November 14, 2023

Copywriting for Facebook Posts: The Essential Guide

Copywriting for Facebook Posts: The Essential Guide

Are you tired of staring at your screen, wondering what to write for your Facebook posts? Well, you're not alone. Today, we're diving into the exciting world of copywriting for Facebook posts. 🚀

So, what's copywriting? It's the words that make people want to click, like, and share your posts. You see, writing for Facebook isn't just about typing words; it's about convincing folks to take action, like checking out your great product or signing up for your amazing service.

But, it's not as easy as it looks. You've got to think about who you're talking to, how your brand sounds, and what you want people to do. And don't forget about those images – they need to work hand in hand with your words. 📸

Don't stress, though! In this guide, we'll break down everything you need to know about copywriting for Facebook posts in simple terms. Whether you're just starting or want to level up your skills, we'll help you become a Facebook copywriting pro! 🌟

Write to your audience personas

Alright, let's dive into the first important rule of copywriting for Facebook posts: writing to your audience personas. Imagine you're chatting with your best friend or a family member. You don't talk to them the same way you would to your boss, right? Well, that's the idea here. 🗣️

You want your Facebook posts to feel personal, like you're talking directly to someone who's interested in what you have to say or offer. This means no more of those "false-hype" posts or empty jargon that doesn't really say anything. Instead, you want to sound like a real person because, guess what, you are a real person!

To do this, you'll need audience personas. Think of them as characters in a story – they're semi-fictional versions of your ideal audience. You need to understand who they are, what they like, and what they need. Not just basic stuff like age and where they live, but deeper things like their dreams, fears, and desires. 🤔

Audience personas are semi-fictional representations of your ideal target audience. Ideally, this is mapped out in your social media marketing strategy. It’s important to make sure your audience personas aren’t that cardboard-bland variety that only identifies your target market’s demographics.

Write to your audience personas

Let's take a practical example. Imagine you run a small jewelry store, and you've got two different types of customers:

  • Dave is a 25-year-old guy, super excited about getting an engagement ring for his girlfriend. He's been saving up for a while, and he's on a budget, but he wants a high-quality ring that'll last forever. Dave cares a lot about insurance policies and lifetime repair offers. He'll respond to messages about quality, trustworthiness, and post-purchase care.
  • Then there's Jessica. She just got a big promotion and wants to treat herself to a pair of fancy earrings. Her decision might be a bit impulsive, and she's open to credit offers to help her afford something she doesn't have cash for right now. Jessica is excited about messages that encourage self-indulgence, modern jewelry designs, and financing options.

See what's happening here? Dave and Jessica are two different people with different needs and desires. If you write a Facebook post that speaks to both of them at the same time, it might not be as effective. But if you create separate posts targeting Dave's love for quality and Jessica's desire for self-indulgence, you're more likely to grab their attention. 💍

Writing to your audience personas isn't just about sounding friendly; it's about connecting with the right people in a way that makes them say, "Wow, they totally get me!" And when you get that connection right, you'll see better engagement and more people taking action on your Facebook posts. 👏

Remember your purpose

Now that we've covered writing to your audience personas, let's talk about something equally important – remembering your purpose when you're writing Facebook posts. 🎯

Imagine this: you're setting off on a road trip. You've got your map, your snacks, and your favorite tunes. But, what if you don't know where you're going? It's a bit like that with Facebook copywriting. You can have great words and ideas, but if you don't know your destination, you might end up lost.

So, every time you start writing a Facebook post, ask yourself, "What's the goal here?" What do you want people to do when they see your post? Do you want them to sign up for your newsletter, buy your products, or maybe just share your post with their friends? Knowing your purpose is like having a GPS for your copy. 🗺️

Now, here's where it gets interesting. Your purpose isn't the same for every post. It can change depending on what you're trying to achieve. Let's look at some common purposes:

  1. Generating Leads: Maybe you're running a contest, and you want people to enter by providing their email addresses. Your purpose here is to gather leads for future marketing efforts.
  2. Driving Sales: You have a new product, and you want people to buy it. Your purpose is clear – you want them to make a purchase.
  3. Getting Blog Readers: If you're a blogger, you might want people to read your latest article. Your purpose is to drive traffic to your website.
  4. Building Brand Awareness: Sometimes, your goal is simply to let people know you exist. Your purpose is to create awareness about your brand.
  5. Encouraging Advocacy: Maybe you want your loyal customers to spread the word about your amazing products. Your purpose is to turn them into advocates who refer others to you.

Picture a small gym looking to attract new members. They know they have different types of potential customers:

  • 'New Year's Resolutioners' who want to get fit as their New Year's resolution. They need a Facebook post that says, "Join now and get 20% off your first month to kickstart your fitness journey!"
  • 'Fitness Enthusiasts' who are already into fitness and are looking for a gym that offers advanced equipment and classes. The gym needs a post highlighting their state-of-the-art equipment and expert trainers.
  • 'Busy Professionals' who struggle to find time to work out could be served a post about their flexible class schedules, making it easy for them to squeeze in a workout.

In each of these examples, the gym changed its purpose depending on the audience. Each post has a clear goal – whether it's to attract resolutioners, fitness enthusiasts, or busy professionals. That's how they fill their gym with motivated members, one Facebook post at a time! 🏋️♀️

Use a variety of posts

Buyer stages are the stages that people go through from becoming awareness of your brand product or service for the first time, to buying, to becoming a brand advocate. Essentially, the journey they take with you.

buyer stages

The different stages are:

  • Awareness, where they first discover your brand
  • Consideration, where they’re considering on whether or not to purchase
  • Decision, where they’re deciding to take an action you want, ideally to make a purchase
  • Retention, where they stay on as customers or buy again
  • Advocacy, where they refer others to you and sing your praises

When writing Facebook post, you don't know what buyer stage your audience is in. So, the point here is to make sure that you write a variety of posts that talk people who are in the different buyer stages.

Choose media that add something to the copy

Alright, picture this: You're scrolling through your social media feed, and you come across a post with a catchy headline. You're intrigued, and then you see the image. 📸 But instead of complementing the text, it's like the image and the words are from two different planets. It's a bit confusing, right? That's why choosing the right images for your Facebook posts is crucial.

Or even worse, don't you hate it when people say the same thing twice? Isn’t it annoying when people reiterate the same message? … See what we did there :)?

When it comes to Facebook copywriting, your images, videos, gifs or other media are like your sidekicks, helping to tell the story and capture attention. But here's the secret sauce – your media shouldn't just repeat what you're saying in the text; they should add something extra, like a bonus scene in a movie. 🎬

Typically your audience will look at your media (i.e. your image, video, etc.) and then move to your copy as they’re scrolling through Facebook. When your audience’s eyeballs move from your imagery to your copy and vice versa, you want to make sure that your Facebook copy complements your imagery and doesn’t just say the same thing again. (That’s what alt text is for.)

Imagine you run a small coffee shop, and you're promoting your new caramel macchiato. Your Facebook post says, "Indulge in the rich, velvety goodness of our caramel macchiato." And the image shows a beautifully crafted caramel macchiato, with a swirl of caramel sauce on top, a dollop of whipped cream, and a sprinkling of caramel bits. 😋

Notice that the image didn't just replicate the words; it added sensory details that make you want to reach through the screen and grab that coffee. That's the magic of choosing images that add something to the copy. It makes your audience feel the experience.

  Choose images that add something to the copy

Emotional and power words for effect

Now that we've talked about writing engaging copy and choosing the right images, let's dive into the next level of Facebook copywriting – using emotional and power words to create a buzz. 🚀

Imagine you're scrolling through your feed, and you come across a post that says, "Get ready for our amazing new product!" It's okay, right? But what if you saw a post that said, "Prepare to be amazed by our revolutionary new product!" 💥

The second one uses words like "amazed" and "revolutionary" to evoke excitement and anticipation, as well as curiosity. The reader subconsciously wonders why the product is so revolutionary, compelling them to click to learn more.

That's the power of emotional and power words. They inject energy and enthusiasm into your copy, making your audience more eager to take action.

So, when you're writing your Facebook copy, don't settle for the ordinary. Use words that spark emotions, excitement and a dash of pizzazz to your posts. Review what you'e written to see if you can change any words to other ones that are more emotive or emphatic. 

Prioritise brevity

Imagine you're scrolling through your social media feed, and you come across a post that resembles a never-ending novel. It's got paragraphs upon paragraphs, long-winded sentences, and enough words to fill a library. How likely are you to read it all? Not very, right? Well, you're not alone!

Yeah, we don’t want to be like that. 

Mr Bean sleeping

In the fast-paced world of social media, where your audience's attention span resembles that of a goldfish. Brevity will be your best friend. This means getting straight to the point with your copy. Don't beat around the bush; grab your reader's attention and deliver your message in the shortest, most straightforward way possible.

Remember that with Facebook, you’re not just competing against similar organisations, you’re competing with an entire newsfeed filled with content and a user’s fleeting attention span. 

When you review your copy, take out unnecessary or particularly complicated, obfuscating or polysyllabic words. See? They’re annoying. Take out the big words.

Take out the big words.

The only details kept in the post should be what the users need to see, or what will motivate them to take action. Write the copy, and then see if you can reduce it by 10% to 50%. The best copywriting delivers the same message in the least number of words, not the most!

The magic of emojis

Let's talk about a secret wizard of Facebook copywriting: emojis! 🧙 Yes, those tiny, colorful icons that can express a thousand words in a single glance.

While long-time copywriters would likely cringe at this, the reality is that emojis can carry added weight. Whether you’re fluent in emoji or it’s a language you’re currently learning, they can make it more engaging, relatable, and fun.

Research shows that posts with emojis tend to get higher engagement rates. They catch your reader's eye, convey emotions, and add a touch of personality to your copy.

So, the next time you're crafting Facebook copy, consider how emojis can enhance your message. But remember, like any spice, use them in moderation. Don't turn your post into an emoji overload; keep it balanced and relevant to your content. Experiment, have fun, and let your emoji creativity shine.

grab user attention.

Use Facebook’s alt-text feature 

There's aFacebook feature that might not be on everyone's radar but can make a big difference: Alt-text. This nifty tool ensures that everyone, including those with visual impairments, can fully understand the images you share on your posts.

So, what exactly is alt-text? It's a hidden description of your image that can be read by screen readers. This description helps individuals who are blind or have low vision to grasp the context of the image.

Now, you might be thinking, "Why should I bother with alt-text for my Facebook images?" The answer is simple: inclusivity and accessibility. By adding alt-text, you're making your content available to a broader audience, and it's also an excellent practice for ensuring your brand is socially responsible.

To add alt text to your images, click on the “Edit” CTA that appears when you hover over the image before publishing the post.

click on the “Edit” CTA

This opens up a screen that allows for alt text creation. Just write a description of the image, and you’re set!

write a description of the image

Create engagement-oriented posts

Engagement orientated posts are those where everyone shares their thoughts and opinions. They're gold when it comes to boosting engagement because, let's face it, people love to have their say.

Creating these engagement magnets is all about asking questions and inviting your audience to join the conversation.

Consider a coffee brand that shares a picture of their new special coffee blend with the caption, "Try our new coffee blend today!" This is unlikely to garner much engagement.

Instead, they could post a picture of the new blend and ask, "What's your favorite time for a coffee break? ☕ Tell us in the comments!" Comments will be much higher as people share their coffee stories and preferences.

The lesson here? Engage your audience by asking questions that resonate with them. It could be as simple as "What's your go-to morning routine?" or "Share your best travel memory." The key is to make it relatable and easy for people to respond.

user-generated content (UGC)

But engagement doesn't stop at questions. User-generated content (UGC) is another powerful tool. Consider a post like, "We can't get over how John, our loyal customer, enjoys his daily coffee. Tag us in a picture of your coffee moment and you could be featured on our Page!"

This encourages your audience to become a part of your brand story, building a sense of community and trust. It's a win-win.

In conclusion, when crafting your Facebook posts, think about how you can spark conversations. Ask questions, encourage sharing, and involve your audience in your brand's journey. Remember, it's not just about broadcasting your message; it's about creating a space where everyone's voice is heard. So, go ahead, post that thought-provoking question, and watch the engagement roll in! ☕👥📢

Write a killer CTA 

If you want your audience to take action, you need a killer call to action (CTA). It's like the secret sauce that can turn a casual scroller into an engaged customer. Plenty of studies have shown that they can have a big impact on success rates.

Imagine you run a bakery and you've just posted a mouthwatering picture of your freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. People are liking and commenting on the post, but what's next? This is where your CTA comes in.

A CTA is a clear instruction that tells your audience what you want them to do. It can be as simple as "Order Now," "Learn More," "Shop the Sale," or "Sign Up." The key is to make it crystal clear and enticing.

For example, if you want people to place an order for those delicious cookies, your CTA could be something like, "Order a Dozen Cookies Now and Get 10% Off!" This not only tells your audience what action to take but also sweetens the deal with a discount.

But it's not just about what you say; it's also about where you place it. If you're using a paid ad format, CTAs are positioned as buttons within your ad. Facebook even provides options for adding CTA buttons to your business page. Make sure it stands out visually, using contrasting colors or eye-catching graphics.

If you're not using a paid ad format, then you can include a link (URL) in your post, or drive them to your Page to start a conversation on Messenger.

So, as you venture into the world of Facebook copywriting, remember that your CTA is like the grand finale of your post, the moment where your audience decides to take action. Make it compelling, make it clear, and watch your Facebook posts become powerful tools for achieving your business goals. 📢💥🛒

  Write a killer CTA

Conclusion

In your exploration of Facebook copywriting, you've gained valuable insights into the art of creating engaging posts. Here's a quick recap:

  • Audience Personas: Personalization is key. Craft copy that resonates with your audience personas.
  • Purposeful Copy: Align your message with the digital sales funnel and cater to different buyer stages.
  • Visual Harmony: Complementary images and alt text enhance your posts.
  • Emotional Impact: Infuse emotion without clichés, using powerful words.
  • Brevity Rules: Keep it concise and clear for Facebook success.
  • Emoji Engagement: Embrace emojis to convey tone and grab attention.
  • Accessibility Matters: Use alt text for inclusivity.
  • Engagement-Centric Posts: Encourage interaction and user-generated content.
  • CTA Mastery: Craft effective call-to-actions with action words.

By applying these principles, you'll create compelling Facebook copy that boosts engagement and strengthens your online presence. Keep refining your skills and crafting impactful copy for lasting success. Happy copywriting! 🚀📝💼

Jonathon Tanner

Jonathon Tanner

Co-CEO and Co-Founder

Co-CEO and Co-Founder of SMC, earned Social Media Educator of the Year from SMMI. With vast experience in social media strategy and content marketing, he's also a co-founder of other businesses. Specialising in growth strategy, Jon has a background in management consulting specialising in M&A.

Instagram 2024 Growth Checklist

✅ Turbocharge your followers, engagement and views
✅ Comprehensive checklist with over 150 growth tactics

Make 2024 your best year yet! 👇

Ready to accelerate your business with social media marketing?