How to Get the Most Out of Text on Social Media

Social media pages are evolving to be a continuous, scrollable presentation of content. They're designed to always offer users something new to look at, so they pull from more and more sources to fill users' homepages and timelines. While that means you have a wider audience for your content, it also means it's easier to get lost in the mix and for users to scroll past your specific post. 

What should you do to grab viewers' interest in the two seconds you’re on their screen?

Scrolling becomes an automatic motion once viewers get started. Your content is more likely to be viewed if it's either surrounded by good content or appears after a long scroll of uninteresting posts. Hoping your post is perfectly placed after a few uninteresting posts (but not enough to make a user leave) is risky, and the only way to make your post appear among trusted or popular providers is to have successful content. How can you do it with text?

• Avoid clickbait techniques. Clickbait works, which is why it's still used online, but it's predominantly used by content aggregators looking for a large number of clicks rather than a solid, engaging customer base. Stay away from using titles that trail off right before the punch line or are more dramatic than your actual content can justify. People may click to read more and feel betrayed by poor content, and they will no longer trust your brand.
• Avoid using just text. Text is easily skippable without a second thought. Images are more interesting, and video is becoming more effective for reaching audiences both on social media and on your main site. If you must use text, turn it into a graphic. This gives you more options for text design, background images, and striking colors.

Social media content must be exciting to be viewed. Images and video can be more engaging, but knowing how to effectively use text is essential too. For more information on how to best use social media as a successful marketing tool for your small business, contact us today.