Creating stand-out social media posts can be a struggle and even then it might not reach a larger audience. However, there are three extra steps that can help you construct your social media posts, drive engagement and reach your desired audience.
- Make your social media posts stand out with hooks
The term “hook” refers to an idea or concept that will interest people in what you have to say and offer. A successful hook grabs a client’s attention and encourages them to take the next step.
There are a few different types of hooks you can use with social media posts:
- Interesting facts or statistics
- Anecdotes or stories
- Questions
- Calls to action (use them at the end of your posts)
TRY THESE 20 CATCHY HOOKS:
Copy this ___ to get ___ (Copy these content hooks to get more sales) X Ways to ___ (10 Ways to make your home cozier)
Stop using ___ (offer a better solution to their problem)
How to ___ (share some tips)
Secret hack to ___
Steal our ___ (a valuable hack)
How we ___ (achieved something)
Want to ___ (your customer’s pain point)? ___ steps to ___ (5 steps to better sleep) ___ (results) in ___ hrs/days/minutes
___ hack you need to know
Best tools/websites to ___
We tested ___ so you don’t have to (We tested 10 beauty products so you don’t have to)
___ (hack) we wish we knew earlier
How we got ___ (x result) in ___ (x time)
X ways to use ___(your product)
How ___ changed our life (tell a story of transformation) How we saved our clients ___ doing ___
___ (number) ways to ___ (do something that benefits your customer)
2. Hashtags: when and why to use them
Hashtags are a great way to increase the reach of your content and connect with other users interested in the same topics. They’re usually preceded by the “#” symbol and can be used on any social media platform. When you use hashtags, your social media posts are exposed to a larger audience who may not have seen it otherwise.
There are a few things to keep in mind when using hashtags:
Don’t use too many. Using too many hashtags can come across as desperate or spammy. A good rule of thumb is to use 3-5 hashtags per post. This also varies from platform to platform.
Do your research. Hashtags that work on one platform might not be as successful on another. It’s essential to research and find out which hashtags are used most often on the platform you’re using and how many hashtags are enough.
Use relevant hashtags: Only use relevant hashtags for your content. Don’t try to game the system by using irrelevant hashtags just for exposure. You might get the reach, but you will end up with no sales because people are not interested.
Create your own.If you can’t find relevant hashtags, you can always create your own. This is a great way to build brand awareness and connect with other like-minded users. You can then promote your hashtag across different channels so people know to use it.
Capitalize the first letters of your hashtags. If you want people using screen readers to properly read your hashtags, capitalize the first letter of each word. Not only does this benefit your visually impaired followers, but it also helps those who struggle to identify patterns and relationships between words, such as people with dyslexia or cognitive disabilities. For example, many years ago a tweet from Ricky Gervais went viral for that reason with #nowthatcherisdead – was it “Now Thatcher’s dead” or “Now that Cher’s dead”?
Use alt-text where possible. To make your content more accessible, include alternative descriptive text (also known as “alt- text”) with all of your images. Your image description should be accurate and straightforward and convey the main point of the picture.
3. Urge followers to take action with CTAs
Try to include call-to-actions (CTAs) in your social media posts. A call to action urges your readers and visitors to do something right now, such as click a button, submit an email address, or call for a free consultation. It’s best to use one CTA at a time, but you can occasionally include more. Be as clear as possible and direct your followers to the desired behavior.
Use some of these as examples:
- Share your thoughts in the comments!
- Shop the sale or Buy now! Get xx% off now!
- Share this post with your friends/colleagues/family! Follow us for more!
- Sign up/subscribe now!
- Read more (on our site)!
- Download our app!
Remember to tailor each of these steps to suit your audience, stay relevant within your field and most importantly, make it your own!
Want to know more why it’s crucial for your business to be on social media? Check it out here!
