The 5 S’s of Social Media Copywriting

The 5 S’s of Social Media Copywriting

When was the last time you checked one of your social media accounts? Chances are, it was less than an hour ago. Do you remember all the posts you scrolled through? Most likely not. In fact, you may remember 2-3 pieces of content you read at max. Why is this? Has the internet made our attention spans that bad? You better believe it. What’s a marketer to do?

There is literally an ever-growing number of posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the other platforms. Every minute, a countless number of new ones are published, thereby sending other pieces downward. This, in a nutshell, is why it is essential to make sure your writing is worth remembering. Is this possible? Absolutely — but you need training. The following five “S’s” are absolutely worth remembering as you attempt to write memorable copy for your business’s social media pages.

1. Short – While research shows that people are reading more, that doesn’t mean they want to read a lot. In fact, the longer your post, the less likely it is people to read the whole thing, much less engage with it. Keep things short. Yes, Twitter handles that for you because of its 140 character limit, but that in no way means that you need to always have 138-140 characters. Say what you need to say in as few words as possible while maintaining an appeasing style.

2. Simple – Speaking of style, it is important for writers to note that you aren’t writing poetry. Keep things simple, concise, and transparent. Readers shouldn’t have to decipher your message, but rather have the convenience of a clear message.

3. Specific – As a marketer, it may be your instinct to create a message that can appeal to as many people as possible. However, social media is about reaching your target audience. After all, every business has a specific demographic audience. Advertising can help deliver your specifically-curated message to the right people.

4. Sharp – Crafting your business’s message is the writer’s responsibility. You need to sharpen your message with concise and compelling copy. Cut away unnecessary words such as adjectives, and unneeded fluff. Directly address your audience, speak about a specific subject matter, and most importantly, provide a call to action such as a directive and a link.

5. Strategic – Finally, you need a strategy. It does not have to be overly elaborate, but you must plan for the future and consult your marketing team on the direction you need to take. Whether you are trying to promote a new product, build up an email list, wish holiday greetings, or direct your audience to a new podcast, you need to figure it out before you hit the keyboard.

Are you starting to get the picture? Social media marketing calls for hard-hitting content. There’s not room for ambiguity or longwinded rants — leave that for your personal page.

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