Before I joined Yellow Line Digital as an Account Associate this past May, I had little to no experience in social media marketing. Social media was just for my personal use, and I rarely posted anything of my own. Needless to say, I was thrown into the fire and had to learn very quickly. As I reflect on my time working in social media marketing, here are my five essential tips for ANYONE who markets on social.
1. Just Write Something Down
It can be overwhelming and intimidating when you first sit down to think of a caption for your posts. How do you clearly convey what you want? Will people like what you’ve written? Or, my biggest struggle: how do I write about something I’m not personally passionate about?
In working at Yellow Line, I’ve learned that the best way to get over these fears is to simply write something down. Take away the pressure of writing the perfect caption on the first try. Follow that train of thought, and learn to be okay with it not being good at first. I mean, how can you fix something if you don’t have anything to begin with?
2. Choose a Banger of a Headline
It’s important to have a short headline or title for your posts, because it not only operates as a hook for the viewer, but it also lets them know what to expect if they keep reading. Let me be clear, though, writing a good headline is no easy feat. What I’ve come to learn is that you need to include what the post will be about, because this lets the viewer decide if it’s for them or not. You also need to include copy that is either exciting, shocking, or funny, and don’t forget to show your personality! And most importantly, keep it short and clear! People don’t want to take the time to read long captions. Which leads me to my next point…
3. Bring on the White Space!
Social media is such a fast-paced environment with people scrolling at dangerously high speeds. Coming across a long paragraph on social media is off-putting, especially when you don’t know if it’ll be worth it at the end. However, some posts do require longer captions or explanations.
When it’s necessary to write a longer caption please, please, PLEASE break it up with white space. Break your information up into small paragraphs, leaving extra space around them. Your viewers will think to themselves, “I’ll read the first bit since it’s short and see where it goes.” Once you give into the white space you will never go back!
4. Humor is in the Eye of the Beholder
Nothing can improve a post quite like humor can. Of course, there is a time and place for it, just like anything, but in the right circumstances humor can be the cherry on top! The goal with humor is to get the other person to laugh; to create a genuine connection. Naturally, you don’t want to force your humor, and that’s why you have to bring a little of yourself into your posts. Make references and jokes that you make in your own life. If you don’t like a joke you’re making, why would anyone else? So, be genuine in your jokes!
5. Build a Community
No matter what you write, there is bound to be someone who disagrees with you. Instead of worrying if everyone will like what you’ve posted, post about the things you like. I think this is at the heart of being authentic on social media. The people who are like you, who like the same things as you, will find you. From there, you can build a community. Stop worrying about getting everyone to like your posts. Find your audience, your niche. By doing so, you are more likely to find better engagement.
Social media is an ever-changing world with trends coming and going before you even have time to register them. Just remember — what truly makes a post is the message you are trying to tell. However, these five tips are evergreen tactics that will never fail to improve a post and make your audience connect with your message. As I constantly hear at Yellow Line Digital, it is always about sharing the human stories that we can relate to and get behind. So, share and be human! (There’s a bonus sixth tip for ya).
