Five wow-worthy web writing tips
Do you struggle with writing? I hear you - it is HARD.
There’s the brain fog, the confusion of tense, the wandering of words off in the wrong direction…
When it comes to expression, good writing is largely subjective to the reader, but when it comes to technical skills, there are rules. As much as Social Media is a place where these rules *can* be stretched, if you don’t have a grasp of basic grammar, punctuation and syntax, it can be detrimental to your brand.
So, I’ve put together this handy list that you can use as a final check to improve your social media copywriting before you hit publish.
Now, let’s take your writing from how!? To wow! Shall we?
1. Does your piece have a beginning, a middle and an end?
Please respect the rules of a narrative and ensure that there is structure. This applies to any content you put out there - a Facebook post, an Insta caption, even Stories. Are you using a hook? Is there a Call To Action (CTA)?
When it comes to structuring your social media posts, use the following:
Beginning: Hook (this could be a question, a quote, a simple anecdote)
Middle: Follow up with solution/evidence/justification relating to your hook
End: Finish with a CTA/ sign-off
Here’s an example:
2. Have you read it out loud?
I don’t care how crazy you sound. I still do this today. The best way to spot a mistake (or an opportunity to improve your writing) is to hear it.
3. What words/characters can you cut?
Step away from that thesaurus. If you don’t know what a word means - don’t use it. Keep it simple. People don’t have time for multiple syllables - especially not online. Are you trying to tell your entire life story here - see that DEL button? Use it.
Unsure of what to remove?
Be brutal! Look for repetition. Look for sentences that don’t go anywhere. Each word must be fundamental to the post and story. Also - I’m pretty sure you could get rid of some of those exclamation marks - amirite?
4. Is it written for your audience and platform?
This requires some critical thought (don’t be afraid to employ Tip #5 here) towards the audience you’re writing for and the place they’ll consume it. Assume the character of your audience and read your work under this lens. Is it jargon free? Appropriate length? Colourful enough when it comes to Emoji?
5. Get a second opinion
Let me tell you, there’s not much that sends me spiralling like a spelling mistake that slips past the sub editor and goes to publish.
Choice of words matter - so does their correct spelling. Tools like Grammarly will help on a cosmetic level, but if you want to foster connection and confidence, a human opinion is even better.
Do you need some help with writing for the web? Let’s chat.
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