Digital Marketing Insights

Is your social media content hum drum or does it stand-out? Some simple tweaks and edits are all it takes to draw readers to your social media posts and away from others. CTAs, questions and regular posting are just some of the methods you can use to ensure customers click through and engage. Here are six ways to improve your SMM.

1. To whom?

It’s all well and good that you know how great your product is, but does your customer? And, for that matter who are they? Your social media copy needs to appeal to your target audience and tick all those hard-to-reach boxes that make the difference between a sale and leaving your page and going elsewhere.

How do you focus your content with the reader in mind? Firstly, get to know your readers and customers, preferably inside-out. Turn the tables, flip them if you like, so that your material always addresses ‘you’ the reader in the second person and not big old me, myself and I (or we, we, we).

Take sentences that start with ‘I am’, ‘I can’ and ‘we are the best’ and change them to ‘You are’, ‘you will’ and ‘you are looking for the best’.

2. Get them guessing…

You know what curiosity did to the cat? It works with your readers too. A juicy carrot dangling from your Facebook or Instagram post will attract readers and hopefully be enough of a lure to get them to click a story.

In our experience, the most commonly clicked on scenarios are when a post offers the answer or reason to something that they want to know, or, you’re challenging a common point of view.

Be fair, when you’ve got your reader to click through you need to come up with the goods. Don’t annoy them by employing further trickery or delay tactics or you will likely drive your customers insane and, ultimately, elsewhere.

3. Are your posts good enough to stand alone?

Could your smm post about The Dustbusting floor mop stand on its own? Or, is it reliant on other, more superior content found elsewhere? (The answer should be the first choice).

Quality ssm optimisation is partly about being creative. In this instance, allow your post to take on a story-like façade. For instance, instead of telling a customer about your fantastic floor mop and how you designed it to slip along the floor with ease, consider how your customer will use the floor mop. Like, for example, when little Johnny spills his orange juice (again) or when the dog tramples in with muddy paws (again). Tell them how easy it will be to remove the dirty spots that they dislike so much, and how the Dustbusting mop won’t take up all the room in their cupboard and how it’ll be ready and waiting for the next incident…

For smm content to be good enough to stand on its own, it also needs to be worth the reader’s precious time. What will they gain from reading your post? If the answer is not much, you will need to rethink. Ideally, you want readers to leave your post informed, interested and wanting more. Tempt readers to explore more of your content using CTAs and questions peppered throughout your copy.

Questions, in particular, are a handy way to build on customer engagement. Make sure to answer any replies, feedback, comments and discussions – regardless of whether they’re positive.

4. Consistency: the hallmark of smm optimisation

Oscar Wilde might have thought otherwise, but in terms of improving your social media consistency is king. The tone and voice of your posts should remain consistent throughout. Sticking to a set tone will help you to build on the relationship and trust you have with your customers.

Need help with a consistent approach? Create a ‘rule book’ of words, phrases and things that you will or will not write into your copy.

Grammar wise, you will also need to be consistent with your writing style from smaller things such as capitalisation through to more significant issues such as using the second person to address your customer.

You will probably find that once you’ve written a few posts sticking to your rubric, the voice will come naturally, and you won’t have to rejig words or perspective.

5. Social media loves the K.I.S.S approach

There’s no need to write reams of content. Social media posts are generally on the short side, mainly because the attention span of readers is even shorter.

Keep it simple and say what you could in 100 words in as few as possible. No wandering verses or rhyming couplets required.

6. Post regularly and stick to your plan

Finally, your readers will love you more if they can rely on you for regular social media posts. Regular can mean once a week, twice a day or more, however, you need to set a pace that you can stick to throughout your campaign or smm optimisation plan.

To help, consider drawing up an smm calendar with all of your content ready to go, including any images and links.

Good luck with optimising your social media posts. We hope these few simple tweaks will set you off on the road to successful social media. Need help? Get in touch XXX

Theresa LeRoux

My name is Theresa Le Roux, I am originally from Montreal, Canada but I have spent the last 5 years in beautiful New Zealand. I write SEO/Digital marketing/SMM articles for businesses that want a different perspective on subjects that are important to their content output. This can also help grow rankings in the process so it’s a win-win!

I regularly contribute articles about the always changing world of SEO to Clickthrough.co.nz.      I am a diehard Game of Thrones fan with a passion for novels and live music! My career goal is to one day write a novel of my own.