Social Media Writing Skills

Copywriters: Before you write a single word of copy, make sure you're crystal clear on these 5 crucial questions: This will help ensure your message is clear, compelling, and effective. 1. What is the offer? Clearly define what you are promoting. Is it a product, service, event, or something else? Understand every detail of the offer to communicate its value accurately. 2. Who is the target audience? Identify who you are speaking to. What are their demographics, interests, pain points, and desires? Tailoring your message to resonate with your specific audience is key to capturing their attention. 3. Why should they care? Highlight the benefits and value propositions. Why is this offer relevant to them? How will it solve their problems or enhance their lives? Establishing a strong connection between the offer and the audience's needs is critical. 4. How can they get it? Provide clear and concise instructions on the steps they need to take to get the offer. Whether it's making a purchase, signing up, or any other action, ensure the process is straightforward and easy to follow. 5. How does it work? Explain the mechanics of the offer. How will the product or service be delivered? What can the audience expect after they engage with the offer? Transparency builds trust and reduces any potential friction in the decision-making process. --- Your ability to address these questions throughout your copy will make a HUGE difference in its reception and performance.

One thing I always do before hitting publish - whether for myself or my clients? I preview the post on mobile. Why? Because everyone is on mobile. If your content isn’t built for small screens… there's a good chance that you aren't maximising your results. I recently reviewed dozens of profiles from institutions, NGOs, and associations in the EU bubble, and too many fail this simple but crucial step. Here’s how to fix it: - Captions → keep them scannable. Use short paragraphs and line breaks for easy reading. - Visuals → skip horizontal images. Use square or vertical formats to take up more screen space. - Videos → so vertical! Let them fill the whole screen, and don’t forget an eye-catching thumbnail. People you want to reach are scrolling on mobile - make sure your content is ready for them.

A week ago today, I had the opportunity to speak to a few hundred leaders in Davos about what great content looks like on LinkedIn. ICYMI, here are a few quick-hit tips you can incorporate into your next post: 1️⃣ Ground your post in knowledge or advice you're uniquely qualified to share. This could be insights from a recent industry conference, a timely career lesson, or your perspective on company news. One great question I ask myself as I create: "How will this content help someone feel more productive or more successful?" 2️⃣ Focus less on hashtags and more on your hook. While hashtags still have a place on LinkedIn, your time is far better spent crafting a pithy, scroll-stopping hook. Those first two lines of text—or first few seconds of video—are critical to catching attention and driving engagement. 3️⃣ Include eye-catching visuals—like the photos in this post! Great visuals help stop the scroll. They don’t have to be photos, either. Infographics and short-form vertical videos work well, too. 📹 A quick note on video: Short-form video is one of the most effective ways for leaders to stand out on LinkedIn right now. And it doesn't need to be professionally produced - we saw plenty of leaders at Davos pulling out their smartphones to record quick clips. So, if you haven’t yet, grab your phone, find a bright, quiet space, and turn your next post into a video (and tag me when you publish)! For more content tips, you can rewatch the entire event recording from The Female Quotient's page: https://lnkd.in/ebCVw_aP

How to Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC) Introduction: User-generated content (UGC) helps brands connect authentically with audiences, as people trust peer recommendations over ads. Showcasing real user experiences builds credibility, strengthens community bonds, and turns customers into advocates, driving organic growth and engagement. Key Concepts -Social Proof: UGC demonstrates trust and recommendations, often more effective than ads. -Authenticity: Real customer content fosters trust as genuine endorsements. -Community Engagement: UGC encourages customer connection and sharing. -Content Variety: UGC provides diverse, reusable content for multiple channels. Challenges in Implementing UGC -Quality Control: Curating UGC for brand alignment can be challenging. -Permissions: Obtain creator permission to avoid legal issues. -Negative Feedback: Be prepared to manage unfavorable UGC without harming your reputation. -Incentivizing Participation: Encourage customers to share experiences through incentives. Strategies & Solutions To gather and utilize user-generated content (UGC), brands can create hashtag campaigns, run contests for product photos, and showcase testimonials on social media for credibility. Highlighting curated UGC demonstrates real product use, while repurposing it in emails and ads maximizes reach. Engaging with creators by tagging and sharing their posts strengthens connections and encourages more sharing. Benefits of Leveraging UGC User-generated content (UGC) enhances credibility and trust by showcasing authentic customer experiences, leading to higher conversion rates. It fosters brand engagement and loyalty while being cost-effective, filling content calendars without high expenses. UGC also improves SEO by generating relevant content that boosts discoverability through branded hashtags and reviews. Insights for Effective UGC Campaigns To maximize user-generated content (UGC), prioritize authenticity by encouraging customers to share genuine experiences instead of scripted or promotional ones. Monitor UGC performance by tracking metrics like engagement and conversions to understand what resonates with your audience. Additionally, create a streamlined content submission process with direct upload links or clear instructions to make it easy for users to share their content. Conclusion: User-generated content (UGC) builds social proof, fosters trust, and engages communities. By incorporating UGC into your marketing strategy, you transform customers into brand advocates, enhancing reach and connections. Utilizing hashtag campaigns, reviews, contests, and social media features encourages sharing experiences and cultivates a loyal community that spreads your brand's message organically. #UGCmarketing #brandUGC #contentstrategy #digitalmarketing #usergeneratedcontent #UGCstrategy #brandengagement #socialmediastrategy #contentcreation #UGCcommunity

I found a page ranking #1 despite breaking every SEO rule in the book. Here's what I discovered about this page that's ranking for a keyword with 58,000 monthly searches: ↳ DR 22 ↳ Horrible URL structure; includes year and month ↳ Meta description is ridiculously long at 192 WORDS (not characters) ↳ Has less than 1/10th the backlinks of the next best ↳ Looks like it was designed in 1995 But here's the fascinating part - despite breaking these many SEO "rules," it's outranking websites that are DR 90+. The reason? Experience. The page is about a specific type of bread, and the author has done something remarkable. They've purchased every single brand of this bread available, photographed each one, and provided detailed feedback about whether they'd buy it again. This isn't an isolated case. I've observed this pattern across various industries, and I believe this is what future SERPs will increasingly look like. Google is prioritizing content that: - Shows real effort and dedication - Demonstrates genuine experience - Comes from actual users with real perspectives You might have noticed this trend with Reddit threads appearing more frequently in search results, too. It's the same principle - authentic, user-generated content taking precedence. Why is Google moving in this direction? Two main reasons: 1. This type of content provides better training data for their LLMs 2. It better serves user intent and needs I tested this approach with an architecture/interior design client. Instead of writing generic content about a specific design style, we created questions for the architects to answer via voice notes, which we then transformed into content. The key takeaway is that you need to develop a system for capturing and showcasing genuine experiences and unique perspectives in your content. This means incorporating real-world knowledge, personal insights, and authentic viewpoints into your content strategy. Without this experiential element, your content risks getting lost in the growing sea of AI-generated material that users increasingly ignore. And if you have real content, it seems that you can break every other rule in SEO and get away with it. What do you think?

A simple pointer for accessible copy? Don’t write for a focused, well-rested person sat at a laptop. Write for the frazzled person who’s trying to read your email on her phone as she cooks a risotto while she joining a Zoom call. (In other words, write for skim readers.*) • Use short words. • Be literal - say exactly what you mean. • Replace adverbs with strong verbs. • Use short sentences (no more than 25 words). • Stick to one idea per paragraph. • Use meaningful headings and subheadings. • Use lists. That way, your copy will be easy to scan, easy to navigate, and easy to absorb. *Users typically read just 20% of a webpage’s content. So, again, this accessibility tip benefits everyone 😊 P.S. Tap here for a practical - mega-detailed - ADHD-friendly communication guide: https://lnkd.in/eWMTR__w

I've created over 200 videos in the past two years. Here are my five tips for social media ads: 1. Work with margins and safe zones. Parts of your videos will be covered by elements like buttons, descriptions, and icons on social media platforms. Make sure all important information is within the safe zones. The easiest way to do this is by using a template for your edits from the start. 2. A/B testing is important, but good creative is crucial. Your advertising agency, audience, and results will all tell you this. You don't need more ads; you need better ads. 3. The Promise of a Payoff. We've used this technique many times to grab attention. For example, start your video by announcing a new solution to a specific problem. This is the promise. It only works if you show the payoff within the same video. Don't wait for people to visit your website to see it. 4. Cast the right audience. I've worked with many startups, and some want to avoid spending on casting by using themselves or their team on camera. However, your customers need to feel represented and see people like them, or even better, people they aspire to be. 5. Create ASMR or no-background-music versions. ASMR is very popular in today's social world, so we always deliver an asset like this, especially for e-commerce brands. Any tips you'd like to add? P.S. This is a video we created for Gilley earlier this year. --- I share #videoproduction insights daily, follow me for more.

I’ve worked with clients whose “About us” page was the corporate equivalent of soggy cardboard. (8 years out of date, allergic to personality) But when I met their team in person, they were a total vibe. Welcoming, full of energy, hilarious even. Congrats on looking worse online than you do in real life. Strange one that. ‼️ Ladies and gents, we call this: REVERSE-CATFISHING Once we fixed their tone: Engagement doubled and sales conversations felt more natural. The content finally started working for them instead of another routine box check. To put it bluntly - tone is the trust glue in your brand. It’s how your audience knows it’s YOU before they see your name, branding or headshots. An easy test on LinkedIn: strip any reference to your identity/organisation and you’ll find that most posts resemble regurgitated AI answers. When your tone is wrong: ❌ You blend into a sea of ChatGPT answers ❌ You attract clients who don’t get you ❌ The people who should be listening scroll right past And when your tone is right: ✅ You’re instantly recognisable ✅ Ideal clients feel like you’re talking to them ✅ Your content builds a relationship (instead of, erm, collecting dust) It’s not just what you say. It’s how you say it (over and over) until your audience hears your voice in their head. Audit your digital footprint - are you reverse-catfishing your clients? Best sort that out, aye.

Everyone needs to learn copywriting. (Period.) When I started building my influencer marketing agency from scratch, I had the misconception that “more is more”—but it took me a few years to realize that less is more. Whether you're writing a message, giving a brief, explaining your strategies, or drafting a copy, knowing how to say less but make it more impactful is everything. Let’s face it—nobody has the time to read long paragraphs. This is exactly where the power of copywriting comes in. Here's the thing: copywriting doesn’t need a formula. It needs the power to trigger emotion, spark action, and get results. You need the ability to secure a ‘yes’ from your clients and customers without drowning them in words. That’s where the PASTOR formula comes into play. It’s a method that has helped me elevate my copywriting game—and it’s simple, effective, and powerful: P - Problem: Start by identifying the pain point. What’s the problem your audience/client is facing? A - Amplify: Expand on the pain. Make it real. Show why it matters. S - Story: Share a relatable story or testimonial. Show them how others overcame the problem. T - Transformation: Show the benefits of solving this problem. Paint a picture of their future once the issue is resolved. O - Offer: Present your product or service as the solution to their problem. R - Response: End with a clear, compelling call to action—make it easy for them to take the next step. By using PASTOR, you craft a narrative that speaks to your audience/client's pain, offers a solution, and compels action.  I’ve seen this firsthand—my clients don’t want lengthy messages, they prefer concise, impactful points. This not only makes campaigns more cohesive but also saves valuable time, allowing us to get straight to the heart of what matters. So, next time you're writing a copy or a client pitch, remember: it’s not about how much you say. It’s about how much you say with purpose. #boldopinions #thoughtleadership #contentwriting #marketing

You don't need to pay $5,000/month for copywriting anymore. I wrote a mega prompt that turns any LLM into a world-class writing assistant.  First, let's see what copywriting agencies actually do:   -Research your audience and competitors ➢Write hooks, body copy, and CTAs ➢Test different angles and frameworks ➢Charge you $150-500 per piece of content   But here's the thing: AI can now do 95% of that work in under 60 seconds. Let me show you the exact prompt: "You are an elite copywriter with 15+ years writing for Apple, Nike, Tesla, and $100M+ startups. ➢Your speciality: Content that stops scrolls and drives action. ➢Your Assignment: Write high-performing content for: [Insert topic or product here] ➢Context & Requirements:  • Target audience: [persona/demographics/pain points] • Platform: [X, LinkedIn, Blog, Website, Email, etc.] • Content type: [viral thread, sales page, cold email, newsletter] • Primary goal: [engagement, clicks, conversions, leads] • Tone: [professional, casual, authoritative, playful, urgent]   ➢Your Writing Framework: 1. Hook Strategy (Choose one): Pattern Interrupt: Challenge beliefs Curiosity Gap: Tease valuable info Social Proof: Lead with results Pain Point: Address frustrating problems Controversy: Take a contrarian stance   2. Body Structure:   • Problem/Agitation: Make pain urgent • Solution: Position as the answer • Value: Provide actionable insights • Social Proof: Include results/testimonials • Objection Handling: Address doubts   3. CTA:   • Create urgency without being pushy • Make next step crystal clear • Use action verbs   ➢Writing Rules: ✅ DO:   • Write like texting your smartest friend • Use short sentences for easy scanning • Include specific numbers and examples • Create emotional connection • Use formatting (bullets, bold, emojis)   ❌ AVOID:   • Corporate jargon • Phrases: "game-changer," "revolutionary," "unlock potential" • Walls of text • Weak CTAs like "learn more"   ➢Before You Write:   • Identify ONE core message • Define primary emotion (curiosity, urgency, excitement) • Clarify the specific action you want taken   ➢Output Format: Final copy + note explaining:   • Hook strategy chosen and why • Primary psychological trigger used • How does it align with the goal   Make it irresistible.       I tested this prompt on:   Product launch sequences Viral LinkedIn threads Cold email campaigns SEO blog posts Sales page copy   It nailed the tone every single time. Better formatting than most agencies. The best part: You can iterate instantly. Don't like the hook? Ask for 5 more. Need a different angle? Done in 30 seconds. If you're still paying agencies $5K/month for basic copy, you're burning money. If you're a copywriter not using AI to 10x your output, you're already behind. That's a wrap. Result for ChatGPT, Claude & Gemini are attached. More prompts in comments. Repost this to help others in your network.