In Social Media Marketing, Words Wield Power

Communications professionals and marketers are masters at choosing words wisely. We know that every word matters, especially in social platforms where the “less is more” rule applies. Since social media requires us to be more concise, we need to pay special attention to the power of every, individual word.

Words-and-power

Words are power in social media marketing.

 Recently, Storyboard Magazine published a Quick-Sprout infographic highlighting the “best” words to garner engagement on Facebook. According to the article, these words are: 

Post; Would; Take; Submit; When; Warns; Should; Tell Us; Amuses; Where; Discount; Inspires; Comment; Deals

So, why are these particular words so powerful? When you examine how they’re commonly used on social platforms, you’ll notice that they all have something in common: a sense of urgency. Social media marketing is all about timeliness and relevancy, so the most effective marketing on these platforms hint at the idea that the follower should do something right now.

For example, think about the word “post” and how we use it on social platforms. Although this word can be a noun in everyday language, on social platforms it is a directive. It is a call-to-action for the reader to engage in the conversation. Examples include, “Post a favorite photo of you with our product” or “Post a selfie and tag us…”

Another example of this urgency are words that hint at very timely, alarming news. For example, the word “warns”. This simple verb triggers followers to pay attention, and moreover, it encourages the standard emergency reaction — to warn someone else. So, this single word indirectly prompts you to share the warning with those in your network.

Finally, there are the words hinting at promotions that may end soon. Words like “deals” and “discount” are commonly associated with sales, and everyone knows that sales don’t last forever. So, they prompt a response, whether it be sharing, commenting, or posting so that friends can share in the money-saving fun.

The takeaway? Communicating that time is of the essence is a brand’s best bet for engaging a community.

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