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This article was written by our partner Mailchimp.
More and more, social media is the secret sauce when it comes to marketing your brand and products — after all, it’s where the people are.
According to a recent eMarketer report, one-third of the global population and more than 70 percent of internet users used social media at least once a month in 2017. That’s 2.48 billion individuals. And yes, that’s billion, with a “b.”
Social media is a great opportunity to reach customers, but it’s a crowded landscape. To create posts that make your brand stand out — and drive results — the first step is to up your content game. Then you can decide how you want to promote it.
Make your content shine
Great, thumb-stopping social media posts have two key components: visuals and copy.
Visuals
Good images or video can increase engagement, and they endear your brand to customers. A few tips to stop those fingers:
- Get stellar art for your social posts. You don’t have to be a photographer to use stock photo websites like Pexels and Unsplash, which offer great images, many of them free.
- More faces, less copy. People-heavy images get more engagement on Instagram, and they can humanize your brand. Also, did you know Facebook rejects an ad if an image has 20 percent or more of its pixels dedicated to text? This is a good rule for social posts, too. If you’re not sure if your image has too many words, here’s a handy checker.
- Consider video. With the advent of smartphone cameras, it’s never been easier to hit record and show off your wares. Plus, as livestreaming has hit the mainstream, consumer expectation for social video has shifted. Videos that feel rougher around the edges can feel more native to social platforms. Give it a shot!
- Make your post phone-friendly. If you’ve worked hard to create great images or video for your social media posts, make sure they look good on mobile devices. In 2017, nearly three-fourths of mobile phone internet users worldwide used their device to access social media.
Copy
Visuals can help convey an emotion, but great copy can help get consumers to act. Some pointers that’ll help strengthen your words:
- Keep it simple. Ask yourself, “If I glanced at this for a few seconds, would it be easy to understand?” If not, try to simplify your content.
- Avoid too much capitalization. This is a good practice in general, because caps can translate as yelling online. If you decide to venture into ads, Facebook may reject your copy if it contains all capital letters, too many exclamation points, or spammy language.
- Proofread. Every writer needs an editor, so ask a friend or a colleague to check it for mistakes, just to be safe. This especially applies to Facebook ads, because once you submit an ad, you can’t edit it.
- Tell them why. Consumers are bombarded with ads and products, so you’ve gotta convince them why your stuff is what they’re really after. Make sure your copy tells them why they need what you’ve got.
- Have a strong call to action. Knowing your goal will help you develop a message. Are you telling customers about a current sale? Or would you like them to visit your online store? Don’t make customers guess if they want to continue the journey with your brand — tell them they do. (And make it clear where their click will send them.)
Reach the right people
After you’ve made some beautiful content, it’s time to promote it so your hard work gets the visibility that it deserves. You can use Mailchimp’s all-in-one Marketing Platform to create digital ads or Square to boost your Facebook posts or receive appointment bookings via Instagram.
Ready to market smarter? Mailchimp is teaming up with Square to help you turn those likes on Facebook and red hearts on Instagram into dollar signs. If you’re in Atlanta, come hear a panel of speakers give insights about how to make the most of your social media.
Can’t make it? You can still take your business online in minutes when you connect Mailchimp and Square. Sell directly from your landing pages — no eCommerce store needed.
About Mailchimp
Mailchimp’s all-in-one Marketing Platform helps small businesses market smarter so you can grow faster. Mailchimp puts your audience at the center so you can send marketing email and automated messages, create targeted ad campaigns, build landing pages, send postcards, facilitate reporting and analytics, and sell online. Founded in 2001 and based in Atlanta, GA, Mailchimp has 1000+ employees and is privately held.
