You may be new to blogging and posting content on social media. Perhaps you’re now in a job or an organization that requires you to be a contributor on their website and Facebook or Instagram account, and you have no idea where to begin, or what to say. It can feel overwhelming, and it’s normal. What’s not okay, is ignoring your website. Fear is part of growth and something we all have to face. Don’t let it hinder you.
Mostly, be yourself. I feel that people will be more accepting and forgiving when we have the courage to step into the arena.
Getting comfortable posting content takes some practice, and I’ll explain the difference between writing content for a blog and posting content on social media channels. And, why your blog is more valuable than any social media channel.
Your ultimate goal should be to write interesting and informative articles or stories about your business or organization on your website/blog and share them on social media. It’s easier for your blog posts to get shared over and over while linked to the website.
Social Media
When you’re at a live event, you’ll want to post real-time updates with photos and video to your social media channels as it’s happening. You can also post recaps to Instagram and Facebook with photo captions. You can use #hashtags with a name for your event so that when someone does a search for that hashtag, they see all of the posts related to that hashtag.
Blog Articles
Blog posts take more forethought and time to organize content, while a Facebook or Instagram post can be a caption to a photo or a quick short paragraph.
Decide Who Your Audience Is
When you’re writing an article for your blog, think of the audience. Decide on your tone of voice. I like to write as if I’m talking to a friend. I find it more personal and friendly. I write for small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs who need help with their websites, social media, and design. My work is very social and engaging. If you meet me in person, I’m very social and approachable. The tone in my writing fits with my audience and my personality.
Set Your Tone
You have to decide who you are talking to when you write for your business or organization and how they speak. What are they seeking when they arrive at your website? How did you attract them in the first place? What are their expectations? Communication can be difficult if you’re not tuned into the people you want to engage. Some organizations, for example, speak in a formal tone while the audience they wish to engage with is turned off by such formality and would warm up to a more conventional approach.
“It has been brought to our attention that donuts are being served in the dining room.”
OR
“Donuts are being served in the dining room. Enjoy!”
You have to decide how you’re going to talk to your readers.
Ask Readers to Share Content From Your Website. Make It Easy To Share.
Blog posts have a longer life. You want your website to be the center of all of your marketing efforts. Every social media post should lead back to your website. Content that your audience wants to read and engage with should be on your website.
Content posted directly to social media has its purpose, it’s quick and draws attention while showing you engaging and sharing activities at the moment. The downside is that it has a short life. The content on your website is evergreen and can continue to be seen and shared over and over through the years.
Save These Resources
- Check the site canva.com. The site makes it easy for non-designers to create cool info graphics.
- Use Compressor.io to optimize and reduce large images before publishing them on your blog.
- UnSplash and Death to the Stock Photo, have free stock images.
- With Pablo, you can create images with quotes and titles to make your posts pop.
For a more in-depth perspective of blog posts, visit Kevan Lee’s article on How to Write a Blog Post.
