Express Writers
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Social Media Outreach- Best Practices, Writing Tips & More with Sprout Social

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Social Media Outreach- Best Practices, Writing Tips & More with Sprout Social

by | Jul 8, 2016 | ContentWritingChat

Did you miss #ContentWritingChat this week? There’s no need to worry! You can get caught up right here with our recap and learn plenty of tips for great social media outreach.

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Social Media Outreach- Best Practices, Writing Tips & More with Sprout Social


Our guest host this week was Sarah Nagel. Sarah is the Community Outreach Manager over at Sprout Social. She also manages their Twitter chat, #SproutChat, every Wednesday on Twitter.

Q1: If you’re starting out on social, what are some best practices for building a following?

Whether you’re just starting out on social media or are working on building your presence on a new platform, check out these great tips for building your initial social media outreach:

Sarah said you should be interesting, interested, and provide value for your audience. Her advice was to start conversations with people, share smart content, and join Twitter chats.
She also reminds us that building a following won’t happen overnight. It takes times and you have to be patient.

Sarah from ThinkSEM said to provide useful, great content for your audience. It all goes back to content. If you’re not sharing the types of posts your target audience wants to read, they’ll have no reason to stick around. Don’t forget to also engage in conversation. Be social!

Kyle said to be consistent when it comes to posting. Create a schedule and stay active when it comes to scheduling and sharing content. Kyle also said you should research your target audience so you can provide posts they’re interested in.

Brittany said to engage with your audience! Let them know you’re present and that you’re actually listening. You should always be genuine as well. If you’re not, they’ll see right through you.

Jenn said to look for the social media channel you can best own. The truth is, you don’t need to be everywhere when it comes to social media. You just need to be where your audience is. Figure out where they’re spending their time and which platforms you truly shine on. Those are the ones you should be using.

Our CEO, Julia, agrees with Jenn. She said you don’t need to build on all platforms.

Erika recommends figuring out where your audience is spending their time. Are they joining any Twitter chats, using Facebook groups, or using LinkedIn groups? If so, that’s where you need to be.

Great answer, Jim! Be genuine and engage with others. Focus on building a relationship with people, not just gaining followers.

Make sure you have a plan in place. Your plan should include which platforms you’ll use, what kind of content you’ll share, and how you can expand your reach.

Having a content calendar is a great way to stay organized when it comes to posting content on social media.

Ray said to learn about your community so you can figure out what they want and need. Once you figure that out, you’ll be able to share the content that will draw them in.

Q2: What are ways to consistently grow your social media following?

Once you’ve gotten started on social media, you obviously have to work to keep the followers coming in. To help you out, here are a few tips from Tuesday’s chat:

Sarah said to provide unique content that means something to your audience. She said to be so good they can’t ignore you. When you share the content your audience finds valuable, they’ll want to stick around.

Hannah and Erika know engagement is important to your success on social media.

As Julia said, there isn’t an automation tool that can replace real engagement. When you take the time to talk to your audience, you form a relationship, which helps build trust.

Sarah said to keep reaching out to people. Don’t just rely on hashtags to help your content be discovered. Start conversations and make connections.

Brandie’s advice was to be active on the platforms you’re using and start conversations with others. You should aim to be helpful and develop a relationship with your followers.

Katria, our Content Manager, said to be active once you’ve built a following. Make sure you’re sharing and liking content, as well as following other people.

Georgie recommends using relevant hashtags on Twitter and Instagram. Hashtags can help your content be discovered by new people. You should also join conversations with those using those same hashtags.

Jim said to join Twitter chats to build your following. Not only are chats a great place to learn, but they’re helpful when it comes to making connections. If that’s not enough reason to join our chat every Tuesday, I don’t know what is!

If you’re willing to put some cash into your social media presence, Richard recommends using paid ads to build your audience.

As Cheryl said, building a worthwhile network takes time. Don’t give up if you feel like you aren’t seeing the results you want just yet.

Q3: Share your process for creating audience-friendly social media content.

Are you in need of some tips for creating great content for your audience? Here’s some of the advice from this week’s chat:

If you’re curating content, Sarah said to make sure the post copy is catered to your audience. When sharing your own content, she suggests keeping it short and being informative or entertaining.

Don’t forget that you can dig into your archives for great social media content. All you need to do is write fresh copy and schedule it to be shared again. As Julia pointed out, this is exactly what I do for Express Writers!
When it comes to curation, we only share content we find to be helpful, useful, or interesting. We rely on influencers in our industry for great content to share.

For Jenn, she loves a “snackable” infographic. Not only are infographics informative for your audience, but they’re great for sharing too.

Georgie knows it’s important to test and see what your audience is responding to. Try new things and check your analytics to see what works and what doesn’t. Create more of the content your audience loves.

Maureen said audience-friendly social media content should reflect what people are looking for from your brand and also be appropriate for the platform.

Having a schedule in place is a great way to stay on track and will ensure you get results.

Bill said good content solves problems. Consider what your audience is struggling with and aim to provide a solution with your social media posts.

Q4: What are ways to write social media posts that really grab attention?

It can be hard to stand out on social media when you consider just how busy these platforms are. To grab the attention of your followers, keep these tips in mind:

Sarah said to provide your POV. It’s sure to get your audience interested and spark a conversation.

Maureen recommends tailoring your content for the platform it’ll be shared on. Perform A/B tests to see what your audience is responding to.

Sarah has a few great suggestions: images, quotes, questions, relevant hashtags, and tagging influencers.

Brittany and Jenn know a GIF is a good way to grab the attention of your audience.

Bill said good content is both simple and poignant. If you can create something your audience will connect with emotionally, you have a winner.

Brittany’s advice was to share engaging content. Use good images, share well-written articles, and tell a story.

Julia said to ask questions on social media. Get a conversation started between you and your audience. You can ask something that aligns with their problem and solve it with your content.

Q5: How do you alter social posts to fit your platform? (Twitter vs. Facebook vs. Instagram)

Don’t forget that you need to tailor your content to the platform you’re using. Here are a few tips to help:

Sarah said Twitter posts should be search-friendly and include hashtags. On Facebook, make sure you’ve included media with your posts. When sharing to Instagram, use plenty of relevant hashtags. She also advises to test different copy so you can see what actually resonates with your audience.

Twitter engages, Facebook informs, Instagram showcases, Pinterest remembers, and LinkedIn educates. Great answer, Jenn!

Don’t just cross-post your content to every platform you’re using. You need to adapt your posts accordingly. What works well on one platform might not perform that great on another.

Ellie knows carbon copy content isn’t cool. You can share the same content on multiple platforms, but change it up. Use different copy or a new visual.

Zala said to align to the platform you’re using by considering things such as your style and tone.

Brittany said to know the strengths of each platform. Use that to your advantage when creating content.

Visuals are powerful on social media. Bill recommends using Canva to create graphics that are the ideal size for each platform.

Ryan said to understand the audience on each platform. Give them what they’re looking for.

Study data so you can see how users behave on any given platform. Tailor your content accordingly.

Q6: What content types are the most shareable on social media?

You want your social media content to be shared, right? Here’s what you should be posting if you want to see more retweets and reposts:

Sarah knows short videos are definitely shareable. Consider creating and posting them on your social media channels and see how your audience responds.

Amalia said infographics, news, and trending topics often get a lot of shares.

Bill recommends sharing content that stirs up emotions in your audience. You’re more likely to get extra shares when people form a connection with your post.

Ray knows that it also depends on the platform you’re using. He said long-form content is highly shareable on Medium, LinkedIn Pulse, and Google+. Images, GIFs, and videos are shareable on other platforms.

Brittany knows that visuals get a lot of reshares on social media. She said to try sharing videos, memes, and images.

You don’t have long to grab someone’s attention on social media. Eliza recommends posting GIFs, images, and quotes if you want to see a few extra shares on your content.

Q7: What key elements make up a successful social media presence?

How can you be successful on social media? Keep this advice in mind:

As Sarah said, how you define success may be different from how another organization defines success. No matter what, everyone should strive to build an engaged audience.

Bill seems to agree with Sarah. He said success is tied to your specific goals. What are you trying to achieve? Make sure your social media presence reflects your goals and measure to see if you’re achieving the desired results.

Maureen’s advice is to be authentic, helpful, and responsive. Make sure you’re also interacting with your audience and sharing content that aligns with your brand.

Remember that it’s not all about you! You should be sharing and interacting. Get involved in your community.

Be active! Don’t let your account go stale. Make sure you’re posting on a daily basis.

Great tips from Sarah! Engage with others, share great content, be “real,” and know your audience.

Your social media presence should be a mix of engagement, promotion, and sharing.

We think Jenn is really big on engagement. How about you?

Brittany suggests writing an optimized bio, sharing great content, and engaging with your audience.

Georgie said to have a strategy in place with clear objectives. Back it up with an amazing content strategy.

You have to be dedicated if you want to see results. You can’t expect to build a following overnight.

Q8: How can you approach an influencer on social media to do a collaboration?

If you’re looking to get exposure for your brand and help build your own authority, you can work with influencers in your niche. Here are some tips to help you approach them:

Sarah recommends building a relationship with an influencer before you ask for anything. Do this by giving value. You can share their content and get involved with what they’re doing. However, she also recommends that you should also build relationships with your brand champions. They will help promote and support you as well.

Make sure you’re following the influencer you want to work with and engaging with them regularly prior to asking for anything. You can start a conversation by asking a question regarding their content, which helps get you on their radar.

Maureen shared a great answer, but one key thing to keep in mind is to always be nice.

Erika said to understand who the influencer is, as well as what kind of collaboration would make sense for their audience.

Collaboration should be mutually beneficial for you and the influencer.

Focus on building a relationship prior to asking for anything in return.

Zachary said to provide thoughtful feedback to the influencer, not just a generic “amazing.”

As Gary Vaynerchuk says: jab, jab, jab, right hook. Engage and offer something of value before you pitch.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!

#ContentWritingChat June 28 2016 Recap: Social Media Tactics to Build & Grow Your Online Presence

#ContentWritingChat June 28 2016 Recap: Social Media Tactics to Build & Grow Your Online Presence

by | Jul 1, 2016 | ContentWritingChat

Did you miss #ContentWritingChat this Tuesday? Dive into the recap below and learn some of the best social media tactics to implement for yourself!

#ContentWritingChat June 28 2016 Recap: Social Media Tactics to Build & Grow Your Online Presence


This week, Erik Fisher joined us as our guest host. Erik is the Social Media Manager over at Social Media Examiner, as well as a podcaster. We were excited to have him join us and share his expertise!

Q1: How do you find out which social media platforms are best for you to build a presence on?

With so many social media platforms available to us today (and even more being created), it can be tough deciding which ones to use. The truth is, you don’t have to be everywhere online. You just need to be where your audience is! Check out some of the social media tactics for best platform presence shared during the chat:

Erik said to consider which platforms you actually enjoy using and which platforms are optimal for your goals. The platforms that fit both of those categories are great ones to get started on.

Ray had similar advice to Erik. He also said to consider which platforms you are most comfortable using. For some of us, we naturally shine at one platform over another. For example, not everyone is comfortable doing a live streaming broadcast via Periscope or Facebook Live. Ray’s advice is to determine which ones work best for you.

Choosing the right platforms for your brand will take a little research. You need to figure out which platforms your audience is most active on. That’s where you want to be.
You can even use a tool like BuzzSumo to help you determine where people are most frequently sharing content. Take a look at some sites that are in your niche and see where their content is shared most often.

A few things you may want to consider: the goals of your business, the type of business you’re running, and the demographic for your ideal customer. All of these things will help you select the right social media platforms to build a presence on.

One of the best things you can do is to experiment with each platform. Give them a go for a bit and measure your results. Which ones work the best for you? Invest your time in those platforms.

Our Content Manager, Katria, recommends giving a platform a try to see if it works for you. Since they’re free, it never hurts to test them out and see how it goes.

It all goes back to your audience. Where are they spending their time? Where are they engaging? You have to be where they are in order to reach them effectively.

Once you’ve figured out which platforms to use, you need to be active. Join the conversation with your audience! Great advice, Zala.

Q2: Share tips for creating great content on every one of your social media profiles.

If you want to build a presence on social media, you need to share great content. How can you make sure you’re sharing the best content every time? Here are a few tips:

Erik knows that each social media platform is unique. You have to learn how to create the right kind of content for each platform. What works well on Twitter might not be great on Facebook or other platforms. You need to keep that in mind and adapt your content to the platform you’re sharing it on.

Amanda said you have to be consistent with your story across all platforms. Make sure the content you’re sharing is tailored to the platform you’re using and is relevant to your audience. An eye-catching visual always helps, too!

Canva is a fantastic tool for creating great social media graphics. It’s one of our go-to tools here at Express Writers as well.

Cheryl said to understand the platform you’re using. She said data and numbers work well on LinkedIn, while funny or adventurous posts work well on Instagram. You just need to test and see what resonates with your audience.

What’s a quick tip for getting your audience to engage? Ask a question! Our CEO, Julia, knows that if you ask a question and provide a link, it’s likely to make them want to click and read more. You can even ask a question (no link required) to get a conversation going.

Short and sweet advice! Be simple, be human, and be personable. It’s a winning combination!

Amalia recommends sharing products on Pinterest, talking about trends on Twitter, sharing news on Facebook, and posting great images on Instagram.

No matter what, you need to make sure the content you share is relevant to your audience. If it’s not, they won’t want to stick around.

Q3: What’s a good ratio of sharing your own content vs. content from influencers/other sources?

When posting to social media, you shouldn’t share only your content 24/7. It can be a turn off for your followers if they think you’re only interested in yourself. You should mix it up by sharing content from other sources as well. So, what’s a good ratio for sharing? Check out these tips from the chat:

Erik said some recommend an 80/20 ratio. Others recommend sharing 30% your own content, 60% from others, and 10 reshares. You need to keep in mind the platform you’re using as well. You can post more to Twitter and Pinterest within one day.

Julia said you should never over-promote. At Express Writers, we strive to share 60% our own content and 40% from other sources. In the end, you just need to see what works for you and your audience.

Kyle feels it really depends on your industry. If your industry is unique, you can get away with sharing more of your own content.

No matter which ratio you go with, make sure you’re giving your audience what they want to read and share. Great advice, Scott!

Cheryl agrees that content needs to be useful, whether it’s your own or curated from other sources. That’s the number one thing to keep in mind.

Kristen knows that sharing is caring!

Q4: What forms of content work best on social media?

Once you have your posting ratio down, you need to figure out what kind of content you should be sharing. Here are a few tips from Tuesday’s chat:

Erik knows live video is very popular right now. Your brand just might want to take advantage of it. You can share live videos on Periscope or on Facebook Live. He said images and video work on most platforms, but especially on Instagram and Pinterest.

These three know you can’t go wrong with amazing visual content.

We’ve seen great results here at Express Writers as well. We use branded visuals from our designers to increase clickthroughs via social media.

Jeremy said to share smaller bits of larger content as a way to pique the interest of your audience. It’s sure to leave them wanting more.

Ray said the content you share should start the conversation with your audience. Great answer!

Don’t forget to inject some personality into your social media content. It’s a great way to form a connection with you audience. Adding a little humor never hurts either!

For Jenn, it’s all about snackable content. Share stats, infographics, lists, and quotes.

Atulmaharai is also a fan of infographics. We are too!

Cheryl believes great social media content should do one of three things. It should engage your audience, provide an incentive, or promote.

Kristen loves seeing more businesses taking advantage of video and GIF. Are you using them?

Q5: What are the best practices for building a following?

You know where to find your audience and what to post, but how do you build a following? There are a few tips you should always keep in mind:

Erik said you should aim to serve your audience. Respond to them and be human. You should work to build a connection with your audience. And of course, you won’t see results if you aren’t consistent.

One of the best ways to build a following on social media is to engage with your audience. Social media is meant to be social, after all!

Kristen recommends getting to know people. Don’t be afraid to start conversations. Ask questions and answer some yourself.

Try thinking about it the way you’d handle networking in person. Be social!

Brandie said to do your research. Find out who you want to connect with and determine the type of community you want to build. It all starts from there.

GlobalHMA and Jeremy agree that you should think of it as if you were making friends in real life. You should be engaging, courteous, and grateful. Offer to help people. Be interested in what they’re saying. Be interesting yourself.

To build your presence, you should consider ways to expand your reach. Partner with influencers by getting involved in their conversations. It’s a great way to make connections with new people.

If you’re willing to shell out some cash, you could even create a paid ad. Target your specific audience so they’ll see your advertisement in their feed. Alternatively, you can join a Twitter chat because they’re free (and awesome).

Here at Express Writers, we also love joining Twitter chats as a way to make connections and grow our presence. It turns out the Elexicon team agrees with that, too! You can also use trending hashtags, follow influencers, and engage with your audience as ways to see growth.

It seems many of Tuesday’s chat participants agree: engage, engage, engage.

Q6: What are some social media etiquette rules everyone should follow?

Which etiquette rules apply to social media? Check out these tweets from the chat and make sure you aren’t breaking any of them:

Erik said you should do for others what you would want them to do for you. That’s always great advice.

You should always be respectful of the opinions of others. If someone doesn’t agree with you, it’s not a reason to start an argument. That’s never okay.

Ray feels that if you don’t have something constructive to say, you should keep it to yourself.

Brandie’s advice is to always be nice to people. Remember to also give credit where credit is due. You cannot use someone else’s content without crediting them.

Kelly said to thank the people who share your content. It may seem simple, but a thank you goes a long way to show your gratitude.

Even on social media, “please” and “thank you” are still important. Use your manners.

It may seem like obvious advice, but you should always read content before you share it. Kristen knows that many people are guilty of blindly resharing something without reading it first.

Don’t hijack someone else’s conversation. You can add to it, but don’t take over.

Erika said you should always remember to engage with your audience. That’s key if you want to build your following.

Alberto said you should never spam your audience. You should also be kind, show respect, share content from others, and say thank you. Don’t go crazy with hashtags either.

Shereese said you should always engage with your audience. Provide value to them with the content you share. Skip the automated DMs.

Kyle recommends trying to respond to all inquiries you receive. If you ignore someone, it truly is a missed opportunity and could reflect poorly on you.

Cheryl knows those “fake” followers aren’t cool. Don’t follow someone and then unfollow simply because they don’t follow you back. That’s not cool at all.

Q7: Share tips on growing your overall online presence through your social profiles.

Social media is a great tool for growing your online presence and sending traffic to your website. Here are some great tips you should know:

Erik said you should respond and engage consistently on the platforms you’re using. Engaging your audience is essential if you want to make connections and grow your online presence.

Be yourself. If you aren’t true to yourself, your audience will see right through it.

Atulmaharaj knows a great bio is a must on social media. Use your bio to share information about yourself and what you do. It’ll help you attract the right followers. Make sure you’re also sharing great content your target audience would be interested in.

Kristen said to join Facebook communities, Twitter chats, and LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your industry. It’s a great way to connect with new people and generate awareness for your brand.

Interact, engage, and build a relationship with your audience. This is always good advice!

Kyle recommends connecting with like-minded people who you find to be valuable. Make sure you’re engaging with them on a regular basis.

Shereese said to use Twitter lists so you can target your specific audience. Make sure you’re sharing valuable information so people see you know what you’re talking about.

Sabjan said to be consistent when it comes to posting content. Engage with your audience, respond to inquiries you receive, and be thankful.

Be human! Show your personality, be humorous, and show compassion and emotion. It helps people to connect with you.

Q8: Which platforms do you see becoming more popular in 2016?

Which platforms do you think are going to become more popular this year? You just might want to join them! Here’s what our chat participants had to say:

Erik said it’s all about Snapchat and Instagram.

It looks like Amalia agrees, as she also sees Snapchat and Instagram growing in popularity this year. She also thinks Periscope will get bigger as well.

For Ray, he said it’s all about live video. It really is one of the best ways to connect and built trust with your audience.

It looks like even more people agree that Snapchat is the place to be this year. Are you using it as part of your online presence?

The most popular platforms are the ones that will evolve with the audience. They need to be able to keep up with the times.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!

#ContentWritingChat March 15 2016 Recap: Strategies to Maximize Your Outreach on Social Media

#ContentWritingChat March 15 2016 Recap: Strategies to Maximize Your Outreach on Social Media

by | Mar 18, 2016 | ContentWritingChat

Did you miss this week’s #ContentWritingChat? If so, there’s no need to worry because we have you covered with a full recap! We talked all about social media this week and our chat participants shared some amazing tips. If you’re looking to boost your presence on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more, keep on reading.

#ContentWritingChat March 15 2016 Recap: Strategies to Maximize Your Outreach on Social Media

Our guest host this week was the one and only Shane Barker: a #1 ranked Digital Strategist in social media, a major influencer in the social media marketing space, and a consultant that works with clients providing them with SEO and Internet marketing advice and strategies. You can learn more about him on his website, ShaneBarker.com.

Q1: What are steps every brand/business should take when starting out on social media?

Whether you’re just starting out on social media or you’ve been at it for a while now, there’s still plenty to learn from the responses to our first question. Shane, Netvantage Marketing, Jessica, and Ai all chimed in with great answers.

As Shane mentioned, it’s wise test multiple platforms to see if they’ll work for you. Remember that you don’t have to be on every social media platform available. Instead, you should invest your time and energy into the platforms your target audience is using.

When you create a social media profile, don’t forget to add all the necessary information. Write a bio, upload a cover photo (on applicable platforms), and choose a great profile image. As Jessica and Ai pointed out, it’s all about building relationships. Don’t be afraid to dive in and start talking to people. Make connections by starting conversations with new people. You can’t start selling right away. You have to build trust first.

Q2: Which social media platforms are best to be on in 2016 and beyond?

New platforms are always on the horizon when it comes to social media. So, how do you know which ones are worthwhile to be on? Shane and Dagmar both offered up some great advice. When you’re trying to decide which platforms to build a presence on, consider your audience as well as the product/service you provide. You want to make sure you invest your time in platforms where your audience is spending time if you want them to help grow your brand/business.

Don’t forget about what’s most enjoyable to you, too! For example, if you’re great on video, build a presence on Periscope, Blab, or Snapchat. Our CEO, Julia, knows some of the best platforms to be on are the tried and true favorites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+. Even though they have all been around for a long time now, they’re still worthwhile. Newer video platforms such as Periscope and Blab continue to increase in popularity though.

Q3: What are a few strategies for success on Twitter?

Here at Express Writers, we love Twitter! It’s one of our favorite social media platforms to use and connect with our audience. If you want to step-up your Twitter presence, check out these tips. Shane recommends utilizing Twitter Lists. Lists are a great way to create a curated timeline of people whose updates you don’t want to miss.

Try creating a few Twitter Lists for yourself! You can have lists based on a certain topic, a select group of people, or even potential clients you want to build relationships with.

Both Grenae and Kristen know the importance of building relationships on Twitter. Put yourself out there and start connecting with new people! You just might find your next clients or customers or even a new friend.

And much like Netvantage Marketing, it’s no secret that we love Twitter chats! Not only are they a great place to connect with new people, but many are quite informative!

Q4: Name some best practices for Facebook outreach.

Facebook’s algorithm can make it tricky to get eyes on the content you post. Put these tips to use for a better Facebook strategy.

Kyle shared some great advice when he said to create content that resonates with your audience. When it comes to any platform, you need to create with your audience in mind.

Many people these days are turning to Facebook ads to reach their audience, which Shane knows. You can target your exact audience and make sure you’re reaching the right people.

Q5: How should you interact on LinkedIn?

A few people in Tuesday’s chat admitted they haven’t been putting too much effort into their LinkedIn profiles. If you’re feeling the same way, put these tips to use:

Shane’s advice could really work for any social media platform. Make sure you provide value and don’t pitch people as soon as you meet them. That’s not cool!

Hannah loves using LinkedIn Pulse. If you haven’t started using it for yourself, be sure to check it out!

Both Ai and Zala shared some great advice. Be consistent, engage with your audience, and provide valuable content.

Q6: What are some ways to best determine who to follow/connect to?

With the amount of people using social media, how in the world do you find the right people to connect with? We have the answer!

Dagmar suggests setting social media goals. Know what you want to achieve with your social media presence and have a clear idea of who your audience is.

Amanda says to seek out people that you aspire to be like when it comes to business. Start engaging with them and build a relationship. You never know where it might lead!

Brittany said she loves to participate in Twitter chats and check out the Explore page on Instagram to find new people to connect with.

A great tip from Kyle: Make lists of people you’ve developed a relationship with. This is a great way to help you stay in touch with them!

Q7: What are some of your favorite social media tools?

There are a ton of social media tools available at our fingertips today. If you’re looking for new ones to try out, check out some of these:

Shane is loving Ninja Outreach lately. Varun uses Buffer, Hootsuite, IFTTT, and Crowdfire.

Samiran likes using TweetDeck and organizes his content through different columns. It’s a great way to keep everything organized on Twitter.

Julia shared some of our favorite tools here at Express Writers: Buffer, Canva, Commun.it, BuzzSumo, and Hashtagify.

Q8: What are some commonly overlooked, but good, practices for social media?

To wrap up our chat, we asked chatters to share some of their best tips for social media. Here’s what some of them had to say:

You can’t talk about your business and your product/service all the time. The focus should be on providing great content to your audience first and foremost.

Kyle says it’s a good idea to block off time to engage on social media. Don’t forget to be social and chat with people!

Don’t try to sell your products or service right off the bat. You have to give first before you can ask for that sale.

Always a good one to remember: Double-check for grammatical errors or typos before you hit that button to post an update.

And of course, you need patience. It takes time to build a community on social media and to build strong relationships. If you put in the time and effort, you will see results.

We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing!

Everything You Need to Know About Online Content Word Count (Infographic)

Everything You Need to Know About Online Content Word Count (Infographic)

by | Feb 25, 2016 | Infographics

Have you ever stopped in the middle of creating your online content, whether it be a social media post, blog, or other piece of online content, not sure what the proper word count should be? We’ve studied, analyzed, and researched–and put an infographic together to guide you. Here’s every correct content length for any piece of online content on the web. Feel we missed anything, or do you have something to add? Let us know in the comments! Full infographic transcription below.


Online Content Length infographic

An Infographic Guide to Online Content Length

Curious how long your content should be? You’re not alone. With dozens of conflicting opinions about word count flying around the web, it can be difficult to determine how much is enough on various platforms like blogs and social media. Fortunately, we have the answers.

Let’s explore the word count question here.

The Rise of Social Media: Why Your Content Matters

Social media is booming and one of the best ways to engage with the huge numbers on each platform is to ensure that the content you share there is as user-friendly as possible. Take a look at the user numbers for some of today’s hottest platforms:

  • There are currently more than 2 billion active social media users in the world
  • Content on Facebook earns 5 billion likes each day
  • Twitter has more than 284 million users and the platform sees 500 million tweets daily
  • Google+ has more than 363 million users

Online Content Lengths for All Web Platforms

Now that you know how big social media truly is, let’s take a look at what the ideal content length for all distribution channels really is.

Twitter

Is Twitter really increasing its character limit from 140 to 10,000? The CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, started the rumor:

But, best practices currently state that it’s more fruitful to keep Tweets limited to 100 characters. Here’s why:

  • Tweets that are 100 characters or shorter enjoy 17% more engagement than longer Tweets
  • So-called “medium length” tweets (between 71-100 characters) are re-tweeted more often than large (101-characters or longer) or small (41-70 character) tweets
  • Twitter is built on brevity, and 100-character tweets are easy for users to consume

Facebook

While Facebook is often thought of a long-form content platform in comparison to Twitter, it may surprise you to know that the ideal character limit for a Facebook post is actually shorter than a tweet. Here’s what you need to know:

  • The ideal Facebook post is 40-characters or fewer
  • Facebook posts with 40-characters earn 86% more engagement than longer posts
  • According to Facebook best practices, the second-best length of a Facebook post is 80 characters or less. These posts receive 66% more engagement than longer posts

Google+

Google+ is all about readability and accessibility of content, so it’s important to keep content easily digestible. Here’s what you need to know about Google+ headlines and content:

  • The highest-performing Google+ headlines are 60 characters or less
  • Readers only absorb the first and last three words of a headline, so headlines that are 6 words or less have the most impact
  • The ideal length of Google+ body content is 200-440 characters

LinkedIn

LinkedIn posts are designed to be short and sweet. According to BufferApp, the ideal length for a post on the platform is 25 words.

  • LinkedIn posts that are around 25 words encourage the highest number of click-throughs.
  • For B2B companies, the ideal word length for a LinkedIn post can vary between 16-25 words.
  • For B2C companies on LinkedIn, the ideal word length for a post is between 21-25 words.

Instagram 

Since Instagram isn’t focused on text-based content, but rather great visuals: there are currently no solid “best practices” for word count. You can, however, follow these tips for best results from your Instagram posts.

  • Use creative #hashtags to promote interaction with your established network. Consider using the Instagram Explorer page to learn more about trending hashtags that can enhance your brand. Up to 15 hashtags per post is an average amount. Always be relatable with your hashtags to what your visual topic is about.
  • If you’re sharing an Instagram photo on Twitter or Facebook, be sure to lessen and streamline your hashtags. Photos with too many hashtags will look out of place on these networks. Some brands drop the hashtags in an Instagram follow-up comment if they’re streamlining.
  • Tell your brand story through captions. This offers context for your image and helps followers connect with your content.

Pinterest

When it comes to Pinterest descriptions, keeping them within the correct character-count range can enhance their performance hugely.

  • 200-character descriptions earn the most re-pins
  • Pins that feature CTAs earn 80% more engagement than those that don’t
  • Research has found that pins with an image height 800 pixels or greater earn significantly more re-pins than those with smaller images

Blog Posts

Rule of thumb: blog posts are the place where informative, guide-style, long-form content can shine.

  • Buffer found that the ideal reading length of a blog post is 7 minutes. This translates to roughly 1,600 words
  • As a general rule, longer blogs are more likely to provide quality markers for search engines, which allows them to rank higher
  • Blog posts that are longer than 1,500 words receive an average of 68% more tweets and 23% more Facebook likes than shorter posts.
  • Most web pages that sit in the top 10 SERP positions for any given keyword have at least 2,000 words
  • Eight-word or longer search queries have risen by 34,000%, which means that content targeting long-tail keywords will perform better today.

5 Key Best Practices for Social Media Posts

No matter where you’re posting content, there are several rules you should always follow:

1. Be helpful. Readers want helpful content. It matters less if your content is 80 or 800 characters and much, much more that it’s helpful and well-written.

2. Don’t blab. As a general rule, concise is better. If you can get a point across in 1,000 words, you shouldn’t be stuffing a 2,000-word post with empty fillers just to meet word count. This will cost you readers and damage the quality of your content.

3. Add visuals. Posts with visuals earn 94% more views than text-only posts. By including high-quality infographics, memes, stock photos, or screenshots in your content, you can increase engagement hugely.

4. Craft compelling CTAs. Something as simple as adding CTAs to your social media content can create a huge shift in your conversions and rankings. By telling your readers exactly what you want them to do, you stand a better chance of them actually doing it.

5. Engage. A social media post is only as valuable as the level to which you engage with it. This means responding to comments, speaking directly with followers, and posting additional content as needed to keep the conversation going.

Reference List

QuickSprout: http://buff.ly/23IRoP8

Buffer: http://buff.ly/1SsSpHv

Qunitly: http://buff.ly/23ISYQX

Dan Zarella: http://buff.ly/1QcuTIq

Buffer: http://buff.ly/2096rgo

HubSpot: http://buff.ly/1PhhDlV

Jeff Bullas: http://buff.ly/1PhigvY

 

The Science Behind the Most Successful Social Media Sharers (Infographic)

The Science Behind the Most Successful Social Media Sharers (Infographic)

by | Aug 28, 2015 | Infographics

In today’s infographic from Express Writers, we’re taking a look at the hottest social media posts in history – and how you can be inspired to run a more successful social media campaign yourself! Enjoy, and don’t forget to share and leave us a comment! Full transcript is below.

science of social media infographic

Transcript

The Science Behind the Most Successful Social Media Campaigns & Sharers

Social Media Shares: Why Do They Matter So Much?

  • 53% of Americans who engage with brands in social media become more loyal to those brands
  • Interesting content is among the top 3 motives for consumers to follow brands on social media
  • The majority of brands measure content success by social shares
  • 47% of B2B marketers cite creating engaging content as their top marketing challenge

The 3 Most Re-Tweeted Tweets in History

What’s the secret to the sharing power of the top tweets? Let’s take a look at which tweets made it to the most re-tweeted list.

Ellen de Generis. 3.3 Million Re-tweets.

Ellen de Generis breaks Twitter with this iconic tweet. Leverages the “buzz” around the Oscars, making this tweet the most shared in history.

Louis Tomlinson. 1.4 Million Re-tweets

Louis Tomlinson shows just how a simple, sincere tweet can capture the heart of millions, especially thanks to their passionate fandom.

Barack Obama. 700,000 re-tweets

Barack Obama’s social media team captured a moment of human emotion and celebration that followers can relate to: and, keep in mind, it’s also news to share.

Facebook Posts That Had the Most Shares in History

What’s the magic formula for the most shared Facebook posts? Here’s who and what really hit it out of the park on Facebook.

PerezHilton.com. “This would have legit traumatized me as a kid! Heck, even now!” 4.4 Million Shares.

Post by PerezHilton.com.

We love to share videos that make us laugh. Perez Hilton shares this stunt video promoting a horror movie, proving that humor is always a good idea.

AMC Theatres. Minions Preview Video. 3.1 Million Shares

Post by AMC Theatres.

AMC Theatre demonstrated the power of video for Facebook sharing, particularly when tapping into a community of fans who love the brand.

WomenWorking.com. “Why We Need Best Friends” Image. 1.7 Million Shares

Post by Womenworking.com.

Facebook users share posts they relate to, and they think their Facebook friends can relate to. The posts they share are also social currency: to show their friends what they care about and who they are.

5 Techniques For Successful Social Media Campaigns: Inspiration From the Best Brands on Social

Here’s how businesses succeed in increasing engagement and promoting shares. include the company logos with the mentions (Autodesk, Whole foods, etc.)

  1. Genuine Value. Autodesk shares social content that offers genuine value to its niche target market.
  2. Be Personal. Whole Foods Market makes their customer service personal leveraging their local profiles.
  3. Authentic Conversation. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants gets personal, engaging with its guests through real, authentic conversation.
  4. Contests. Intuit rolls out a year-long contest that their target market loves to engage with.
  5. Transparency. Mars shows a behind the scenes peek of its businesses, offering greater transparency of its business practices and ethics to their intrigued followers.

5 Steps to More Engagement & Shares for Your Content

Follow these simple steps to gain a successful social media campaign and inspire more shares for your content.

1. Listen to Your Fans. One of the best ways to increase your engagement is to look at what your fans already like to engage with and duplicate their efforts with your own, unique spin.

2. Post More Photos. 87% of a Facebook page engagement occurs on photo posts.

3. Take Your Own Photos. People engage with authentic, human social media brands. Take your own “candid” photos to show your followers into your world. Don’t be afraid to be personal.

4. Get Your Own Custom URL. When a URL is shortened, it looks less cluttered, making your post more appealing and easier to read.

5. Post Evergreen Content. Evergreen content is timeless. Focus on creating posts that can be shared over a long period of time and still remain relevant. A great way to do this is to create evergreen blogs that can be shared, and re-shared, on social media.

References

James A. Martin, CIO | http://buff.ly/1NywMSa

Amy Porterfield, Social Media Examiner | http://buff.ly/1NywRVY

Kevin Lee, Buffer Social | http://buff.ly/1TWDHcU

Chanelle Bessette, Fortune | http://buff.ly/1HYEgXq

Shea Bennett, Ad Week | http://buff.ly/1LnruJV

Jonathan Anker, HLN TV | http://buff.ly/1LnvOsz

Business 2 Community | http://buff.ly/1E8sleY