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The 6 Cs of writing for social media
Nicole Laidler • Jul 28, 2020
The 6 Cs of writing for social media
Last week I shared a few statistics about social media use in Canada.
After all, one of the first rules of effective copywriting is to know your audience. But what about writing the actual post?
Whether your goal is raising brand awareness, staying in touch with existing customers, or generating sales, great social media writing skills can help. Here are a few tips to help you hone your communication chops people don't scroll on by.
Be Concise.
Social media isn’t the place to dump a case study, or wax poetical on your latest product or service. Even though most platforms have expanded their character count, that doesn’t mean you should use them all. Keep your posts short – two to four sentences tops. After that, attention wanes.
Social media isn’t the place to dump a case study, or wax poetical on your latest product or service. Even though most platforms have expanded their character count, that doesn’t mean you should use them all. Keep your posts short – two to four sentences tops. After that, attention wanes.
Be Clear.
If you’re in an industry that uses technical jargon, keep it out of your social media feed. Don’t use a long word when a short one will do. And stay away from lengthy or convoluted sentences. Social media is not a English essay or PhD dissertation. (But do check your spelling!)
If you’re in an industry that uses technical jargon, keep it out of your social media feed. Don’t use a long word when a short one will do. And stay away from lengthy or convoluted sentences. Social media is not a English essay or PhD dissertation. (But do check your spelling!)
Be Casual.
Once you understand your audience, you can hone your brand voice. Remember that your social media accounts are not your website so you can take a more casual approach to your language. Think of it as meeting a client over coffee rather than in the board room. A simple way to keep things personal is to use “I”, “you” and “we.”
Once you understand your audience, you can hone your brand voice. Remember that your social media accounts are not your website so you can take a more casual approach to your language. Think of it as meeting a client over coffee rather than in the board room. A simple way to keep things personal is to use “I”, “you” and “we.”
Be Compelling.
Regardless of the platform, your post will be competing for attention. Using a few well-chosen words as a teaser to a great image, video, or link is often the way to go.
Regardless of the platform, your post will be competing for attention. Using a few well-chosen words as a teaser to a great image, video, or link is often the way to go.
Be Cheerful.
We all know that life is tough, but no one wants to do business with a Debbie-downer. Keep your posts upbeat and energetic. Acknowledge any negative comments publicly, and move the conversation to private messaging, phone or email.
We all know that life is tough, but no one wants to do business with a Debbie-downer. Keep your posts upbeat and energetic. Acknowledge any negative comments publicly, and move the conversation to private messaging, phone or email.
Don’t forget your Call to Action.
What do you want your audience to do after they read your post? There's no need to be constantly promotional, but don't be shy about inviting people to Learn More, Watch This Video, Join The Conversation, Share A Post, or Attend An Event.
What do you want your audience to do after they read your post? There's no need to be constantly promotional, but don't be shy about inviting people to Learn More, Watch This Video, Join The Conversation, Share A Post, or Attend An Event.
Finally, social media is a great place to experiment. The best way to find out what works for your business is to try different things and see what hits the mark.
Happy writing!
Do you have a question about writing great copy? Ask in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer in a future post!
Nicole Laidler is a content creator, copywriter, and freelance reporter serving clients in London, Toronto and throughout Southwestern Ontario. She helps people grow their success, one word at a time.
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