Copywriting for Social Media

2. Copywriting for Social Media Welcome! This book is a production of SocialBee.io. All rights reserved. © It was carefully crafted by Tünde Macarie after countless hours of focused research, mind- mapping, writing, editing, and debates with Ovi. Ovi Negrean provided the vision, structure, and guidance in creating this book, while David Dugan designed its crazy vivid cover. We hope you’ll get a lot of value and enjoyment out of this lecture. We'd love to hear your feedback on hello@socialbee.io or on Twitter @SocialBeeHQ. ~ For an overview of our Social Media Management Tools and Services, further Guides and Resources, please visit www.SocialBee.io. Thank you, The SocialBee Team. #BeeBetter SocialBee.io 1

3. Copywriting for Social Media 10 Chapter 1: Social Media Copywriting Tips 11 11 Nobody cares about you, they just care about themselves Know your audience (focus on the WHO) 12 15 15 Social Media platform differences When posting to social media, remember the basics: How to write copy for the different Social Media Platforms 29 32 What’s the difference between Content Writing and Copywriting? Conclusion 33 34 Chapter 2: The importance of knowing your audience How to do your market research 37 45 Understanding the difference between product features and benefits Know your competition - Focus on your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) 49 51 52 Chapter 3: Copywriting Techniques and Formulas How to write catchy Headlines & Titles How to write Social Media Headlines 53 57 Social Media headlines tips What makes a well-inspired, catchy headline & title? 61 62 10 Formulas to create catchy headlines & titles ● The ‘Who else’ formula 62 63 ● The ‘Secrets’ formula ● The ‘Here’s how’ formula 63 63 64 ● The ‘Little known’ formula ● The ‘Quick solution’ formula ● The ‘Have the cake and eat it, too’ formula 64 64 ● The ‘How to do something like’ formula ● The ‘All you need to know about’ formula 65 65 ● The ‘List’ formula ● The ‘It’s all about you’ formula 66 66 Here’s another way to look at some Headline Formulas Support headlines with leads 68 69 Create readable headlines Copywriting Formulas SocialBee.io 2

4. Copywriting for Social Media 70 71 ● AIDA ● FAB 72 74 ● PAS ● Storytelling 79 79 ● BAB ● WHY - HOW - WHAT - Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle 81 82 ● Why/Try/Buy ● So what? 84 85 86 Chapter 4: Humor and Competitive Copywriting Humor Tips on using humor in your copy 86 86 ● Knowing your audience is key ● Choose your jokes wisely 86 86 ● Avoid offensive humor ● “Deflect” attention through humor 87 87 ● Stay relevant to your brand ● Create a call to action 87 90 97 ● ‘Funny’ can be hard Competitive copywriting Chapter 5: Mastering CTAs 98 98 ● Decide on the action you want your reader to take ● Give your audience something of value 98 99 ● Create curiosity ● Create a sense of urgency 99 99 ● The ‘Why not’ technique ● Focus on the immediate benefits 100 100 102 ● Be clear on what you offer ● Only use one CTA per post Chapter 6: Power Words 104 Know your audience (again?!)  ● 104 106 ● Where to use power words? ● Increase your social media engagement with power words 107 ● Use FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) phrases SocialBee.io 3

5. Copywriting for Social Media 107 109 ● The most persuasive words in English Chapter 7: The visuals of writing 114 118 Readability Paragraphs 121 130 Emojis - When to use them Hashtags 140 145 Chapter 8: Final tips on how to write captions on social media Chapter 9: SocialBee to the Rescue SocialBee.io 4

6. Copywriting for Social Media RedBull. Apple. Elon Musk. Lil Miquela1 (and she’s not even real). Other social profiles look great. But how about yours? If you think your socials could use no improvement we’ve got nothing to teach you. But if you feel you could take it up a notch, keep reading. Copywriting for social media seems easy for others. For you it’s hard. And you feel trapped. I get it, I’ve been there. But, doesn’t everything seem hard before you learn to master it? Well, here’s your chance to learn to master writing techniques and take your social profile to the next level. This complex, yet easy to understand book provides the knowledge you need in order to get the social power you’ve always dreamt of. Knowledge is power. And power lies in the hands of the wise. “Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.” ― Leo Burnett 1 https://www.instagram.com/lilmiquela/ SocialBee.io 5

7. Copywriting for Social Media The purpose of this guide is to teach you all the tips and tricks behind every successful social media profile out there. So, regardless of whether you’re a startup, solo practitioner, or part of a marketing team, you’ll love our step-by-step, behind-the-scenes Copywriting for Social Media guide. And, once you are done reading this guide you’ll definitely have a better understanding of how to turn your social profile into a successful brand. So, enjoy this exciting journey!  Here’s what you’ll learn in this guide: ● Social Media Copywriting Tips There’s a formula behind every storytelling, every social media post. The trick is discovering which one works for you in one particular moment with a specific audience. The idea is to always write with your audience in mind. Whether you’re presenting a product or appealing to your reader’s emotions, you need to know how to engage with your audience. SocialBee.io 6

8. Copywriting for Social Media ● The importance of knowing your audience Your role as a copywriter is to connect your product’s features to your audience, to make it resonate with them. And, writing copy that highlights the benefits as well, will help make those connections. Copywriting is not about simply taking a wild guess at what people want. It is about listening, paying attention to the language your audience uses and build that language into high-converting copy. ● Copywriting techniques The best copywriters do a lot of research to find the most important characteristics of their products. They also try to discover the pain points of their consumers, and the words people use to describe their problems, their interests. But, the most important element is your customer. And, as a writer, you need to use the best formula that would make your consumers take action. How? Well, that’s the best part.  ● Humor and Competitive Copywriting Humor can be a really great way to reveal the story behind your brand - basically, the human side of your brand. If you manage to do that with some clever humor, people will enjoy to get to know you while also having a good laugh on the side. But, how can you be sure you are using humor the right way? When going for competitive marketing, try to always focus on the benefits your company, your product or your services provide. There’s obviously a risk in approaching competitive marketing. But, there’s a positive side to it as well. What’s the positive side and how should you approach competitive copywriting? ● Mastering CTA’s Before you write your call-to-action, the most important thing you need to do is to figure out what exactly is the action you want the reader to take. When you know what the action is, you can write the call to action. How do you write a CTA the right way? Well, that’s where mastering call-to-actions comes in handy. SocialBee.io 7

9. Copywriting for Social Media ● Power Words Regardless of the power words you are choosing to use, you need to have a specific intention behind everything you write. Otherwise you will just write power words that will lead you nowhere. This chapter will help you find the power words that motivate people and set the right tone to your copy. ● The visuals of writing The importance of visual content in social media is undeniable. The great value of visual content marketing is its ability to tell a story really quickly and to share information in a way that is easily remembered by the readers. Why is this important? Because, visual objects carry emotion, and they can reach your audience in ways the written word cannot. And in this chapter, we’ll show you how to do just that. ● Final tips on how to write post captions on social media Be bold. Experiment with different versions of your copy and see what works and what doesn’t. Discover how to stand out from the crowd - there is a huge potential audience waiting for you to make your mark on social. And, if you want social engagement through your social media captions, talk to your audience, not at them. After all, it’s SOCIAL media… So here, we’ll give you some final tips on how to write post captions on social media. ● SocialBee to the Rescue Nobody has enough time to do it all when it comes to managing the social media platforms. By using the SocialBee content management tool you’ll be able to manage your content efficiently. Oh, and once you’ll try the SocialBee tool, you’ll never want to let go of it. In this chapter we’ll show you why. So, basically what you’ll learn here is how to create successful content using the best copywriting tips and formulas, headlines, CTAs, power words, humor, and more, in a way you’ll eventually manage to transform your reader into your buyer. SocialBee.io 8

10. Copywriting for Social Media The good news: this guide is full of tips and tricks that will help you out. And we’ll take it one step at a time. Our goal: to help you learn how to take your audience’s interest in you to a level where they commit to your brand. It’s not that hard, if you actually get to know your target audience, discover your buyer personas and relate to them by providing exactly what they need. So, let’s roll up our sleeves, and get started with the Social Media Copywriting Tips. SocialBee.io 9

11. Copywriting for Social Media Chapter 1: Social Media Copywriting Tips SocialBee.io 10

12. Copywriting for Social Media What’s in it for me? - Something your audience always asks... Finding the answer to this question will get you halfway to accomplishing your goal of winning your audience over to your side. What your visitors care about isn’t really whether you are a nice person or what your values are (this matters as well, but that’s another story ). All they care about is their own personal gain. Which leads us to the following: Nobody cares about you, they just care about themselves As selfish as it may sound, it’s fundamentally true.  So, don’t make the mistake of writing about yourself, but rather focus on discovering “what’s in it for your reader”. Once you have figured that out, make sure you deliver the message loud and clear. The good news is, there’s a formula behind every storytelling, every social media post. The trick is discovering which one works for you in one particular moment with a specific audience. We’ll talk more about the famous copywriting formulas down the line. As I've already mentioned in the above, once you are done reading this guide you’ll know exactly which social media formulas work for you and which don’t. But, first thing’s first, let’s get on with it and learn all you need to know about copywriting, step- by-step. Know your audience (focus on the WHO) Knowing the needs of your audience is an essential part in the copywriting process. It is extremely important for you to understand your customers, and get how they feel about what you’re offering. You need to know which words, ideas and values convince your customers to take action. This is the key in the copywriting process and a secret weapon of the best of the best copywriters. How do you get to know your customers? Here are some thoughts that may sound weird, but definitely worth mentioning: ● Get inside your customer’s mind ● Get to know your customer really well SocialBee.io 11

13. Copywriting for Social Media ● Stalk your customer (as in know everything your customers does, wants, is interested in, etc) ● Learn where your customer hangs out (online and offline) ● Figure out how to have a conversation with your customer (a conversation that helps them feel good and actually meets their needs) What do you need to know about your audience? What information will actually help you understand them better? Here are some basics that help in the getting-to-know your audience process: ● Demographics Info: age, gender, education, income level You can get these demographics information from social media analytics, your customer databases (if you have one), or from your website’s analytic platform, and obviously from Google Analytics. Or you might just know this kind of info because you simply know your customers (you’ve spoken with them or you’ve dealt directly with them) - which is great. ● Don’t make blind assumptions Don’t just think you know your audience. Without getting to know your customers properly, you’ll never understand their actual needs and wants. And now that you understand the importance of knowing your audience, it’s important to understand the different platforms where your consumers hang out. Having a clear understanding about the different social platforms out there, will help you know exactly what people are looking for on each platform. Social Media platform differences Think about it. What kind of Facebook posts or tweets you’d like to see when visiting Facebook or Twitter? If you are looking for something really interesting, or valuable… others do too. On social platforms people are looking for relevant, interesting, valuable and easy to read stuff that they'd want to share themselves. It’s important for you to first understand the platforms where your posts will be published and some of the unique qualities of each one. Write clearly. Use persuasion and power words that compel people to take action - regardless of whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Let’s look at the differences between Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram: SocialBee.io 12

14. Copywriting for Social Media Facebook ● People are using Facebook mainly to find interesting things to read or watch. And also to keep in touch with their friends - obviously.  ● Facebook pages give brands a dedicated space to build up their community projects or products, plug events and generate discussions as well as commenting. ● If you post on Facebook on behalf of a brand, you'll want to make sure you can write interesting stuff that would drive people to your website and landing pages. ● When you post on Facebook, make sure to add context to your post. You can even add a teaser copy if you’d like. Twitter ● Was famous for its 140 character limit on posts… well... now it’s famous for its 280 character limit.  ● Twitter is used for sharing and promoting links and driving people back to websites and landing pages. It is a lot like Facebook (or not ) but with limited space to write. ● On Twitter, you’ll need to figure out the right words to use. Some of these words might include hashtags, which is obviously something you can use on other platforms, too. However, they're really most useful on Twitter and Instagram. ● On Twitter, when people aren't tweeting links to things, they're usually posting their thoughts, comments on current events. All these may get referenced through hashtags or with accompanying pictures, animated gifs, or videos. ● Twitter is very much in the moment - because it also shows its timeline's tweets to people. What’s great about this is that people can see a day old posts or maybe even posts as old as a day or two - depending on how popular or relevant the post is. ● When you post on Twitter, a blog post for instance, don’t just copy and paste the headline into your post. Your twitter followers aren’t necessarily your blog readers. Make sure to add a little more context to the subject. Something that is relevant and makes sense. Clarify what you're talking about - clarify things related to the subject you post. But still leave a little mystery, so you get them to visit the post. ● Don't blindly copy and paste titles, unless they totally work on their own. SocialBee.io 13

15. Copywriting for Social Media Linked-In ● Is a platform where professionals hang out. In other words, people who are looking for jobs, have jobs but want better ones, or just want to show off how smart they are. ● The platform is created so that people could network with coworkers, friends and other people in your target industry. ● When you set up your profile you generally write up your resume describing your work experience skills projects, publications and whatever else you've got. For jobseekers this is an important kind of copy. ● When people write copy for LinkedIn they're doing so in the hopes of impressing others professionally. They hope it'll lead to a new job, a new connection or a new client. ● Writing great copy on LinkedIn is especially important each time. Instagram ● Instagram is asocial media app that allows users to share photos and videos, add captions, enhance photos through filters, engage with others, and more. ● Instagram is also branded ‘the image sharing app.’ It is obvious that visual images share ideas and motivate users and followers instantaneously. Visual recognition and appeal are powerful tools. ● Created as a mobile app, Instagram is excellent for today’s busy/mobile lifestyle. In fact it was designed for capturing and posting content on the go and users love this. ● Instagram is both a mobile phone app and image-centric, so posting becomes easy and fast. Also, the one-word captions that accompany many images and videos keep posts brief. ● Instagram is all about keeping things very simple. All you need to do is download the app and start posting images. That’s basically it. Then, search for what interests you. ● Instagram’s algorithm can also show us content that we may be interested in, or content that our friends and followers might like - which is fun. And it’s also fun to follow and connect with people you like. SocialBee.io 14

16. Copywriting for Social Media ● And let’s not forget the Instagram Stories. Over 400 million people use Instagram Stories on daily basis. What are Instagram Stories2? Well, simply put it is the Snapchat-like feature that creates photo and video sequences that disappear 24 hours after being posted. This is fantastic for the millions of business profiles on Instagram because as it turns out on average, one in five Stories gets a direct message. Oh and what’s even greater is that when a potential customer reaches out to your business on Instagram, that’s a lead. Find out more about Instagram Stories and leads, here3. So, each time you write a copy for social media, you'll need to understand the differences between each platform and write accordingly. Here’s how: ● Adjust your writing to match the audience's expectation on each platform ● Ensure your writing supports a goal for your post. Use your writing to make a case for something you want your reader to agree with or do ● Compel your reader to take an action  Note: Shorter posts on social media are usually more effective than longer ones. When posting to social media, remember the basics: ● Create relevant, interesting, valuable and easy to read stuff that people want to share every day ● Get familiar with each platform you post on ● Understand how and why people use each platform differently ● Adjust your approach for each social platform when you post Let’s now jump into more details and examples. How to write copy for the different Social Media Platforms Writing effective social copy can be challenging, sometimes even for experienced marketers. But as always, there are some smart tips and strategies that can help you write great copy on your different social platforms. And boost engagement. 2 https://www.pocket-lint.com/apps/news/instagram/138416-what-is-instagram-stories-and-how-does-it-work 3 https://blogs.constantcontact.com/instagram-stories/ SocialBee.io 15

17. Copywriting for Social Media Here are some strategies you can follow when you write your social copy: Facebook Facebook is especially great for promoting things like blog posts, reports, or videos. However, simply posting a link without a description is not ok. It’s always best to add a brief, attention- grabbing copy that shows what the content you are sharing is all about. You could also create copy in the form of a question. A question that would obviously get answers from the blog or event you are sharing. Also, with Facebook, an excellent approach is to write copy that starts a conversation. Here’s what you can do: ● Use your Facebook posts to build community and conversation ● Ask questions like “What are you most excited about …. ?” (fill in with whatever you want to target with your specific post) ● Try different post lengths to see what works best with your audience  Note: The best length for a Facebook post is up to 40 characters. That’s not much at all, but according to studies it’s the ideal length you should go for to get a higher engagement.  Note: Short, to the point posts generate the highest engagement. SocialBee.io 16

18. Copywriting for Social Media Check some more tips on how to increase fan engagement on Facebook, here4. Copywriting Tips on Facebook ● Write with your audience in mind ● Ask people questions ● Share some news and announcements ● Update followers on upcoming events ● Alert people about important things Write simply and know your audience! ● Shorter updates are better ● Clarify the value of what you share ● You can also opt to write teaser copy ● Include mentions, hashtags where you can and when it’s relevant ● Use a fragment from the piece you are sharing ● Highlight one interesting note or piece of data ● Write a spoiler ● You can add a video  Examples: Starbucks is a great example for diversity, check out the two examples below: 4 https://www.jeffbullas.com/10-powerful-tips-to-increase-fan-engagement-on-facebook/ SocialBee.io 17

19. Copywriting for Social Media One thing is clear: they always write with their audience in mind. Whether it’s presenting their products or appealing to emotions, they know how to engage with their audience. Twitter When you’re composing copy for tweets, #hashtags are a great way to express and summarize what your message is all about. Here’s how your approach could be: ● Include yourself into the conversation by tweeting well-known, interesting memes ● Comment on the right hashtags in a way that’s relevant for your post. However, try to limit your hashtags to one or two - as these tweets have a 21% higher engagement rate than those with three or more hashtags. ● Connect with your reader on the emotion behind your post  Note: Although tweets come with a maximum of 280 characters, the ideal length for a tweet is actually around 120-130 characters. As it turns out, tweets with this length show the highest click-through rate (CTR). However, even if your tweet is a little (or a lot) longer (or shorter) than 120-130 characters, if it’s relevant enough, it will get a lot of engagement regardless its length. SocialBee.io 18

20. Copywriting for Social Media  Look at the examples below: SocialBee.io 19

21. Copywriting for Social Media LinkedIn On LinkedIn you can share longer, more thoughtful content than on the other social platforms. LinkedIn is great for polished, professional content that you can also pair with longer captions that tell a story. Here’s what to look for when creating copy for LinkedIn: ● Create posts about top industry news ● Share interesting and inspiring announcements about your business ● Add a quote from the article to pair up with the link you are sharing To hook your reader with your copy on LinkedIn, make sure to keep the following tips5 in mind: ● Create the right headlines optimised for LinkedIn - between 40 and 49 characters long. ● Make your posts visual - You should have at least one image in your post. But those without visual work just fine, too - as long as what you are saying has value, is interesting and can bring change into the reader’s life. Like this:  ● Create "How-to" and list-style headlines - keep in mind that a headline can make or break a LinkedIn blog post. ● Question posts on LinkedIn perform poorly - avoidposts where the headline is a question. 5 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-wow-10-tips-help-your-linkedin-posts-get-noticed-craig-marett/ SocialBee.io 20

22. Copywriting for Social Media Yet, here’s an example where we clearly have a question and engagement is high: So, I’ll stick to my opinion: it’s extremely important to know what research says and work accordingly. But, also go for trial and error. Test and discover the type of posts that work and the type of posts that don’t work. You may get surprised at times.  ● People like reading long-form content on LinkedIn - even 1,900 to 2,000 words long. But: ● Consider dividing your post into 5 headings in order to attract the greatest number of post views - use headings (H1, H2, tags) to break your post into easy to read sections - this will help your post get a high performance ● Your content should be readable by an 11-year-old - check the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease6 test is a means of assessing the comprehension difficult of English text ● Promote your LinkedIn posts on other social networks, too - in case you are considering using other social platforms to promote your LinkedIn publisher post, keep in mind that Tweets have the highest correlation to LinkedIn success metrics ● Adding videos or other multimedia assets to your LinkedIn posts is not a good idea - according to data including multimedia assets to your post will get you fewer post views. However, depending on the video you choose to post you can also get a huge engagement even when adding videos. Here’s a great example of that:  6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesch%E2%80%93Kincaid_readability_tests SocialBee.io 21

23. Copywriting for Social Media  And another example of a video that performs well on LinkedIn: SocialBee.io 22

24. Copywriting for Social Media  Other examples: SocialBee.io 23

25. Copywriting for Social Media Copywriting Tips on how to optimize your LinkedIn Profile When you sign up for LinkedIn, they ask you to fill in a lot of detail. Why? Because: The more detail you provide, the easier it will be for people to find you ● Personal headlines show up in search results – make your personal headline very clear so people would figure out who you are and what you’re all about ● Summarize what kind of work you did – summarize the big responsibilities not small details ● Go for 3 sentences ● Each sentence should be written like a bullet point (don’t need to write in whole sentences) ● Your job description should be filled with important keywords ● Too much text won’t get read SocialBee.io 24

26. Copywriting for Social Media So, even if this has to do with your LinkedIn profile7, you need to use your copywriting, editing and summarizing skills and deliver a clear readable and descriptive copy about yourself and your experience. It’s good practice.   Examples of great LinkedIn profiles: Just want to take the time and mention that besides having a great LinkedIn profile, Tony J. Hughes8 is also one of our dear customers at SocialBee9.  7 https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-31-best-linkedin-profile-tips-for-job-seekers 8 https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughestony/ 9 https://socialbee.io/ SocialBee.io 25

27. Copywriting for Social Media SocialBee.io 26

28. Copywriting for Social Media Instagram A picture is worth a thousand words. So not many more extra “real” words are needed on Instagram. Being brief is key on this social platform. Your photos should simply speak for themselves, so choose them wisely. And then there are the #hashtags. How many #hashtags should be used on Instagram?  Well, opinions differ among experts. But… it seems that the ideal number of hashtags for Instagram captions is between 5-10. However, it isn’t always the case. So, you can’t really know exactly how many hashtags work best for you until you test it.  Key: Give yourself some flexibility for trial and error and keep hashtags close to the interests of your brand - be specific. Instagram is mostly a platform for sharing photos and videos, therefore the main focus should be on your visual content. But, it’s great and even helpful to provide context that allows users to know what they’re actually viewing. Here’s how to write your copy on Instagram: ● Great, inspiring pictures will do the trick ● Captions need to be brief - Although Instagram doesn’t specify what’s the maximum number of caption characters, your caption will be cut off after the first three lines. So, it’s recommended not to write more than 125 characters. If you are writing longer form captions, make sure to include the most important information first. ● Try out different numbers of hashtags to use until you find the magic number that works for you. Examples: SocialBee.io 27

29. Copywriting for Social Media SocialBee.io 28

30. Copywriting for Social Media What’s the difference between Content Writing and Copywriting? The major difference between content writing and copywriting lies in the very purpose of writing it. There still seems to be some sort of confusion when it comes to correctly defining copywriting and content writing. Let’s make things clear from the very beginning. There is a difference between the two. SocialBee.io 29

31. Copywriting for Social Media ● Content Writing Content marketing translates into creating and sharing valuable free content to attract and convert prospects into customers. The purpose of content writing is to engage potential customers and educate them about your brand’s products and services. You can do this by writing blog posts, articles, press releases, newsletters (when it’s sent out with educational purposes), guides, etc. ● Copywriting The major role of copywriting is to trigger the reader to take action. What kind of action? Well, sometimes it can be about making a purchase, or subscribing to your email list, sharing your social post, or… you name it. Its role can also be simply to inspire your reader to call you for more information on your services or a certain specific product you are trying to sell.  So, basically, copywriting is any writing that tries to convince people to take a particular action (buying something online, sharing something on social media, giving away their email address in exchange of a free download, etc). Although copywriting involves content writing, it’s actually content with an attractive form, with the ability to instantly catch the attention of your audience. Copywriting is generally used for sales pages, ads, direct mail and of course, social media. The 3 main components of copywriting 1. ART 2. SCIENCE 3. PERSUASION 1. ART – The art side of copywriting appeals to the emotions. It’s memorable. It’s creative. 2. SCIENCE – Besides art you also need science. Just ask Leonardo Da Vinci. Science would write something that would actually make sense (not funny, not with a typo, but something that appeals to reason). The science part is practical and it’s testable. It’s also able to tell you if the first, or second option of your choice is better and why. However, you may not be able to really connect with the reader just by using the science part of copywriting. It’s best to bring art and science together. This way you can come up with something that combines the practical with the emotional. SocialBee.io 30

32. Copywriting for Social Media Practical (part of copywriting) 邏 邏 + Emotional (part of copywriting)  version    = Best But it’s not enough to just make the readers feel it, you also need to convince them. It’s not enough to just give them an argument. You also need to make them feel compelled to care. Enter 論 3. PERSUASION - No copy is complete without a purpose. The general purpose of copy is to sell a product or an idea. You need to be able to get people’s attention fast and make them get passed the headline. Unfortunately, 8 out of 10 people won’t. Good copy contains all three copywriting components, bad copy leaves one if not two out. And if you leave all three out, that’s just … well... blank copy.  The ultimate goal is to get the reader to perform some sort of specific action (click here, download now, go to our website, keep watching this video, etc). There may be many formulas out there about how to write a copy or a headline, and many opinions. But it’s important to keep in mind these 3 components when you want to write good copy… and take it from there. SocialBee.io 31

33. Copywriting for Social Media Conclusion Just to sum up the Social media Copywriting Tips, here’s what you need to remember: ● It’s not about you, it’s about your audience. Focus on that. ● Knowing your audience is key. ● The purpose of your social media platforms is to provide relevant, interesting and valuable information for your audience. Adjust your approach for each social platform when you create your posts. ● Remember the major difference between content writing and copywriting - the difference lies in the purpose of writing. Define your purpose. ● Focus on the major role of copywriting, which is to trigger the reader to take action. Also, remember the 3 main components of copywriting: art, science and persuasion. Next  let’s learn about: The importance of knowing your audience. SocialBee.io 32

34. Copywriting for Social Media Chapter 2: The importance of knowing your audience SocialBee.io 33

35. Copywriting for Social Media You may have heard businesses talk about how important it is to know your audience and competition. But was it ever clear what people mean by that? The question you need to ask here, is: How can I define unique value that makes me more attractive to my audience? The point here is that if you are making products for a certain audience, you have to know them and their needs. So, what you need to do is to connect the features to the benefits. This is the way to paint the whole picture about your product. By listing the benefits, you’ll make your product more appealing In order to be able to find out the benefits of your product, make sure to ask the following questions: ● Why does this feature exist? ● What’s in it for the customer? Your audience needs to be able to connect the product benefit list to their needs. Your role as a copywriter is to connect your product’s features to your audience to make it resonate with them. And, writing copy that highlights the benefits will help make those connections. How to do your market research SocialBee.io 34

36. Copywriting for Social Media Get to really know your audience and give yourself the time to actually listen to what the audience needs. This may be the key to write the excellent copy you need for your social media platforms. The most compelling and effective marketing copy comes from audience language, not copywriter brains. Copywriting is not about simply taking a wild guess at what people want. It is about listening, paying attention to the language your audience uses and building that language into high- converting copy. And that’s how you write great copy. But this requires a lot of research. As Joel Klettke said it so perfectly: “Read your customers’ minds” According to Joel Klettke10, marketers should “read their customers’ minds” and steal their words instead of just pulling copy out of thin air. Clear copy mistakes11 are a no, no, no. 10 https://twitter.com/JoelKlettke 11 https://www.slideshare.net/JoelKlettke/slcdmc-10-conversionkilling-copy-mistakes-and-how-to-fix-em SocialBee.io 35

37. Copywriting for Social Media Have a look at some of the examples (copywriter/marketing copy vs. research based copy) that I really liked, coming straight from Joel Klettke’s copywriting advice12: 1. “Sales made simple” vs. “You hate guesswork and busy work – so we made sales less work” 2. “Affordable time tracking payroll software” vs. “The only time tracking tool that pays for itself” 3. “Break through native reporting limitations” vs. “Get the reports your CRM can’t give you – without the headache it does” In each of the examples above, the second version of the copy is audience research, therefore right on the money. And way more captivating than the first boring versions. Another statement of Joel Klettke’s goes like this: “We get stuck behind our screens and start writing about synergies and features and things people don’t actually care about.” So, let’s not! His statement should be a wakeup call to all copywriters and marketers out there. The secret is to identify what people care about. And that’s exactly what you need to write about. And maybe, just maybe, could this be the key to best copywriting practices? Well, it is obviously an excellent technique and it’s well worth looking into. Here are some affordable market research techniques you can try: ● Quora ● Amazon book reviews ● Reddit ● Surveys ● Facebook groups ● Competitors ● Behavior and analytics ● Interview your audience These market research techniques are really great and beneficial because they allow you to get inside the heads of your target audience and give them exactly what they want to buy. To get a more detailed understanding of how to do market research using the research techniques mentioned in the above, check out an interesting article, here13. 12 https://www.slideshare.net/JoelKlettke/ctaconf-2017-how-to-read-your-customers-minds 13 https://www.activecampaign.com/blog/how-to-do-market-research-for-small-business/ SocialBee.io 36

38. Copywriting for Social Media Understanding the difference between product features and benefits Simple definition: Features - Something that your product is, has, does. Features are basically facts about products or services, and they add credibility to your product. Benefits - The value your product can bring to the customers. The benefits show customers the reason they should buy your product, by explaining how your service or product can improve their lives.  Example. The famous iPod - the first iPod. Look at the photo below. You’ll see the Jargon description of the iPod, the features of the product listed on the right of the photo: “Today we’re introducing a new, portable music player that weighs a mere 6.5 ounces….” SocialBee.io 37

39. Copywriting for Social Media So, at the Jargon description you can clearly see the unique selling points of the new and innovative device. The problem is, the description was technical and complex. And it was all about the product’s features. What else do you need to get noticed and make a sell? You need benefits! Here’s how it goes: “Today we’re introducing a new, portable music player that weighs a mere 6.5 ounces….” SO WHAT? You’ll have “1,000 songs in your pocket.” - that’s why you should care. It’s a simple, inspiring and bold reason why you should care about the new iPod. It actually makes you notice the product, listen to what the brand has to say, and… make you act (purchase the product). Not because of the long list of features (which obviously is a must - you need features, too), but because of the benefits. So, how do you turn features into benefits? By answering these magical questions: 1. So what? 2. What’s in it for me? SocialBee.io 38

40. Copywriting for Social Media Many times, features and benefits can look very similar; therefore, it can be hard for marketers to tell the real difference. But here’s something to remember: the greatest difference between features and benefits14 is the emotional element that your consumers can relate to. When it comes to marketing campaigns for promoting a product or service, there are two approaches you can opt for. One approach can be to focus on describing your product/service, highlight how amazing it is, what it does, how it works. Another approach can be the one where you focus on highlighting the benefits of the product/service, and how it can improve your consumers’ lives. Now, simple question: which one of the two approaches do you think will work best in your campaign? I think you may already know but read on to find out more.  So, let’s take a look at features that describe your product versus the benefits your product brings. How can these two elements make such a difference when you are trying to sell something as a company. The first, and most important thing to remember here is this: no one cares about you or your product. Confused?  Your customers don’t want to hear you describing how great your product is. That’s not important. What’s important is for your buyers to know the benefits of your product, what value you can bring to their lives with what you are selling. ✍ Bottom line: All customers care about is what’s in it for them. (Remember the two magical questions from above - they’ll help keeping you on the right track). 14 https://www.vappingo.com/word-blog/examples-of-features-versus-benefits/ SocialBee.io 39

41. Copywriting for Social Media  Key: you need to figure out how to talk about your product, without talking about your product. Sounds difficult, but there are ways you can do that. Let’s see how. Features don’t work on their own Describing features simply won’t work. Why? Because they don’t appeal to the emotional side of your consumers. Features are generally technical information that most of the time can confuse people or can simply be difficult for people to understand. Features work on a factual level not on an emotional one. And, emotions are the ones that trigger people, not facts. So, don’t focus on technical descriptions, but rather on the benefits your products can provide, and the reasons customers should buy your product.  Key: Good, persuasive copy should have a mix of features and benefits.  Example 1: Let’s imagine you are trying to sell a door-in-door refrigerator. One of its features is that it gives you access to the items stored on shelves just inside the door. “Our door-in-door refrigerator gives you access to the items stored on shelves just inside the door.” SocialBee.io 40

42. Copywriting for Social Media So what? Quick access without opening the entire door and letting out all the cold air. So what? Handy whether you have a houseful or just the habit of standing with the door opened. So what? Life is stressful enough as it is. Don’t waste your food by allowing it to get spoiled faster from the hot air that gets in every time you open the door just to grab a soda. Keep your food fresh for longer. Get the items stored on shelves just inside the door faster and without affecting the rest of your food inside the fridge. Here’s how mixing features with benefits looks like in this case: Option 1: Tired of wasting food that gets spoiled too fast in your fridge? Check out our door-in-door refrigerator! It gives you access to the items stored on shelves just inside the door. And, it’s handy whether you have a houseful or just the habit of standing with the door opened. Option 2: Want quick access to your fridge without letting out all the cold air? Our door-in-door refrigerator gives you access to the items stored on shelves just inside the door. Handy whether you have a houseful or just the habit of standing with the door opened. SocialBee.io 41

43. Copywriting for Social Media Option 3: Want quick access to your fridge without letting out all the cold air? Get the items stored on shelves just inside the door faster and without affecting the rest of your food inside the fridge. Keep your food fresh for longer! Now you can - with our new door-in-door refrigerator. Example 2: “We design unique children’s rooms.” So what? Your children will have a beautiful room that will express their personality. So what? Your children will have a room that they actually enjoy and feel safe and cozy in. So what? They will grow up feeling special and one of a kind - because all kids are unique. So what? SocialBee.io 42

44. Copywriting for Social Media You won’t have to worry about design and style, we take care of it all. We’ll make sure your child’s room is exactly what (you and) your daughter or son wished for. So what? Give your child a room is up-to-date with the latest design trends. So what? In a world where there’s instability and worries, we can help you give your children the stability and comfort of a home right in their room. Give them their little corner of heaven. Teach your children that dreams do come true sometimes. And, give your child the room that is up-to-date with the latest design trends.  Here’s how mixing features with benefits looks like in this case: Option 1: You want your child to grow up feeling special and one of a kind. Well, it all starts at home. That’s why we design beautiful, unique children’s rooms that express your child’s personality and provides the atmosphere they will feel comfortable in. In a world where there’s instability and worries, we can help you give your children the stability, joy and comfort of a home right in their own room.  Option 2: Want to give your children their little corner of heaven at home? We design beautiful, unique children’s rooms that do just that. You won’t have to worry about design and style, we take care of it all. We’ll make sure your child’s room is exactly what you and your daughter or son wished for. Teach your children that dreams do come true sometimes. 濾 Option 3: “My room isn’t trendy enough, Mooom!” - does that sound familiar to you?  SocialBee.io 43

45. Copywriting for Social Media Well, maybe it’s time you give your child the room that expresses her/his personality and is up- to-date with the latest design trends. You won’t have to worry about design and style, we take care of it all. We’ll also make sure your child’s room is exactly what your daughter or son wished for. With us, you can give them their little trendy  corner of heaven.  The ‘So what?’ trick works every time and will help you find the benefits faster and more accurately. And once you find the benefits, you’ll be able to connect to your customers wants and needs. Which is exactly what you need to make a sale. Market research can be your secret tool. Find out: - What do your customers/consumers love about your product or services? - How are they using your products/services? - What do they wish for? - What are the (secret) desires of your target audience? What you could do is take a look at actual reviews, comments, emails, and any other user- generated feedback that you've received regarding each feature. Why? Because you can’t efficiently provide a benefit if you have no clue what problems your consumers are having. So, make sure to take the time to get to know your target audience and find out how your product/service can be the solution to their problem.  Key: The benefits you offer should be different for each problem and for each target audience. Conclusion Keep in mind that when consumers spend money, there’s always an emotional response involved. That doesn’t mean features are not important. They are. But they should not be the primary selling point of your copy. Your copy needs to be attention-grabbing, attractive. And the best way you can achieve that is by appealing to emotion. If you manage to engage your audience, establish a relationship through emotional approach, you’ve got yourself some loyal customers.  SocialBee.io 44

46. Copywriting for Social Media Know your competition - Focus on your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) What is a USP? A USP is what makes your brand and its products/services different. It is that specific thing you offer that no-one else does in your market. So, if you have a business, you should have a USP (unique selling proposition) that differentiates you from the crowd. Otherwise you're simply lost in the crowd with little hope of being noticed. Here are 3 things you need to focus on when getting to know your competition: ● How your competition affects your copy ● What you can do to stay ahead ● How to make your copy stand out by focusing on your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) After conveying your benefits, you also need to look at your weaknesses. But before that, you need to: SocialBee.io 45

47. Copywriting for Social Media Assess your market. How? Simple. Find out: ● What are your competitors saying about themselves? ● What are your competitors saying about you? To write compelling copy you need to know what differentiates your product from the product of the competition. You need to ask yourself: What is my competitor’s weakness? – Once you know your competitor’s weakness(es), you can make sure that the audience also knows them - and understands why buying their product is a bad idea. But, be aware, caution is required! Otherwise things can turn against you. Also, make sure you know what you are doing and are prepared to handle things like a professional. How do you find out what your competitor’s weakness is? Start with: 1. Research your competition – find out what they offer in terms of products and services. 2. List their inferior elements – feel free to tear the competition apart but be realistic in your comparisons. You need to be able to actually support your claims in case you’ll be challenged – and chances are you will be. If you are providing services that your customers can get from a number of other businesses, how do you convince them to choose you over them? SocialBee.io 46

48. Copywriting for Social Media One way to do that is to: ● Create a specific product or service that targets people with a unique need. Deciding to focus on a narrow section of a potential market is one way to differentiate yourself from your competitors. ● Create your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) – which is simply creating a short description of your product or service that allows customers to understand what you do and why they should choose you over your competitors. You can also create a USP in a given situation, when a change is required in your company regarding any of your products or services. In this case you can focus on turning a negative situation into a positive one – and that could define your new USP. For example, if there was something wrong with your product, you could fix things by saying: “We listened to your complaints, we’ve made a change and now we think our product is much- much better.” In this situation, this could serve as your USP. Here’s an approach when creating your USP (3 sections of the approach): 1. We help……. (your target audience) 2. Do……… (what you help them accomplish) 3. Even if ……… (the worst-case scenario happens) Example of USP with the 3 sections included: “We help businesses (target audience) launch great websites (do/what you help them accomplish) even if they have zero skills ((the worst-case scenario happens))”   Note: Your USP is not your motto or your tag line. It’s simply a short statement (like a succinct and persuasive sales pitch) of why someone should choose you over a competitor. Basically, a USP is a fancy way of saying: “This is what makes us better than the other guy”. The point is, if all products are the same, your customers won’t know which one is right for them. Enter: your USP! So, basically the USP helps people choose one product over another. To find your USP, start with a simple question: “What is it that I offer my customers or clients that my competitors don’t?” SocialBee.io 47

49. Copywriting for Social Media If you know your products well, you’ll know the key differences that make you stand out from your competitors. You need to identify that unique element for your business. Once you’ve done that, this unique element can become the center and foundation of your marketing. And, it will turn into your business’ great story. USP focuses on 1 of 3 different categories: ● Quality (best quality products) ● Price (lowest price) ● Service (free returns, or 24 h customer service, etc) USPs work best when they: ● Are clear and concise – make your USPs short and easy to understand ● Focus on benefits ● Help you differentiate yourself (from your competitors) ● Build trust Example: “We help children develop independence, even if they can’t walk or speak”. As a conclusion, keep in mind that: USPs are not your tagline, they are what you believe in, and also what you can focus your copy and marketing materials around. It should be a belief that’s simple and easy to remember. Next  let’s learn about: Copywriting Techniques and Formulas. SocialBee.io 48

50. Copywriting for Social Media Chapter 3: Copywriting Techniques and Formulas SocialBee.io 49