Love it or hate it, social media is a VITAL marketing tool for coaches, healers, and practitioners wanting to grow their digital presence and make a larger impact.
Crafting content that resonates is both a science and an art. Between algorithms, your competitors, and all of the intricate best practices and details, it's easy to get overwhelmed with the pressure to go viral.
Fear not! Here's your guide to mastering the art of writing impactful -social media copy that stands out and stops the scroll.
The Foundation
The key to getting people to engage with your content is your content itself. A great post doesn’t always need a good caption to go viral… BUT if you want to turn viewers into followers or followers into buyers, it does! As such, every detail matters.
There are a few key steps before you begin to publish content though.
Optimize Your Profile - Prioritize platforms that you know your audience is on already. Then make sure everything looks professional, accurate aligned - contact info, keywords, visuals, all the features!
Understand Your Customer - Post for your niche. There is a very specific person who will like all of your posts, all of the time. Post for them and don't worry about pleasing everyone. Tailor your copy to speak directly to them—use their language, empathize with their struggles, and offer solutions. What are their needs, desires, pain points, and aspirations? Relatable copy is key.
Write What You Know - Publish informative, interesting copy that is authentic to you and your interests and skills. Why is this important? Authenticity breeds connection. Don't try to be someone you're not.
The Basics
A high-performing post will usually focus on 1 specific topic which solves 1 specific problem for 1 specific person.
Copywriters use certain formulas to do this. Here are a few examples:
Before, After, Bridge (BAB)
Example: "I used to do this, then I started doing this. Here's what changed... "
Pain, Agitation, Solution (PAS)
Example: "Ask a question about pain, Share a fact about pain, Here's how to fix it."
Attention, Interest, Delivery (AID)
Example: "I've achieved this result. Here's my top tips on how."
What do all these frameworks have in common?
A Broad Hook - address a large audience with 1 key promise, grabs attention through pain point, pleasure point
A Specific Story - creates interest, shares a transformative journey, stirs emotion, 1 niche topic
A Specific Solution - delivers value, 1 actionable takeaway/easy call to action
:
The Hook
It's imperative to grab your readers attention - FAST. Aim to intrige the reader in 10 words or less.Instead of relying on formulaic hooks, you can use leads that gently suck them in. Applied correctly, these can get you the same immediate attention as a hook without sounding like a used car salesman.
Examples of Copy Hooks:
"Let's dive into the world of..."
"Everthing you need to know..."
"Find the answers to..."
"Can we take a moment to appreciate..."
"Just a friendly reminder that..."
"In a world full of..."
"Feeling grateful for..."
The Story
Stories and narratives are a timeless way to engage an audience because they leave a lasting impression, igniting emotions such as shock, suspense, curiosity and intrigue.
The trick is to be bold and jump right into it. No setups. Also, the more specific the better.
Examples of effective storytelling:
Anecdotes
Client successes
Personal experiences
Surprising facts
Keep it Light
While there is a time and place for vulnerability and somber storytelling, for the most part customers want their content to be lighthearted.
The Solution
Every piece of content you share should provide VALUE. Be it educational, entertaining, inspirational, or thought-provoking—ensure your audience gains something from every post so that they keep coming back for more.
High-Value Content Types
To Educate
How to videos
Industry tips
Infographics
Industry news and insights
Free resources
Cheat sheets
To Entertain
Memes
Trends
Polls (great for engagement)
Instagram vs Reality
Behind the Scenes
Collabs or Giveaways
To Inspire
Tell your story
Case Studies
Struggles you've overcome
Goal setting/planning
To Convert
Before/After
Testimonials/Reviews
Product Demo
Sale/Promotion/Exclusive offers
Embrace CTAs
End strong - what do you want your audience to do? Guide your audience's next steps with clear, compelling Call To Action. Assign/suggest a simple and rewarding task (or several!) - something that can be done immediately and in 5 seconds or less.
Examples:
"VISIT the link in bio for more "
"FOLLOW for more viral growth strategies"
"SHARE this with someone who doesn’t know these secrets"
"SAVE this for later"
"COMMENT with your ideas"
Bonus: The Visual
While copy is important, don't underestimate the importance of your visual assets.
Engaging images, videos, or infographics can amplify the impact of your message and attract more attention in the busy social media feed.
Depending on the channel, your visual will often get the attention first, but then it's all about top line of your caption. An outstanding photo can afford to have a weaker caption, but an average photo will need something extra to make it stand out.
Use your brand standards to create set story templates and feed grids that are consistent and predictable. Sprinkle in a few suprises of course and you're delight and inspire.
Top Tips & Tricks
Be Social
Remember, social media is about being SOCIAL. It's about engaging and connecting with your audience, using effective and compelling copy to communicate information and insights that they can't get anywhere else. Connect with leads and similar influencers in your niche. Respond to all comments, make new comments your self, foll back. Be polite, and relateable, uyes you can still be considered "approachable" online!
Keep It Crisp, Clear, and Concise
In today's digital world, attention spans are fleeting and vocabularies are dwindling. That's why it's imperative that your copy uses straightforward, simple language that is easy to digest. People like confidence so use punchy headlines, impactful sentences, and bold statements.
Avoid the urge to over-explain or impress people with
clever catchphrases
industry jargon
trendy lingo
fanciful, fluffy language
vague/abstract phrases
posh grammar
These ultimately won't sway the reader. Clear messaging is what brings in business. Not buzz words.
Make Every Word Count
Write each sentence like its the last. Be precise, eliminate fluff and get straight to the point. In this way it's almost like youre writing a hook or sharing a win in every single line! This is how you get people interested in your content, and coming back for more.
Let it Breathe
Spacing and formatting matters! It makes information easier to read & digest. As such, avoid long paragraphs and aim to incorporate short but varied sentences, bullet points and line breaks.
Monitor, Test, Learn, and Iterate
It is becoming more and more understood among marketers that engagement metrics trump follower counts. Also, marketing is all about experimentation. Don't hesitate to try out lots of different copy styles, tones, or lengths. Analyze the performance of your posts, track engagement metrics, and learn from what works. Use this insight to refine and optimize your future content strategy.
Hot Tip: The algorithm favors active users, so strive to engage with others just before and after you post, ideally when analytics has revealed are your peak engagement times.
Consistency is Key
Consistency builds trust. Humans (your customers) prefer consistency. They want to know what to expect and most of the time, they know what they like. As such, strive to maintain a consistent voice and tone across all platforms. Whether it's Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook, ensure your brand's personality shines through.
Be Efficient
Short on time but know you need to post? It's ok to recycle or repurpose previously successful posts and captions from last year. 99.9% of your audience will not remember, and most of the time your audience has grown so much since then that it's new to everyone.
Hashtag Strategy
It's best to declutter your caption by keeping your hashtag paragraph as a separate comment. Remember to use the max possible (30) and strive for a mix of more obscure and more popular tags. There is even a theory to stick with hashtags that are in line with the number of followers you have.
Remember Your Why
Don't lose sight of why you're posting in the first place: to SERVE, to impact, to share your gifts/ideas and to make a difference in the world. Post with intention, from the heart - not for attention, from the ego.
Wrapping It Up
Great social media copy isn't just about words—it's about fostering meaningful connection and guiding your audience towards meaningful action. No matter where you are in your marketing journey, you can master the art of storytelling and propel your brand forward.
Need help elevating your social media game? Let's collaborate to unlock the full potential of your message and mission.
Erin Ratliff is a holistic business coach and organic growth & visibility marketer serving energy-sensitive, earth-loving, heart-led soul-preneurs, self-starters, and founders with the mission of personal and planetary healing.
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