Writing a social media post doesn’t seem overly complicated. Should be pretty straightforward and simple to do, right?
Actually, copywriting to attract the right audience from a business standpoint is a little more methodical than you might expect compared to writing social media posts as an individual.
There’s a lot more at stake for the business, including a meaningful impact on the brand’s perceived authority, its reach to potential new consumers, engagement rates, and more.
Globally, as of July 2021, there are an estimated 4.48 billion social media users (almost 57% of the world’s population). Facebook still reigns supreme with an estimated 2.853 million users, followed by YouTube in second place.
Here’s where it gets tricky – each social media platform has its own tips, tricks, algorithms, and best practices. Content that performs well on LinkedIn isn’t likely to see that same success on Twitter or Pinterest if posts are simply copied and pasted uniformly across every channel.
Not to worry… we’re here to share the best advice for each social outlet so your content performs no matter where it’s posted.
When done correctly, a marketing strategy on social media can reach a lot of people to bring in leads, raise brand awareness, and create conversion opportunities.
[bctt tweet=”Copywriting to attract the right audience from a business standpoint is a little more methodical than writing social media posts as an individual. (There’s a lot more at stake! ?) Learn how to write posts that won’t fail ?” username=”ExpWriters”]
The good news is, you don’t have to rely on too much trial and error to nail down the best methods for the various social media channels.
Why?
Because a lot of other people have already done it for you!
You can (and should) still monitor your social media analytics to see which posts engage with your unique audience the most, but as far as coming up with a tried-and-true formula, there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel.
Follow these tips to rule your social media campaigns.
1. How to Write Facebook Posts That Get Liked and Shared
The #1 social media platform isn’t exactly a one-and-done content formula because it handles multiple types of media, and different posting techniques can work well depending on the goal you’re hoping to accomplish.
To find success on Facebook, you need to “read the room” and respond to your audience. These guidelines with help you do just that:
Video is the best performing content. However, Facebook campaigns are most effective when you vary your types of posts, so mix it up with photos, infographics, text, gifs, memes, blog posts, press releases, links, et cetera.
The ideal length for a post is around 40-80 characters. As a general rule, short posts on social media perform better than long ones.
End with a question. People are more likely to engage when you reach out to them for their opinions or feedback.
Post interesting content, even if it doesn’t pertain directly to your brand. Facebook’s audience has a limited tolerance for self-promotion, which means if you want to keep your followers engaged, it doesn’t hurt to post about more than just your business. Be sure to keep your topics related to your niche, though.
Make it visual. Text is easy to scroll past, but graphics help to make people pause while they’re skimming through their newsfeed. Even if you’re publishing a post that’s strictly text, Facebook makes it easy to transform it into a visual graphic.
2. How to Write Effective Tweets on Twitter
Posting on Twitter requires smart, concise word choices to convey your message within a limited space. It can take a little extra practice, but once you get the hang of it, your tweets will take off.
When posting on Twitter, take this advice into account:
Front-load your tweet. Most people on Twitter are skimming through a massive amount of content. Put the most important information at the beginning of your tweet to catch their attention.
The ideal length for a tweet is 240+ characters. Twitter increased its character limit from 140 to 280 in 2017, and users seem to appreciate the extra room to express themselves. If you need more than 280 characters, create a thread or add a link to a blog post. Tip: Use a free tool like Bitly to shorten your url and maximize your space.
Don’t go overboard with hashtags. Real estate for your tweet is limited – you can’t afford to spend it all on hashtags rather than your actual message. Limit yourself to 1-3 relevant hashtags.
Tweet shareable content. Twitter’s audience loves to retweet breaking news, statistics, quotes, jokes, and gifs. Timing is important on Twitter – you don’t want to be the last one to share yesterday’s news.
3. How to Write Engaging Instagram Captions
Instagram is all about visual content, but that doesn’t mean you can skate by with insufficient captions. If you want your audience to interact with your content, your words do matter.
Start with a bang. Instagram allows up to 2,200 characters. However, it’s important to keep in mind that no more than 125 characters will show beneath your photo. If you want your audience to read your full post, you need to entice them to click “more.”
Use emojis. Instagram + emojis = ? For real, though, emojis have proven to be incredibly effective on Instagram.
Use relevant hashtags. You’re allowed up to 30 hashtags, but don’t just pick the ones that are currently trending (especially if they don’t really pertain to your media). Instead, try to vary your hashtag use. Select a few broad, popular ones but also mix in some niche-specific hashtags, plus one or two branded ones. For example, Coca-Cola created the branded hashtag #ShareACoke for an Instagram campaign.
Break up long text into paragraphs. Instagram is still a bit tricky about this. If you want to have paragraphs with white space in between them, you have to hit Enter, then add a space on the blank line before you tap Enter again. But the extra step is worth it, because big blocks of text are difficult to read.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is treating LinkedIn like a clone of Facebook.
While the two do share some similarities, even a blue logo, the type of content is very different.
LinkedIn is primarily a networking platform where business professionals and brands share industry insights, news, and updates. The latest “epic fail” video going viral on Facebook isn’t going to fit in with what LinkedIn’s audience expects.
When posting on LinkedIn, keep in mind that:
Long-form content works well. Don’t hesitate to share articles and blog posts on LinkedIn. This audience is more likely to take their time and read what you have to say, so you can also type longer posts than you normally would on other platforms that are meant to be skimmed. Just be sure to stay organized and professional.
Add a handful of hashtags. While hashtags dominate Instagram and Twitter, they fell flat when it came to Facebook. LinkedIn falls somewhere in between. Relevant hashtags are good to include, but in moderation and preferably tucked at the end of your post.
Brand your content and graphics. Professionals are likely to share studies, research, infographics, statistics, and industry updates. If you’re posting content, make sure it’s branded so you get the credit when it’s shared. For example, Gary Vaynerchuk always includes his signature and Instagram/Twitter handle on his content.
[bctt tweet=”Paragraph breaks in IG captions? Hashtags on Pinterest? Long-form LinkedIn posts? ? These are just some of the current ways to optimize your social media writing ? in the 2020s. More on the @ExpWriters Write Blog:” username=””]
5. How to Post Great Pins on Pinterest
Much like Instagram, the focus on Pinterest will be on the picture rather than the text.
That being said, the right description can give your post a major boost! Try these tips the next time you post a pin:
The ideal length for a post is around 150-300 characters. You’re allowed up to 500 characters, but try not to go overboard. It’s a good idea to be detailed and use relevant keywords in the description.
Have a professional tone. Slang and acronyms don’t give a great impression on Pinterest. Be mindful of your grammar and punctuation. Try to keep your tone informal but professional.
Hashtags are optional (but useful). A few years ago, hashtags were a big NO on Pinterest. But now, hashtags are searchable and will appear in chronological order. However, Pinterest is still primarily driven by keywords, not hashtags, which means the feed will display results that have the keyword even without the hashtag. Since a hashtag usually doubles as a keyword, it doesn’t hurt to use them on your pins.
Tackle Social Media with a Can-Do Attitude!
The most important piece of advice when it comes to social media is to BE AUTHETIC.
That, more than anything else, is what will help your content connect with your audience. When in doubt, remember that short and sweet tends to perform better than long-form content on most platforms.
Experiment with your posts to find what you audience responds to best. Try posting different lengths and forms of content at different times of the day.
Whatever you do, don’t give up! Social media can be difficult to navigate, but with persistence and a methodical approach, you’ll find what works.
Need some help? Our expert writers are here for any content-related project from social media and beyond. Visit our Content Shop to see what types of custom content we can create for you.
SEO can be a tangled web to navigate.
Google updates its algorithm every single day, while regulations for data-sharing and best-practices for ranking change as quickly as the weather.
Who has time to keep track of all that?
Lucky for you, there are credible SEO’ers out there keeping their finger on that pulse, tweeting helpful resources and news articles regularly, and talking about SEO in a down-to-earth way.
It can be immensely helpful (and entertaining, and informative) to follow the top SEO digital marketers.
That way, you’ll know what’s happening in the search engine world – and get real-time updates (guides, trend alerts, Google changes) on Twitter.
Check out these SEOers and follow them so your Twitter feed is more powerful and helpful than ever:
31 Must-Follow SEOers on Twitter (In No Particular Order)
Eric Enge heads up the award-winning marketing agency, Stone Temple. Why you should follow: Eric regularly tweets interesting SEO news, articles, and updates under his personal handle and Stone Temple’s account. That includes studies and articles from his own brand, complete with goofy-yet-fun header images starring himself.
Rand Fishkin is pretty well-known in the marketing and SEO communities – he co-founded Moz (and now headlines SparkToro) and shared his know-how on Moz’s Whiteboard Fridays. Why you should follow: Rand regularly tweets about SEO hot topics, but also has dived into entrepreneurship/start-ups, the psychology of web users, and even nerdy-fun topics like his secret passion for Dungeons & Dragons.
I wrote a new blog post about shame, failure, and… yeah, the Dungeons & Dragons game: https://t.co/7Xd6MQuqLb
Jeff Deutsch is a HubSpot/Inbound.org contributor and has worked in digital marketing for over 10 years. Why you should follow: Jeff shares slices of SEO along with interesting tips, tidbits, and resources that are pertinent for any marketer (plus a joke or two).
Olga Andrienko is the head of global marketing at SEMrush, which is one of the top SEO tools on the web. Why you should follow: It’s readily apparent that Olga is super-passionate about SEO and helping people optimize their websites and content. She also posts lots of behind-the-scenes glimpses from SEMrush and notes from SEO conferences.
Danny Goodwin is SEJ’s own Executive Editor. He has over 10 years of experience in marketing and has been an editor for Search Engine Watch and Momentology. Why you should follow: Danny tweets a ton of timely, high-quality articles about SEO and search marketing from around the web. Follow him and get ready to add to your daily reading list.
Michael King is the founder of iPullRank, a digital marketing agency and consultancy. He’s also an influencer, keynote speaker, and marketing consultant to major brands. Why you should follow: Michael regularly opens up his twitter posts to chat and answer your most burning questions. He also tweets about hot SEO topics and adds his professional two cents, which makes for interesting reading.
Casey Markee is an SEO writer, speaker, trainer, and marketer. He writes for Search Engine News and is the founder of Media Wyse, an SEO firm. Why you should follow: If you’d like some SEO smarts with a big side dish of humor, Casey is your guy.
Very nice deck here. The BEST slide is the one on Sliders. As in DON’T USE THEM. Sliders cause ? and kill kittens ?. It’s science #SlidersAreEvilhttps://t.co/ixdZSMiSZc
Marie Haynes is an SEO consultant and an expert on the Google algorithm and its related penalties. Why you should follow: Since Marie is a self-professed algorithm obsessive, her Twitter feed is chock-full of advice, articles, news, and updates that are ultra-helpful if you want a better understanding of Google search.
Bill Slawski is the Director of SEO Research at Go Fish Digital, a digital marketing agency. He also runs SEObytheSea.com, a blog for learning absolutely everything about SEO. Why you should follow: Bill tweets about fresh SEO topics, SEO job opportunities, and engages in conversations with other top SEOers. You’ll learn a ton just by following along.
Jenny Halasz is an SEO strategist, the President of JLH Marketing, and a regular speaker at events like Pubcon, SEJSummit, and SMX. Why you should follow: Jenny isn’t afraid to share her opinions on everything from basic SEO to ranking factors to politics.
Nik Ranger isn’t an SEOer – rather, she’s a self-described SEO nerd (she’s also a front-woman and electric violinist for her band, Dada Ono). Why you should follow: If “electric violinist” and “front-woman” weren’t enough for you, Nik also geeks out about SEO regularly, which is fun to follow.
Barry Schwartz is the CEO of RustyBrick, a custom web software and digital marketing company. He’s also the founder of the reknowned Search Engine Roundtable and is the News Editor at Search Engine Land. Why you should follow: Barry keeps tabs on all things Google so you don’t have to – including the latest algorithm updates.
John Mueller is Google’s Webmaster Trends Analyst. As such, he’s often an important point-of-contact and go-between for Google’s engineers and SEO marketers. Why you should follow: John is incredibly active on Twitter and what he says is taken very, very seriously concerning Google’s inner-workings. Follow to hear directly from the horse’s mouth (though answers to SEO questions are often notoriously round-about).
Danny Sullivan is Google’s official search liaison go-to – that means he’s always working to help people understand search. Why you should follow: Danny’s tweets @searchliaison continually debunk myths, announce updates, and clear up misinformation concerning Google search.
Remember, if you want to learn more about how Google Search works from a searcher perspective, our How Search Works guide is offered in around 40 languages. https://t.co/XVYVK5dzutpic.twitter.com/ZDuJxws1YJ
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) May 11, 2018
Lisa Barone is the Chief Marketing Officer at Overit, a digital marketing agency with high-profile clients. Why you should follow: Lisa heads up marketing, SEO, social media, content, and more at an extremely successful agency, and her wit and insights are worth adding to your Twitter feed.
Jono Alderson is a leader in the SEO world, a keynote speaker, and recently joined the team at Yoast. Why you should follow: Jono often tweets his expert thoughts and opinions about news in tech and SEO, and they’re worth your attention.
If you’re a business of any scale, and your website isn’t yet on HTTPS, then your business is dead. 100% dead. Completely dead. Bankrupt. Insolvent. It’s too late. And it’s not even necessarily that you didn’t adopt HTTPS; it’s that you’re the kind of org who’s *that* decrepit.
Brian Dean is an SEO expert who throws down his advice at Backlinko, which is one of the most popular, informative SEO hubs on the web. Why you should follow: Brian’s M.O. is “teach[ing] people to get higher rankings in Google.” Follow him to get updates on new blog posts and to read his tips and tricks.
Mike Blumenthal is an expert on local search marketing. He shares his know-how at Local University, which is an organization that teaches 4-hour local SEO seminars and holds SEO events. Why you should follow: If you need to understand local search marketing better, Mike should be on your “following” list.
Mike Blumenthal’s counterpart at LocalU is Mary Bowling. Together, they run the “Last Week in Local” video series and podcast. She’s also the co-founder of Ignitor Digital and is a local search expert. Why you should follow: Mary shares and retweets all things local SEO – follow her to add lots of great articles to your daily industry reading.
As the former Director of SEO at Moz, Cyrus is an absolute wealth of SEO knowledge. His tagline is “Hard SEO made easy.” He blogs and speaks on SEO. Why you should follow: Cyrus shares blogs and articles that are comprehensive guides on SEO tactics, trends, and best practices.
Glenn Gabe is the founder and president of G-Squared Interactive. He’s an expert in SEO, search engine marketing, social media marketing, and more, and has over 20 years of experience in the industry. Why you should follow: Glenn often takes the time to analyze Google algorithm changes with real-time stats. He’s also one to follow for tweaks to make your SEO better.
Part 2 of my series went live this morning -> The March 7 and April 16, 2018 Google Algorithm Updates [Part 2] – Analysis and Findings From The 4/16 Update.
Joy Hawkins is a contributor for Moz and Google My Business, is a speaker and SEO educator, and runs Sterling Sky, a local SEO agency. Why you should follow: Want tips to make sure you’re making the most of Google My Business? Follow Joy.
Colan Nielsen is a local search expert and the Vice President of the SEO agency, Sterling Sky. Why you should follow: Colan shares news and articles related to all-things local search – great if you’re a small business depending on SEO to help local customers find you.
Darren Shaw is the founder of Whitespark, a local SEO services and software company. He also fronted the local search ranking factors survey, where over 40 SEOers weighed in about how to rank in local search. Why you should follow: Darren is a top voice in the local SEO community, and regularly shares his expertise.
Michelle Robbins is the Editor-in-Chief at Search Engine Land, MarTech Today, and Marketing Land. She also heads Third Door Media, and is a keynote speaker who often throws down knowledge at industry events and conferences. Why you should follow: Michelle tweets news and articles straight from the SEO front lines. Plus, she’s an inspiring leader in the tech and SEO worlds.
Anna Crowe is an SEO consultant and a writer at SEJ. She also heads her own SEO and digital marketing business, Anna Branding & Co. Why you should follow: Anna is another great example of a savvy woman in SEO land. Besides SEO news and info, she also tweets funny and relatable slices of life.
Christine Churchill is an online marketing and SEO guru who knows her way around keyword research. She’s also the President of KeyRelevance, a search engine marketing agency. Why you should follow: Along with SEO insights, Christine also tweets dispatches straight from industry events, conferences, and meet-ups.
John Doherty is the CEO of both Credo and Single Geared, and is an SEO consultant who works with big clients Like The New York Times and Hired. Why you should follow: John tweets tips and advice from his place in the SEO hot seat, and frequently lets loose an expert opinion or two about the search marketing industry.
James Finlayson is a former lawyer-turned-SEO expert. He’s the Head of Search at Verve Search with regular speaking gigs. Why you should follow: James is knowledgeable and involved with the SEO community, and his posts and tweets reflect that perfectly.
Along with her role as the Features Editor at Search Engine Land, Debra Mastaler is also a link-building consultant at her company, Alliance-Link. Why you should follow: Debra shares lots of timely SEO articles and keeps her followers updated with her industry speaking engagements.
Julie Joyce is the owner of her own link building company, Link Fish Media. She also co-founded SEO Chicks and regularly contributes to Search Engine Land. Why you should follow: Lots of link building humor (yes, it’s a thing), plus witty commentary and sharing of SEO link building articles and resources.
Twitter is all about brevity. It’s been this way since… well, always.
It’s kind of Twitter’s calling-card.
Pretty soon, all that may be changing.
If this makes you immediately confused, I don’t blame you. Twitter has only ever been about those famed (and infamous) 140-characters – no more, no less. You have to mold your words to this limit, get creative with a succession of tweets, or simply not tweet at all if you can’t be concise.
Now, Twitter wants to experiment with doubling the character limit.
A great point she made is the fact that Twitter’s original limits are what made it so cool. An example she gives is Twitter chats. Often, chats accumulate hundreds of tweets in lightning-quick fashion. They’re fast-moving, but that’s part of the reason they work.
You can easily blip through 140 characters and move on to the next when hundreds of tweets are flying in. Now, imagine trying to sift through tweets in a Twitter chat that are double the length.
All of a sudden, we have a problem, and one of the best parts of Twitter is compromised. Instead of participating in a lightning-round talk, you’ll get bogged down in meandering posts. It will be like you’re in a bloated discussion thread with people posting novels instead of comments.
Madalyn addresses that point, too. She says, “Twitter doesn’t need to be another Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.”
She couldn’t be more on-target. The way it is now, Twitter is unique, and this is one of the reasons lots of people make it their social network of choice.
I personally agree, especially since we at EW have a Twitter chat, #ContentWritingChat. What will that chat look like with 280-character tweets? Probably nothing like it does now, which is concerning.
Our Community at #ContentWritingChat Says “Don’t Do It, Twitter”
We asked the question as an icebreaker in yesterday’s #ContentWritingChat:
Most of the people who answered voted the change down.
280 Characters = Less Creativity?
I have spent six years molding my writing to Twitter’s limitations.
Guess what? It’s not a roadblock or a hurdle. It’s a creative challenge, and it’s made me a better writer.
You want proof of how the 140-character limit forces you to get to the meat of what you want to say, and say it well? Look at this fantastic example. Somebody took Jack’s initial announcement and cut out all the unnecessary wording:
The result is brilliant (AND it’s 140 characters!). It really showcases how Twitter’s brevity is an asset.
Why Is Twitter Testing the Waters for Longer Tweets?
All this chatter around Twitter’s announcement brings us back to the question of why. Why is Twitter doing this? Haven’t they ever heard the cliché, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?”
Nah. As with most other things, this is about money.
According to NPR, Twitter has discovered through research that people tend to tweet more when they have extra space to write. Of course, when people tweet more, the company makes more money.
Meanwhile, Twitter’s stocks have been on a downward slope for quite a while. You do the math. Suddenly, this whole issue seems to be less about improving the user experience, especially since the platform has been ignoring a bigger user plea for quite some time: Let us edit tweets!
Or, as this Twitter user sums it up:
twitter users: let us edit tweets
twitter: we made everything round
users: edit button
twitter: everyone is allowed to be twice as annoying
The Other Side: How Are 280 Characters a Good Thing?
Twitter, of course, says that the update is about helping people “more easily express themselves.”
They say that English users regularly run into the problem of trying to “cram” their thoughts into a tweet. The solution is to edit it down rigorously, omit a word that’s important to the overall meaning, or abandon the effort altogether.
Meanwhile, users in other countries like Japan (where they can fit more information in a tweet because of language differences), seem to have it easy-breezy. They type out their thoughts with “room to spare” and no stress.
Twitter also presents this graph, which is supposed to mean something and explain why they’re excited about the change-up:
Apparently, it’s better for more users not to constantly hit the character limit (I think).
The Atlantic has gone on the defensive for the change, too. They say users have gone beyond Twitter’s original boundaries anyway, forcing the platform to shift (for instance, adding the ability to attach pictures to tweets). People have found ways to work around the limitations, too (posting screenshots of longer texts, numbering their tweets, etc.).
Less stress is great, no question. And it’s absolutely true that increasing the 140-character limit will make a lot of users’ lives easier.
(If you’re in this camp – more intrigued than dismayed – you can test the broader limits with this clever workaround.)
Still, my initial objections remain. Twitter is losing a piece of its identity with this change. In the process, it’s inching closer to being like the other social media networks.
For those of us who respect the current character limit for what it is and use it to say what we mean (and mean what we say), it’s not particularly good news.
However, change is always inevitable. We’ll adjust.
We’ll just miss the “character” and flavor the old Twitter limitations gave our posts and conversations.
Are you wondering how you can see more Twitter engagement? If so, you aren’t alone! It’s a great platform for sharing content and connecting with your audience, but sometimes it’s hard to actually get noticed. In this week’s #ContentWritingChat, we asked everyone to share their best Twitter engagement strategies so we can all earn more retweets and replies.
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Twitter Engagement Strategies with Gabriela Cardoza
Our guest host this Tuesday was Gabriela Cardoza. She’s a personal and corporate brand consultant, which you can learn more about on her site. Gaby has been a participant of #ContentWritingChat for some time now and she sure knows how to stand out in all the chats she joins. She stepped in as our guest host to share Twitter engagement strategies that all of us can put to use! If that sounds like just what you need, keep reading for the recap!
Q1: What is your favorite thing about Twitter?
To kick off the chat, we posed a very simple question to our participants. We asked them to share their favorite thing about Twitter so we could learn why they love it so much. Wondering what our favorite thing about Twitter is? It’s definitely #ContentWritingChat! Here’s what some others had to say:
A1
Twitter
exposes you
to new:
opportunities
friendships
experiences
info
perspectives
Gaby likes Twitter because of the all the amazing things it exposes her to. She mentioned that it’s a great platform for finding opportunities, friendships, experiences, information, perspectives, and more chances to learn.
A1: The relationships! You can find like-minded people through hashtags. #contentwritingchat
Twitter really is one of the best social media platforms for anyone looking to build relationships. You can do a quick keyword or hashtag search to find like-minded people to connect with.
A1a: The ability to connect and have valuable convos with those in my industry across the world & share ideas/tips! #ContentWritingChat
— Rebecca Wegscheid (@MarketerRebecca) July 25, 2017
Rebecca likes that Twitter gives you the ability to connect with others and have valuable conversations. It’s allowed her to reach people in her industry, as well as those around the world.
Jason loves that Twitter makes it easy to connect with people and brands. People are certainly more open to starting a conversation on the platform, which makes it easier to grow your network.
A1 Twitter offers access to professional development in real time Twitter chats, and leads to offline relationships #contentwritingchat
Bill knows just how effective Twitter chats can be. He mentioned that they give you access to professional development in real-time. Being present on Twitter can even lead to building offline relationships as well.
As Sarah said, it’s instant! When you head to Twitter, you can get a variety of news before other platforms are picking up on it. So many people choose to head to Twitter for the latest in breaking news. Sarah also likes having the ability to connect with people across the globe through the platform.
A1: The global reach with the ability to build relationships and learn from others around the ? #ContentWritingChat
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) July 25, 2017
Danielle loves the learning opportunities Twitter has presented her with. She uses it as a tool to find articles on writing and social media that she wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.
A1 Twitter allows you to toggle between the personal and professional. Can’t do that on LinkedIn, and it’s tricky on FB. #ContentWritingChat
Ken feels Twitter allows you to toggle between personal and professional much more easily than other platforms. He said it doesn’t happen on LinkedIn and it’s tricky to do on Facebook.
Q2: What can you do to ensure you’re growing your Twitter account with quality followers?
When it comes down to it, a few quality followers will always beat a large following that isn’t engaging. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put in the work to grow your audience! If you’re wondering how you can reach more people, take a look at these tips:
Gaby said you need to have a strategy in place if you want results. She encourages you to know your purpose, your message, and your goals. You also can’t forget to define who your audience is so you can reach the right people. Once you’ve found your people, make sure you’re engaging with them.
Sarah’s advice is to make sure you’re reaching out and interacting with the right audience. If you’re going to be on a social media platform, you need to be present by engaging with others.
This is advice everyone needs to remember! You have to be willing to put in the effort and engaging with your followers. Ask questions to get the conversation going. When they reply to you, take the time to respond.
Jason suggests joining Twitter chats that are of interest to you. They provide a great opportunity to meet new people. He also said to reach out to those who align with your own vision. But most importantly, you need to be yourself. That’s what people will be drawn to.
A2: Connect with people, stay involved. Participate in chats and follow. Provide excellent content. #ContentWritingChat
Brandie’s tips include: connecting with people, staying involved, participating in chats, and providing excellent content. Sounds like a winning formula to us!
A2: make sure you’re tweeting quality content! and take part in great twitter chats like this one 🙂 #ContentWritingChat
Cheval also knows that it’s important to provide your audience with valuable content. However, he also pointed out that you should show your audience that you care. They’re human just like you. Show that you’re listening and that you appreciate them. That’s key if you want them to stick around.
Q3: How can you make sure the posts you share on Twitter encourage engagement?
If you find that the content you post on Twitter isn’t sparking engagement, something needs to change. Luckily, you aren’t doomed forever if that’s been the case for you! Our chat participants shared some helpful Twitter engagement strategies specifically for creating amazing content. Check it out:
Gaby’s advice is to ensure your posts consistently offer value. You can do that by knowing your audience, your market, and your industry. Keep their wants, needs, and interests in mind to create the content that will resonate with them.
If you want engagement, you need to engage yourself. People don’t want to engage with someone who isn’t listening or responding. It’s a two-way street!
It really all goes back to knowing your audience and understanding what they want. As Jason said, you have to provide them with content they’d want to engage with. You can ask questions or share something that would pique their interests to get a conversation started.
A3) Don’t just post!
Add thoughts
Insights
Ask Q’s
Think of it as a IRL conversation.#ContentWritingChat
Jose knows you shouldn’t just post absentmindedly. He encourages you to add your thoughts and ask questions just like you would in a real life conversation.
Tony suggests asking a question, including a poll, stating an opinion, or including a link to outside content. He also said you can add a photo or GIF, which can be helpful in getting others talking.
Customer service and community management are both so important, especially on Twitter. Start a dialogue with people and show that you genuinely care when you’re connecting with them.
A3 ? You HAVE to be consistent on Twitter to earn engagement. If you drop off, the conversation moves on w/o you. #ContentWritingChat
And finally, make sure you’re consistent. As Julia said, the conversation will go on whether you’re there or not. Make sure you’re present if you want to make connections.
Q4: What’s your best advice for getting the conversation flowing with your audience?
Sometimes it’s hard to get the conversation started. Whether you’re feeling shy on social media or just don’t know where to begin, this can be an overwhelming experience. It doesn’t have to be though! Check out these tips to start the conversation and keep it going:
Gaby said you really have to be proactive when it comes to conversations. She encourages you to ask questions, follow-up with people, and just say hi. You have to be social and take a genuine interest in others if you want to build real relationships.
Sarah said you shouldn’t wait for someone to notice you. Put yourself out there and strike up a conversation with someone you want to connect with. All you have to do is say hello. As she pointed out, it’s just like starting a conversation in real life.
A4 Don’t wait for people to respond to you. Respond to them. Take the initiative. #ContentWritingChat
What’s a simple way to get the conversation started? Ask a question! Danielle’s advice is to figure out what they care about and ask a question they’ll feel called to answer.
You can also ask for their opinion on something. As Jason said, it’s important to communicate that you want to hear from people. They’ll feel valued and appreciated when you acknowledge their responses.
Varun even encourages building a Twitter list of people you’d like to keep up with. You can monitor that list and join any relevant conversations you come across.
A4. Participate in Twitter chats or host your own twitter chat. #contentwritingchat
Joining Twitter chats is another way to make starting conversations easier. Chats bring people together and everyone is more open to making connections there. You can even host your own!
Jenn said you shouldn’t talk AT your audience, but WITH them. Make sure you’re responding, engaging, and interacting. The whole point of social media is to be social, so don’t forget this crucial step.
Q5: How can Twitter chats help you grow your audience? Any tips for making the most of them?
If you haven’t participated in a Twitter chat before, you’re probably wondering what all the fuss is about. Fortunately, you don’t have to wonder any longer! We asked our chat participants to share how they can help you grow your audience, plus a few tips to really make them work for you. Check it out:
Gaby said Twitter chats allow you to meet others with similar interests and can help relationships flourish. Joining chats on a regular basis is one of our best Twitter engagement strategies.
As Sarah said, chats bring like-minded people together and allow them to share their insights and stories. They provide the perfect opportunity for networking.
A5: Chats help you start multiple conversations in a short period of time! It’s a great way to get a foot in the door. #contentwritingchat
Carla pointed out that by joining Twitter chats, you can gain visibility through the hashtag. You’re also able to engage with others who are participating and you can position yourself as an expert with the responses you share.
A5: Twitter chats allow you to share your opinion & expertise so others can get a feel for the person behind the handle! #ContentWritingChat
Once you find chats that are relevant to your industry, you can join them to start making connections. Make sure you’re prepared to answer questions and respond to others.
Q6: How do you know if the content you share is helping you reach your goals on Twitter?
Are those tweets helping you reach your end goal? If you aren’t sure, we’ve got some advice to help you figure it out! Check out these responses from the chat:
Gaby suggests referring back to your social media strategy. Set objectives for yourself and track the data you receive. You can use Twitter analytics to do this, which is totally free.
As Lori said, it all starts with knowing your goals. You can then track the appropriate metrics and make any tweaks if needed. Keep an eye on your metrics to see how you’re progressing.
Julia recommends tracking profile reach and site analytics to see if you’re driving high engagement rates. She uses Twitonomy to do this.
Q7: Do you rely on any tools to help you connect with your Twitter followers?
There are tons of tools out there we can use for Twitter. Do you use any? If you’re in search of some new ones to check out, take a look at these recommendations from our chat:
Sabjan relies on Buffer for scheduling content, but when it comes to automation, it’s all him. He keeps it real when communicating with others.
Q8: Which brands do an amazing job at engaging their audience on Twitter? Tag them!
We can learn a lot from what other brands are doing online. Are there any that are killing it when it comes to Twitter engagement strategies? Check out these brands:
You might think Twitter is a dying platform, but we’re about to prove you wrong with our latest #ContentWritingChat. This week, we covered all the best strategies to help you grow your audience and establish a great brand presence on Twitter. If you’re ready to step up your game on Twitter, dive into this recap!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Twitter Strategies for a Great Brand Presence with Becky Shindell
Our guest host this week was Becky Shindell. She’s a Social Media Manager for one of our favorite tools, SEMrush. Plus, she works behind the scenes on their Twitter chat, #semrushchat. So, it’s no surprise that Becky is pretty knowledgeable on Twitter and we were excited to have her join us and share some of her best advice.
Q1: How can a brand determine if Twitter is a worthwhile platform to be on?
With all the social media platforms available today, it can be hard to decide which ones are worth your time. If you’re wondering if Twitter is really the right place for your brand to be, we have some advice that will make the decision a little easier.
A1. Identify your goals! If your customer service is lacking, Twitter helps & gives your customers direct communication #contentwritingchat
Becky recommends considering the goals you have for your brand. She knows that Twitter is a powerful platform for customer service. That could be a key way that you use it to serve your customers.
A1 Rule #1, exist where your audience exists. If your target client/reader demographic hangs out on Twitter, be there! #ContentWritingChat
As Annaliese said, make sure your target audience is actually active on the platform. If they’re signed up, but not using it, then it won’t do you any good. You want to make sure your audience is there and already engaged.
Research, research, research! You’re going to have to do a little digging to find out where your audience is most active online, but it’ll pay off in the end.
A1. Is your community on Twitter? Is there already a conversation around your niche? Then, yes! #contentwritingchat
If you aren’t sure if your audience is on Twitter, don’t be afraid to ask them. You can create a survey and ask for responses to find out which platforms they’re most active on. As Lexie said, your social media strategy is all about being where your audience is.
A1 Twitter isn’t a pay-to-play social channel, so there’s an opportunity to reach a lot of people. Plus, it’s fun! #contentwritingchat
Another thing to take into consideration is how Twitter actually works. As Cristy said, it’s not a pay-to-play platform like Facebook as become. Twitter is appealing to so many brands for that reason because they don’t worry about a large portion of their followers never seeing their posts.
Q2: What types of content perform well on Twitter, thus encouraging clicks and shares?
Once you’ve decided to invest your time into using Twitter, you want to make sure you’re posting great content. And we all want clicks and shares, right? These tips will help you create irresistible content your audience will enjoy.
A2. Tweets with images perform best, hands down. Esp. ones with original images! Visual content is ? to your strategy #contentwritingchat
As Becky said, great visuals are key to getting your content noticed on Twitter. An eye-catching image will get people to stop as they’re scrolling through their feeds. Create something that’s going to grab their attention and appeal to them if you want to earn those clicks and shares.
Jessy said it best when she mentioned a great visual can help you break through the clutter. Social media feeds are busy these days and you need a way to stand out. Photos, GIFs, and videos can help you do that.
It’s also important to consider what resonates with your audience. What works for one brand might not work for you and vice versa. Don’t be afraid to test ideas to see what your audience responds well to and what they aren’t digging. Sarah said to make sure everything is helpful, relevant, timely, pretty, and beneficial.
Cassandra agrees that, in the end, it all goes back to what your audience enjoys.
Q3: How do you measure the success of your content? Which metrics are most important to track?
So, you’ve posted all of this content to Twitter… How on earth do you find out if it’s performing well? Which metrics should you be paying the most attention to? There’s no need to let your analytics stress you out! We have some suggestions on what you should be tracking.
A3b. to check for engagement, RT, favorites, demographics, etc. & use these numbers to create similar content that works #contentwritingchat
Becky said she likes to use Sprout Social to see how her audience is responding to content. She tracks engagement, retweets, and favorites. She also takes a look at their demographics to get a better understanding of who the audience is. Then, that information can be used to create more of the content that works and less of what doesn’t.
A3 Engagement, clicks, traffic, real ROI. This Jan, we gained a $5k+ client after he scrolled through @ExpWriters feed!? #ContentWritingChat
Engagement, clicks, traffic, and real ROI. That’s what we’re all about here at Express Writers. And as Julia mentioned, one of our clients signed on with us after discovering our Twitter profile and scrolling through our tweets.
Annaliese offered some great advice that will help you get the most out of your Twitter presence and your analytics. She suggests using Google Analytics and setting it up to track how visitors from Twitter behave once they get to your website.
Conversions, conversions, conversions. The ultimate test of whether or not your Twitter presence is working for you is whether or not those followers are converting. You want to see that they’re not only coming to your website, but converting in some way. That could be becoming an email subscriber, a paying customer, etc. If those conversions are happening, you’re on the right track.
For Tony, it’s all about engagement rate, clicks, and impressions. Engagement is a great thing to track because it’s nice to see that your audience is responding in some way, like leaving a comment. It’s simple, but it helps to build a relationship with them.
Jenn knows just how powerful conversations are between you and your audience. It’s a key step to building trust with them and you need to create content that gets them talking. Make sure you reply to them when they leave their response too!
Like Jenn, Keira also wants to see conversations happening around the content she shares. But as she pointed out, it all depends on the goals you’ve set for your content and that will differ based on the particular post.
Q4: What can you do to get your brand noticed on Twitter?
If you decide to invest your time and effort into a social media platform, you don’t want to go unnoticed. You want people to see your posts and engage with them. You want to attract followers and convert them into customers. So, how do you actually get noticed so you can see major results for your brand? Start implementing these tips:
Becky’s advice is to use relevant hashtags, original images and copy, and great GIFs. She also said to tweet frequently to stay in the feeds of your audience.
A4: If you want to get your brand noticed on Twitter, BE PRESENT. Post consistently and engage with your audience. #ContentWritingChat
If you want your brand to be noticed, you need to be present. Don’t slack off on posting and expect to see growth. Don’t get lazy with engaging and expect to build relationships. You need to be proactive about engaging with your audience.
A4: Take risks with innovation. Be a thought leader in your industry. Keep ahead of changing trends, etc. #ContentWritingChat
Be a thought leader in your industry and people will want to follow along. It’s also important that you stay on top of the latest trends so you can provide the best content for your audience.
Engagement is always essential and Antonio agrees. He stressed just how important it is to listen to what your audience is saying and to respond to them. He also mentioned that you can pay for traffic, but that doesn’t compare with growing your audience by building relationships.
Hashtags are a key way to get your content noticed. They help you reach a wider audience with each post. You just need to make sure you’re using ones that are relevant and popular enough that people will discover it.
Mallie is also a fan of using Twitter chats to make connections. Start reaching out to people in a way that feels genuine and people will respond well.
Q5: How can you capture leads on Twitter in order to turn followers into customers and raving fans of your brand?
We couldn’t have a chat on Twitter strategies without discussing how to use the platform to capture leads, could we? We asked our chat participants to share their advice for taking people from followers and turning them into customers and huge fans. Here are their tips:
Lexie said to be helpful. If you see people asking questions that you can answer, chime in and help them out. They’ll appreciate it and they just might check out your site and possibly become a customer at some point.
Be authentic and treat your followers right. It’ll work out in your favor.
Q6: What are the best strategies for increasing engagement on Twitter?
If you’re feeling like the engagement levels are low on your Twitter account, it’s time to step it up! Luckily, we’ve compiled some great tips from Tuesday’s chat that will help you out. Read through these and implement them if you want a major increase in engagement.
A6b. knowing that they’re talking to a human, not a computer. It’s also important to answer in a timely manner.. (cont) #contentwritingchat
Becky knows how important it is to engage with your audience. At SEMrush, they like to thank people for sharing their content, which is an easy way to open the lines of communication. You could even take it a step further to ask what someone liked about the article they shared.
Julia knows it’s important to be active. If you aren’t, why would anyone both engaging with you? They wouldn’t expect to receive a response. Be present on Twitter. And be sure to try out a few Twitter chats here and there!
A6: Encourage conversation. Ask questions, respond, get the discussion going with your community! #ContentWritingChat
Don’t sit around and wait for engagements to happen. As Jessy said, you need to encourage conversations yourself. Ask questions and respond to replies you get in order to get the discussion going.
As you ask questions, choose ones that are open-ended. Skip the ones where someone could provide a yes/no answer because that doesn’t leave much room for follow-up.
Jason’s advice is to be consistent with your posting and to share relatable tweets. It all goes back to giving your audience what they want. And when you receive replies, take the time to write back.
The reality is, there are many brands out there that don’t bother to respond to people. Don’t be like that! Take the time to respond because that’s what builds relationships.
A6 It’s all about testing – day/time/type of post and even content. Watch your competitors, see what works. #ContentWritingChat
It’s also smart to take posting times into consideration. Test to find out which times work best for your audience and make sure you’re sharing content then. You need to be able to reach them at the right times. Watching your competitors helps a lot, too!
Q7: Do you rely on any tools for scheduling content and tracking the success of your tweets? If so, which ones do you love?
If we want to succeed, we need an easy way to help us implement all of these Twitter strategies, don’t we? Fortunately, there are a ton of great tools out there to help us schedule posts and track how well things are performing. If you’re looking for a new tool to try out, check out the ones in this list:
A7. We use & love @SproutSocial! We’re an intl company & it’s helpful b/c you can assign tasks, report & so much more #contentwritingchat
TweetDeck is another great tool and especially comes in handy during Twitter chats.
Q8: Which brands do an amazing job with their Twitter content? Tag them and let them know!
There are tons of brands who are rocking it online and implementing these very Twitter strategies every day. There’s so much to learn from them, so check out these brands and see what they’re doing well:
Applebee’s continues to impress people with their Twitter presence. One of the great thing about them is that they’re always quick to respond to replies they receive.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!
Apparently, it’s better for more users not to constantly hit the character limit (I think).
