social media voice

Not all social media sites are created equal. Though we tend to lump them together in our marketing strategies, each serves a fundamentally different purpose. As such, while your brand voice should be consistent, you’re not always better off merely copy-and-pasting your captions from one site to another. After all, what works for Instagram does not necessarily work for Twitter. Here are some tips to tailoring your voice on social media.

Find Your Own Voice

Finding and focusing your brand voice is one of the most important things you can do for your online brand strategy. Not only does it help engage your audience, but it will also help you define your purpose and mission. This is where you can have the most impact on readers.

As such, it doesn’t matter what you’re marketing, as long as you maintain your brand voice. You can dress it up or dress it down, but make sure you stay true to yourself as a means of ensuring you keep a good brand fit.

Know Where to Keep it Casual

There are certainly a number of social media platforms where you can keep your voice casual, meaning using expressions, abbreviations, asking questions, etc. Think of writing this type of content as the same as writing a thoughtfully crafted text message.

It is best to take this approach on platforms where writing isn’t the primary focus of content. This means Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and certain Facebook pots. People scroll through hundreds, if not thousands, of posts each day, and they rarely have the mental energy to appreciate, let alone engage with, a formal statement. Unless your branding excludes the use of colloquialisms or more casual copy, keep your tone light on these platforms.

Casual copy and content has the added benefit of driving audience engagement. Choosing not to sound formal and robotic helps to maintain a more human voice and establish a more authentic connection, an invaluable tone to set on your online platforms.

Take note that “keeping it casual” isn’t a license for sloppy writing, incorrect spelling or poor grammar. Even when writing colloquially, use proper punctuation and syntax, or you risk stepping on the wrong side of the line between casual and unprofessional.

Know Where to Dress it Up

It’s not great practice to be casual everywhere. You are, after all, representing a business, and you should be ready to dress up your copy from time to time. This means copy on your own website, or formal announcements on social media or elsewhere, should be carefully and formally written.

By dressing up, this means avoiding colloquialisms, using a more sophisticated vocabulary, and keeping things well-organised. Short paragraphs, concise sentences, you get it.

Business Time

Sometimes, you’re going to have to bite the bullet and write in corporate speak. This means avoiding conjugations, using technical and sophisticated language, and keeping sentences short and formal.

So there it is, as easy as Insta-pie! Now you’re ready to start writing better copy for whatever platform necessary.

Ronn Torossian is the CEO and Founder of 5W Public Relations (5WPR)

Ronn Torossian

 

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Ronn Torossian is the Founder & Chairman of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently owned PR firms in the United States. Since founding 5WPR in 2003, he has led the company's growth and vision, with the agency earning accolades including being named a Top 50 Global PR Agency by PRovoke Media, a top three NYC PR agency by O'Dwyers, one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces and being awarded multiple American Business Awards, including a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year. With over 25 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected public relations executives. Throughout his career he has advised leading and high-growth businesses, organizations, leaders and boards across corporate, technology and consumer industries. Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications. He has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly in the media and has authored two editions of his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations," which is an industry best-seller. Torossian's strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, a Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a recipient of Crain's New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Outside of 5W, Torossian serves as a business advisor to and investor in multiple early stage businesses across the media, B2B and B2C landscape. Torossian is the proud father of two daughters. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member of multiple not for profit organizations.