Is copywriting relevant for social media? – Olivia Colville

In the new age of social media it’s tempting to think that traditional copywriting no longer has a place. Who has time to read huge blocks of text on a screen anymore? Who has the time to read every page on a website? Do you REALLY need a copywriter?

 

Copywriters used to spend their time working mostly in print media. They crafted catalogue copy, delivered direct mail pieces and came up with catchy ads for newspapers and magazines. Today the focus is on 140 character tweets, popular hashtags and clickable Facebook posts.

Now the internet has put a virtual encyclopaedia at your fingertips. Any subject you can imagine has been catalogued, discussed, and dissected into oblivion. The ease with which we can access data has changed the way we consume information. These are some common misconceptions about how the web has eliminated the need for proper copywriting:

 

  • Time:We think that the internet has shortened our attention spans, but the truth is that we’re just bombarded with information. You can easily spend hours watching cat videos, or chatting with friends on Facebook, so clearly you aren’t lacking the ability to concentrate. The difference is, this is something you find entertaining. When copy is well-written and fascinating, people keep reading it—no matter how far they have to scroll.
  • Visual: Technology allows us to enjoy rich media like images and videos. And a picture is worth a thousand words, right? But copy and images combined are even more powerful. You couldn’t explain all the benefits of your product just using pictures. Tell a story that shows your customer what your service can do for them and they’ll be more convinced than with images alone.
  • SEO: The battle for a page one ranking on search engines is never ending! Keywords are stuffed into web copy at every opportunity despite the fact that they don’t always make sense. However, this is changing as search algorithms get smarter, seeking out those sites that provide real value to users. Good copywriting can make a significant contribution to search result rankings.

It may appear that using a professional copywriter is no longer essential, but persuasive, engaging copy is still the most powerful tool for improving profits. Web pages, social media and blogs offer copywriters more opportunity to shine. Experienced copywriters who have developed their skills to include SEO and social media can help your business deliver consistent, effective messages to new and existing customers.

 

A tweet may drive traffic to your website, but once a visitor is there, it’s the long copy that determines whether they click further or bounce. The ability to get your customer’s attention, keep them on your page and encourage them to click further is a skill that never loses its edge!

8 tips on how to create interesting Facebook content for your business

Running out of ideas for your Facebook content? Here are some ways to give your social media interaction a shot in the arm!

 

Write for people, not for your company

You need to add value to the information you’re posting for clients. This means that simply forcing ads in front of their eyes is not going to help you achieve your goal.

 

If you fail to post something interesting to read, your fans are simply going to scroll past your content. Make sure your content is interesting and engaging by using catchy headings and trendy topics!

 

Add a poll

If you have over 1000 LIKES on your page, consider yourself eligible to hold a private little survey for your Facebook fans. People love giving their opinion, so get them interacting with you to build trust and brand loyalty.

 

Make sure your question is interesting—ask around for some suggestions and make it relevant to your industry wherever possible. Also try not to overdo polls: Once a month is more than enough.

 

Diversify your content

If you keep posting the same type of content every week, your fans will quickly lose interest in your posts. Mix it up a little by diversifying between videos, pictures, news events, notifications of specials, blogs, and even a few jokes.

 

Do a service check

Though you may think that getting a public complaint on Facebook is bad for business, it actually helps you in more ways you can imagine. Consider posting a public message asking clients about the service they have received. Benefits to this are:

  • You are likely to get great testimonials which you can add to your website
  • Complaints will come to you instead of being spread secretly by word-of-mouth
  • You can publically handle the complaint to the satisfaction of the client for all to see
  • Other customers will feel at ease dealing with you because they can see that you care about giving satisfactory service

 

Highlight a blog section

If there’s a particular paragraph in your most recent blog that you feel is very relevant, highlight that subheading to your fans when posting. This will serve to entice them even more to read your blog because you’ve sparked their curiosity.

 

Quizzes

A quiz is simply irresistible to Facebook browsers. Ask a question, and offer to provide the question by getting your fans to take a short quiz. This will win you both clicks as well as lots of interaction from participants.

 

Keep up with what’s trending

Base your content on news that’s very popular. Recent examples of this is the Ice Bucket Challenge. To get an idea of what’s trending, spend some time on news sites or even YouTube.

 

Don’t neglect your weekend fans

Did you know that you can schedule posts? If your company is closed on the weekend, it doesn’t mean you can’t still reach out to your loyal fans.

 

Use Facebook to set up a future post and schedule it to go off on a Saturday morning or a Sunday afternoon. Think how good it’ll look to everyone that you’re always open to communicate!

 

About the author: Copley Sutton is a South African copywriter working out of Johannesburg, Gauteng. He specializes in optimized blogs for companies as well as SEO strategies for South African businesses.