One of the most effective ways of marketing a product or service is via social media. With billions of users across platforms like Twitter and Instagram, the influence and reach of these networks is significant.
If you’re looking to amplify the reach of an online campaign, one of the first places you should look is the words you use when writing your copy. Having solid social proof in your content will help consumers trust you and your messaging – especially when used in combination with popular platforms like Twitter and Instagram. The following areas could use some attention when it comes to your social proof copy.
Hashtags, Actually
While hashtags have become somewhat of a dirty word in recent years – especially among those who’ve been on social media for longer than they’ve been alive – they’re still extremely valuable when used properly. If you’re not using hashtags in your content, you’re probably losing out on a lot of potential engagement. If you’re not sure how to properly use hashtags in your content, here are a few tips.
- Look at other leading brands in your niche
- Check out trending hashtags for your chosen platforms
- Avoid using hashtags for jokes or humor
- Do not add a single hashtag to your content. Add a few relevant hashtags at the end of your sentences, not at the start
As much as we’ve seen businesses struggle with marketing their products and services on social media over the past few years, it’s still one of the most effective platforms when it comes to marketing. If you’re looking to expand your reach, using hashtags is among the simplest and most cost-effective ways to do so. Even if you have the budget for expensive ads, social media is often still the simplest and most affordable option – especially when compared to TV ads or magazine spreads.
Determining Relevance
Relevance is about more than just matching the right words to a particular situation – it’s about matching the right words to the right audience at the right time. For example, if you’re promoting a blog post on social media, the words you use in that post will be more relevant to the people on Twitter than those on Instagram. It’s important to consider the target audience for each social network and the type of content your posts will appeal to.
When you establish the right context for your posts, you’ll see more engagement and better results – regardless of the platform you choose. If you want to establish a link between your copy and social media, consider using an analogy that relates to something most people will already be familiar with – like comparing social media to traditional media or comparing the benefits of a digital vs. physical presence.
The Power of Images
While text can be valuable, images help to explain complex ideas and concepts in a simple and straightforward manner. If you’re struggling to understand a concept or point in your writing, adding an image can help to make it more accessible and easier to understand. Even if you have an extremely visual personality, your content will benefit from the occasional image.
Even when used sparingly, images can add a touch of authenticity and personality to your writing. If you’re writing about growing your organic garden, you might want to add an image of one of your freshly harvested radishes to illustrate the point.
If you’re not sure where to fit images in your content, you can use a tool like Canva’s Imager to add images to your text. With Canva, you can also use the images as clickable buttons that lead directly to your blog posts, website, or social media accounts. For those who prefer reading text on a screen, you can use the Imager tool to create an image-free version of your content that will replicate the design of a printed page. If you have the budget, you can opt to have the printed page delivered to your door.
Headlines That Resonate
When someone sees your headline, they should immediately know what your content is going to be about. The perfect headline is one that grabs the reader’s attention and compels them to click through to your content. To create a perfect clickbait headline, consider using techniques like populating your headline with synonyms for ‘click’ or ‘buy’ – like clickbaitjunky.com does – or using the words ‘now’ and ‘simple’ to indicate that your content will provide an easy solution to a complex problem. For example, if you’re promoting a blog post on social media, you might want to try including the words ‘best’ or ‘cheap’ in the headline.
Aside from the simplicity of creating a perfect clickbait headline, you’ll also want to consider how much you’re willing to pay for the privilege of grabbing a potential reader’s attention. While you might think that the perfect headline is one that is freely available, many leading content marketers will tell you otherwise. Your headline might be perfect, but what you’re going to write might not.
Instead of focusing on the perfect headline, it’s often better to focus on the perfect article.
Actionable Insights
An actionable insight is something that you can take away from your content and act on. For example, if you’re writing about how to find the perfect holiday gift for your loved ones, you might want to include some tips on how to buy the right present. While there’s nothing worse than receiving a gift that you didn’t specifically ask for, it’s always nice to have an idea of what to get someone based on what they like.
Those who’ve subscribed to your content know exactly what to get your loved ones based on what they’ve read – which is exactly what you wanted from an article marketing perspective.
Making References
When someone reads your content, they expect to see more than one or two references to other sources. It would be best to use a tool like Google Analytics to track the sources of your traffic so you can make the necessary adjustments to ensure that your content is being attributed to the correct people. For example, if you’ve cited the work of Jane Doe in your piece, it would be a missed opportunity if her name didn’t appear throughout the content. Citations add an air of credibility to your writing – especially when used in tandem with other forms of social proof (such as #metoo or #iguestoproting bias.) If you want to make sure that your content is getting the full credit for the ideas and concepts you present, using citations is one of the best ways to ensure that happens.
Length
When someone decides to read your content, they’re almost certainly going to be doing so online. With the increased use of mobile phones and tablets, readers are now faced with a never-ending stream of content. While the practice of longer-form content hasn’t been completely wiped from the web, it has become significantly less common. For the most part, short-form articles continue to evolve and prosper.
If you’re writing for the web, it’s best to keep your copy concise but informative. Many top-performing articles on the web are around 2000 words – anything longer and you’ll lose potential readers who are likely to skim over the text in search of something more interesting.
Voice
Your voice is represented by the words you use and the way you speak. If you’re looking to establish more trust with your readers, adding your own voice to your content can make a massive difference. It doesn’t have to be ‘perfect’ voice (although that would be great!) You simply want to add enough of your own voice to make it sound like you. In some instances, a podcast episode can even function as a kind of ‘voiceover’ for your blog post. The additional information provided by a podcast episode can help to establish trust with your audience – as long as you continue to add value.
The above mentioned areas should not be construed as ‘rules’ as they are simply a guide to help you become a better writer. The above examples are all very specific instances where matching words and phrases to established memes or influencers can add a layer of authenticity and trust to your writing. As a general rule of thumb, always consider the platform you’re publishing to when choosing the right words – for instance, if you’re writing for a LinkedIn group, bear in mind that the audience will likely be senior management team members. Using the wrong words or clichés could jeopardize your effort.