What are the best practices for creating easy-to-read social media copy?

If you're looking to master this, may I introduce you to writing apps like Hemingway App? It's like having an editor perched on your shoulder, but without the judgmental glares. This nifty tool will highlight long, complex sentences and common errors, making your social media copy crisp and tight.

One thing that is really helpful is to: 1. Keep sentences short and crisp 2. Limit hashtags to maximum 5-6 3. Tag only relevant people 4. Provide a Call to Action/key takeaway for every reader

Making things simpler is hard work! Functional Copy>Creative Copy. As copywriters we always have the urge to be overly creative but "creativity" is subjective and doesn't always equate to sales. Our primary objective is to write copy that reaches the masses, and that usually comes from simplicity.

Every social media platform has a different audience and ways of communication. Create post templates. Recycle your content. Lead with a hook. Write with accessibility in mind. Use active voice. Experiment with longer posts. Test CTAs throughout your content.

One of the main things in social media copy is it's readability level. Make sure your copy is no more than Grade-5 readability level. (Grade 2-3 is optimal) - After that, using proper formatting with clear messaging is essential. - Emojis also play a vital role in visualizing and spicing up your copy.

On LinkedIn in particular, I tend to put lines breaks between every single sentence. Emojis can also emphasize points. And you can use ALL CAPS to create mini section headers if your post is long. **** I also enjoy putting symbols between different sections. Basically, use clear formatting to make your text as readable as possible!

Can we talk about white space? Because no one likes getting slapped in the face with a wall of words. (If I have to swipe 3 times to get through a paragraph, I'm out.) Make your paragraphs 3 sentences long, tops. And yeah, a paragraph can be one sentence. Or one word! You can do this! After all, it's not that hard to hit the return key!

I like playing with how my copy appears. I try and bring in hierarchy in sentences. —Some short, some long sentences to let the content seamlessly flow. —Ascending or descending ordered bullet points —1:2 or 1:3 grouping of sentences. —Using emojis if it makes sense. —Using enough white space. Additionally, Using continuity terms like "And" "The thing is" "Here's the thing" "But hear me out" "The reason is simple" These make it more conversational and human.

Channel your inner Taylor Swift and embrace that 'Blank Space' (also known as white space). White space is simply the line break between my first sentence and this one, and the reason it's so important is because it gives your eyes a chance to breathe. I like to think of copy like a taster menu; each section should be a small plate with its own unique flavour, giving you a little taste but not filling you up too much. That way, you have space for the next course, and the next. Get the idea? Treat your readers as diners and it'll help you deliver that top tier customer service ever time.

Breaking up text makes it easier to read, but it’s also essential to accessibility. With accessibility in mind, remember that many people use screen readers on social media, so you should be careful about using special characters and emojis. For example, you might imagine THINKING FACE how disruptive it would be CROSS MARK to listen EAR to a post with emojis SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES dotted throughout the text RED EXCLAMATION POINT. Use emojis sparingly, and at the beginning or end of a sentence to avoid confusion.

No matter how strong the urge is, for the love of God, please don't copy paste the exact same post across all your social media accounts. If you are considering doing this, remember to be like the opposite of Nike. Just. Don't. Do. It.

Think accessibility - write for people that might have difficulty processing language. Use short sentences that contain an idea per sentence, bullet points, # at the end of the copy etc. If you use these tips, it will make your copy easier for everyone (including those without processing issues), to read.

You're not throwing spaghetti against the wall to see if it sticks. Write your social posts as if you were answering a question that a real person asked you, calling out specifics they can relate to. If you want to cross post to other channels, tailor each post by channel, and stagger your posts based on best times for engagement on each channel.

Even on LinkedIn, copywriters should always assume social media copy will be viewed on a phone. What do we know about text reading on phones? -- Long sentences are bad. -- Long paragraphs are bad. -- Copy that has a high cognitive load (academic- style writing with long words) is bad. -- Copy longer that the height of a phone screen looks like homework and can be hard to consume in a single unbroken moment of attention. So try to avoid these things.

While it's not necessary to invent the wheel with the copy and the content at all times, it's important to customize the copy for each platform. For. e.g., write a longer copy for LinkedIn and keep it short for Instagram. An effective way is to encourage your employees to share the copy with their thoughts from time to time. That way you won't have to copy+paste the same content on all platforms.

Remove every. single. unnecessary. word. Think of yourself as a fifth grader, reducing fractions to their absolute simplest form. Apply this rule of thumb from microeconomics: Keep every word that adds marginal value and remove every word that doesn't.

Essential! Social Media content is about grabbing attention, and the best way to do that (other than crisp, clear & short copy) is by using positive drivers. Positive drivers fall into a few categories: ?Benefits vs. ?Features ?Motivate vs. ?Scare ?Optimistic vs. ?Pessimistic ?Future-driven vs. ?Past-driven

There's a technique used in critique called a compliment sandwich where you communicate constructive criticism by leading and following it with positive feedback. Social media communications is much the same way but you're sandwiching your educational information between "calls to action" (CTAs.) Use short, direct statements to frame any information that's informative and doesn't directly tell the reader what you want them to do. Always lead by telling audiences exactly what you want them to do: "support students," "click the button," "join the cause." Follow with the 5 W's (who, what, where, when, and why.) Then finish by telling them what action you want them to take.

I found the original 144 character limit of the social media site once known as Twitter, was super helpful for this. You had to boil an idea down to its smallest essence.

Imagine it like directing a movie scene. Active voice puts your subject in the spotlight, making the scene more vibrant and the message clearer. Passive? It’s like a side character taking center stage, making things less dynamic. And positivity? It’s the upbeat background score that lifts the mood. While negativity feels like rain at an outdoor party. With active and positive language, you’re not just communicating; you're captivating. It’s the difference between a scene your audience remembers and one they’d fast-forward.

Give your copy some time to 'breathe': - write your first (terrible) draft - read it aloud & update anything that doesn't sound right - take a break - read it again & make finals edits, using apps like Grammarly

I had a terrific post one day that I was so excited to make. It was relevant, on brand, and juicy. I crafted it in my head on a lunch time walk. Back at my desk I typed it quickly and hit post. TYPO changed the entire meaning. Always write it out, read it aloud, step away, and read it aloud again. Then edit. Proof, and re-proof. You won't always catch everything, but there is something to be said for training yourself this way.

Remember: Even the best writers and editors need to re-read their copy for typos and other errors, both big and small. We all like to think we're above it, but... well, we're not. Nope, not even you. Sorry. Take a second look. And then a third. Save as draft, then come back to read it again later. Install Grammarly, and take its suggestions seriously. Run it by a friend, if you need to. Even the simplest of copy (and the strongest of reputations) can be destroyed by small errors. Learn to quiet your contrarian ego; you'll be a better marketer for it.

Every single time I think I have a great post that is ready to publish on LinkedIn, I walk away from it for 20 minutes, come back, and make 5-10 more edits. When you have stared at the same words for too long, especially something that you wrote yourself, your brain will often skip over mistakes and read them normally. I always take a break and come back with fresh eyes, sometimes even overnight, and I am always shocked at the major errors I've made in my writing; and if not major errors, I'll at least find parts that I can reword to make more clear.

Proofread for errors and then 'emotionally proofread' for tone to check how your post comes across to others. Hitting the wrong note can be even more damaging than missing a typo, so put yourself in the position of your potential reader when crafting copy.

Some days, great writing flows. But don't be discouraged if it's not perfect first time. The habit of writing for a purpose gets stronger with time so it's important to write, even if it's not perfect, then edit later.

Break down your content into parts and make sure it's not all clustery like a report the goal is for the content to look appealing at a first glance. Then avoid using big grammar or undefined abbreviations. If your readers have to check Google to understand the words you use then you haven't done a good job. The goal is not to sound smart but to ease the reading and conversion process.

Focus on one idea per copy. Don't try to say so many things in one piece. Also, make it actionable and break the idea into simple steps.

Use strong verbs and rich adjectives to add deeper meaning without unnecessary length. For example, I can walk down a hallway. I can also saunter, creep, or stride down a hallway. The latter examples provide a clearer idea of how I'm moving, and can replace "walk" without driving up the character count.

Copywriting becomes easy if we embrace conciseness. To craft an easy-to-read copy, you must understand what I call the 1-1-1-1 rule. 1 issue 1 audience 1 solution 1 Outcome. ? Don't complicate things. Another thing you can do is: Write everything you know, don't consider the length. When you're done, it is time to simplify your thought i.e if you can present your thought in fewer words, do it. E.g 1. The accident was very serious and many people died. ? The accident was fatal. Other things to remember are: 1. Clarity 2. Good formatting.