10 Steps To Create Perfect Social Media Posts

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At the time of its 10th birthday, Facebook is still the place to be for brands and people, the icon of social media gone global. But with international spread comes great amount of content. After purchasing Pulse and updating company pages, LinkedIn seems to be in the process of growing from the most important business networking platform to something even more (let’s say…the main global place for job opportunities?). Pinterest got even more visual and focuses on interests per say and geo-location, starting with this year.  Twitter has a brand new home design for desktop and it’s short videos platform Vine is definitely in trend. And last, but not least, Google+ is all over you’re connected to the internet via other Google solutions (Google search much, lately?). And at least one other niche social network comes to life each week.

 So, in this ocean of social media content what will make your preferable, shareable, better? Here are some guidelines that can lead you towards creating meaningful, impactful and perfect social media posts.

 

10 Steps To Create Perfect Social Media Posts

 

1. Try to write an update that is both compelling and relevant 

Be witty, think in headlines, find interesting things to share and keep them short and simple.
 

2. Focus on emotions and experiences

No, no, no, people do not enjoy reading all about a brand’s products and history. They enjoy connecting with stories that bring emotion, showcase great experiences and offer them space for imagination, memory or feelings expression.
 

 3. Share

Use the advantage of visual media and the loads of information available online to share interesting content that is in line with the topic of your communication, with the values, the products or the services of your brand. Share interesting links, photos, videos, events and causes within your updates. And, with time, learn what the most impactful shares are for your social media community.
 

4. Ask questions, ask for advice, ask for opinions

Nevertheless, ask, social media is not a monologue. And, generally, people might be less attracted to your own opinions than you think. And either of these approaches can help to draw in people who like to give their advice, opinions, or ideas, great sharers or people with experience. And often, it’s interesting for others to learn from too. This is, in the end, the spirit of a community: experience & opinion sharing.
 

 5. Celebrate & be adventurous

Even when people are not the celebrative and adventurous type, they are clinging to the hope someone else is and enjoy joining the crowd for all sorts of happy, special moment. When creating content for social media, make an objective of remind people that there is more to life than boring, routine living: great discoveries await at every corner, there’s a special moment or person to be grateful for every day. You’ll see that people will come back to thank you for that and maybe even share some personal adventures and celebrations.
 

6. Use the Sherlock Holmes effect

If you can inject a little intrigue and unknown into some of your social media updates, curiosity will arise and people will embark with you into investigations and mysteries that can be wrapped into a simple photo with hidden object, a puzzle, a riddle, a tangled phrase of a true treasure-hunt social media game.
 

7. Create a person that is there to speak about topics people love

Behind every brand there are still people. And your fans and followers know that. So build the persona of your brand and talk with your audience about music, important life events, about the nature, the weather, sports, movies, family, relationships, gifts , recipes and fashion. As long as the topic is endorsed by the attitude and values of your brand, you are on safe & full-of-content ground.

 

8. Document, research and monitor

No, good content does not come to your mind at night, by magic and does not get shared by miracle. Remember that creating content is a serious job and spend time to document subjects you will address, research the audience you are addressing and monitor their reactions: when, how and to what they react. This way, with time, you will create your own recipes of successful social media posts. Make the best out of the unique advantage of social media: real-time feedback from people.
 

9. Always have a plan

Writing in social media is easy. But writing posts that generate engagement and reach a lot of your fan-base can only be done with a plan. Think about editorial routines and then develop them into actual posts. Setup a posting calendar and schedule your posts at times and days that fit your audience and brand best. Take time to find the right words to go with an amazing video shared in social networks. Find the right image that illustrates the copy you wrote.  
 

10. React and respond

Social media is about interacting and being responsive. And this is not a benefit you receive from your fans or followers, it’s also a responsibility you have. Comments and replies you give to people talking to you are equally important to the original posts you create.  When people reply to your updates, it’s not only polite to acknowledge their interest but it can also take things to a new level if you continue to interact and build conversations.

Content creation is about inspiration and creativity, but it’s also about the right words at the right time. And this combination takes time, practice and documenting. So find your inspiration, follow the 10 steps and you are on the road to great social media content.

 

See also:  Create Compelling Content for Social Media