricky. A common mistake is forgetting to customize your content to match the vibe of the platform and the people you’re talking to.
Creating content for Instagram is different from creating content for LinkedIn, so always take into consideration the platform and your target audience.
It’s also important to avoid using too many branded hashtags and to much fancy industry talk – it can clutter your content and make people less likely to engage.
How Can Brands Promote Their Products Through Social Media Copywriting?
There are so many opportunities to promote your products or services through social media! You can share visual content with compelling captions on Instagram to draw attention to your brand through storytelling and lifestyle marketing.
You can also market on LinkedIn to other businesses and grow your authority in your niche. Social media channels like Pinterest can help you generate more leads.
Can I Outsource Social Media Copywriting?
Absolutely!
In fact, it’s a great idea. Outsourcing your social media copywriting allows you to create more effective social media content and engage more of your audience while staying in your zone of genius.
It’s an initial investment, but it saves you money and time in the long-run! Get in touch with us to learn more about how a social media copywriter can help you brand grow!
Need Help Copywriting Social Media Posts?
Social media copywriting can get tricky…
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