What are you doing before you click Publish or send an update to be scheduled on social? It is very easy to publish instinctively and sometimes you forget to take into account all the questions and guidelines that make a very successful and valuable piece of appealing social media. To achieve the highest possible value for your audience and receive the maximum commitment, every social media post should be run through a checklist. We’ve researched the key questions you should ask yourself before clicking ‘send’.
Is the message entertaining or educational?
Content like this receives the greatest interaction. To determine Whether your message will work ask yourself, is it interesting enough for users to share or comment on it? Is anyone interested in this content apart from me? Would you pause to read or share this post if you saw it on your timeline? Does your post add value?
Is the voice okay?
We’re great fans of getting your social media content to a consistent voice and tone. Any message should be positive, helpful, and actionable. Another way that voice can change is to use pronouns and words in the post. Do you use language other people can easily share? For instance, it might be a great title for you to write a message like, “how I write for faster, thanks to this one little tip”, but does the pronoun create more confusion than it is worth if others share it?
Is it too long?
The ideal length of online content has been investigated extensively. It was always to keep things short and sweet, and whilst that is still important the message should also be relatable. For example on Instagram, it will only show the first few lines of your message, but users can ‘click more’ and this is your chance to really tell your story.
Is the URL correct?
It’d be a real shame if you were linking to the wrong website, or worse, the link is correct but the page itself doesn’t match with the persona you’ve been promoting. If you’re not sure, test it first.
Am I making the most of exposure by using the right keywords and hashtags?
If you have a sense of your niche and target audience, you will probably be already doing great work. Focusing on the terminology used by your audience will help to find the best meaning for your messages. Hashtags can also help you and others who follow you to make your content appear. You can also add hashtags to your messages. Users can search for hashtags in social networks and click on hashtags to view other updates using the same terms.
Have I run a spell check?
All of us have it on our computers. Sadly if we click send before checking it makes it look like we have rushed, or that we don’t care much for professionalism. No-one expects you to be perfect but when software exists, it’s a mistake you want to avoid.
Is the communication reactive or well thought out? Or is it a ‘vent’?
It’s good to pause sometimes and think about the emotion behind a post. Does the post mean something to get knee-jerk? Will my content offend anybody? Who, if so? Is it important? Is that suitable for a social portal, or would otherwise be preferably communicated? Am I using this as a dumping ground for emotions? Why then? For these reasons, is a different outlet better? Is this something that I want to share with, or is it just a vent for me?
Am I going to share any visual assets with this post?
Pictures are the number one major factor in the optimal content of social media. Where possible, use one – but make sure it is relevant!
Am I using this in the most engaging way?
Think whether anything can be removed to strengthen the message? If time is available, the editing and revision of a social media post can be a big asset. Simplicity aspiration. If possible, remove a word here and there – be concise and to the point. This will make your message will be even more appealing. Could it even be turned in to a poll or a quiz?
So before you click send on that next update…
Work from this checklist. It’ll make sure every post you do is appealing and of the highest quality. Before you know it you’ll be so confident in creating appealing posts that you’ll never need to read this checklist again. Of course, if social media isn’t your forte and you’d prefer to hire someone to make sure your content is the best it can be, check out our social media services. We’d love to support you and your business in achieving its goals.
