The Art and Science of Social Media Content

Posting on social media is easy.  All you do is write a post with a link and that’s it, right? Absolutely not. Transitioning from print to social media can be very frustrating. You need to know when/how often to post, what to measure and what channels to be on. Take the time to craft a meaningful post and watch the “likes” come in.

Let’s start with the different channels. The four most popular channels are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Each channel have similarities but each have a different purpose. To start, you need to first define your online voice.  To help determine your voice you need to answer three questions:

Who’s your audience? 

You need to look at your ideal customer’s demographics including location, occupation, gender etc.

What’s your tone?

You need to decide if you are going to be fun, professional or a little bit of both.  Deciding this will help with brand management and helps you create appropriate content.

Why are you on there?  

It’s easy to get lost on social media.  You need to think if you are wanting to inform, to teach or to entertain. Don’t just be on a channel because everyone else is.

After figuring out your voice, now it’s onto the actual content. The first question is, should you post the same content on all of your channels? NO! First off, it comes off as lazy if you post the exact same post to each channel. Second off, each channel has different audiences, character limits and a total different style of writing. The same post will not work in every virtual environment.

As mentioned above, each site has specific character limits. Below is a chart that lists the limits:

We all use the basic copywriting formulas for our print writing needs, but did you know you can still use those same formulas for social media? Just simplify them.

PAS (Problem, Agitate, Solve)

State the problem, make that problem a little worse then roll out a solution.

Example: Lost your debit card? Bank is close. Just turn that card off with your Marine Bank app.

Bridge After Bridge

Show your audience how life is now, explain how it could be better and then show how your product will make it better.

Example: Stuck in line at the bank again? There has be a quicker way to deposit a check. Enter mobile deposit on the Marine Bank app.

AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)

Get your audience’s attention, stroke their interest, generate desire and then take action.

Example: 1.25% CD interest rate? It is possible. And now it can be yours. Stop by a branch to learn more.

4 P’s (Picture, Promise, Prove, Push)

First, set the scene. The perks of social media is you can actually set the scene with a photo. Next, commit, then deliver and then push for the click.

Example: Your dream house. Less fees. How? Click here to contact one of our local mortgage lenders.

4 C’s (Clear, Concise, Compelling, Credible)

This formula is how every social media post should be.  It’s simple and brief.  It also gains interest while being able to back your product/service up.

Example: Every small check. One click. See how the Marine Bank mobile app is always there for you.

Now you have created some great content, how do you determine if people are actually seeing it? Google offers a free service called Google Analytics. This service tracks and reports traffic to and from your website or app.  With Google Analytics you can see what’s working and what doesn’t work.  So why do you need to measure?

Figuring out your audience

Knowing where visitors come from helps you understand what your customers are looking for. For example, if you are getting a lot of mobile traffic, then you should probably think about investing in an app. Also, knowing which geographical area your customers are will help you base campaigns/promotions.

Improves your website

You will be able to track which pages visitors spend the most time, and know which page causes the visitor to leave will help you know where to improve.  You can even track to see the average loading speed for your pages so you can see where the problem pages are.

Track Sales

Google Analytics can even help you calculate ROI.  You can see if that specific campaign or promotion actually boosted sales or really didn’t do anything.

Although Google Analytics can be very confusing, it is one of the most valuable tools for your website. Each social media site also have their own tracking. Facebook, for example, updates their analytics fairly often by offering new looks and items tracked.

There is not one set way to write for social media.  Do your research.  See what your customers are already enjoying and see what similar business are doing that make them successful.  There will be a lot of trial and error until you find your sweet spot. Don’t give up. Social media copywriting can be easy and fun!