Social Media Marketing is about capturing attention and keeping those eyes on your brand. If you want to stand out, you need to master your opening line. The first few moments of your post or video can make all the difference, and we’ve got some killer psychology-backed strategies to lock in your audience right from the start (and keep them engaged).
Start with Passion
Choose a topic that genuinely fires up your audience. Look at what’s been successful in the past by analyzing your highest-performing posts. Don’t recreate them shot-for-shot. But analyze what made them great. Did you have a great hook? A solid premise that was really timely? A beautiful background? All three and more? You can’t change what you don’t measure!
This also includes scoping out your competition. Again, nobody likes a copycat. But if they mad ea great video about a service you offer, and it spurred some ideas for building on that idea run with it. And if they really did give you some great idea TAG THEM! It does nothing but make you look like the upstanding, honest business owner you are!
Social media is filled with lots of niche communities where your audience hangs out, trust us! Find out where those groups are and join, or ask to join. But here’s the deal..bring value not asks. What we mean is go in there as the subject matter experts you are and be experts. Answer questions, joke with the community, be of help to them without expecting anything in return.
They will notice. And when they need your type of services they’ll remember the company who is always friendly and helpful, but not pushy or always hounding them for money. Plus, it also solidifies that you really know what you’re talking about when you are always there with great information.
Zero in on Your Angle
Your angle determines how you hook your readers. Check out these psychological tricks to spark interest:
- Draft the Main Content First: Write the bulk of your message before you tackle that opener.
- Create an Open Loop: Tease a big idea without giving everything away. Keep ‘em curious!
- Ride the Trend Wave: Tap into the bandwagon effect to create a sense of urgency and FOMO.
- Spin Engaging Tales: Share compelling stories your audience won’t want to skip.
- Leverage Social Proof: Show how others like them are taking action—and they’ll want to follow suit.
- Flip the Script: Challenge the status quo with bold, surprising statements that grab attention.
Craft Your Hook
Come up with a couple ideas and brain storm a couple ideas for each type. Then go back over them, refine so they roll of the lounge better, and finally, choose the one that packs the biggest punch! If you’re not sure which one that is, ask! Ask your partner, ask your best friend, ask your neighbor, ask the cop who pulled you over for texting while driving (you were writing hooks…don’t do that while driving)!
Finish Strong
Write the rest of your post with your hook as your North Star. A great hook is your compass for the rest of your content. And remember, writing isn’t just a one-and-done task. Analyze what works, learn from it, and keep refining your approach! Again, you can’t change what you don’t measure!
If you’re not doing so already, create a spreadsheet that tracks the performance of each post and then hone in on the content that gets you the best return on both your time and money investment!
By mastering these strategies, you’ll not only grab attention but also keep it, driving your audience to engage with your brand like never before. Now go out there and make those posts pop!
Kent Keller is a seasoned Brand Consultant, Social Media Manager, and Copywriter. He also acts as the Chief Executive Officer of OS Media Group. With over a decade of experience as a police officer and nearly five years as the Public Information Officer and Media Relations Manager for a prominent police agency, Kent brings a wealth of expertise to the proverbial table. His background, combined with his successes in developing numerous marketing campaigns and brand strategies, uniquely positions him to assist you in effectively engaging with your customers or community members.
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