Creating the Perfect Social Media Post

The perfect social media post does not happen by accident. But admittedly, trying to create the perfect post for social media can sometimes feel like trying to buy an impeccable birthday present for someone you don’t know.

Knowing how and taking the time to create the perfect social media post is very important if you want to create a strong presence online.

In just one minute on online: 216,000 photos are posted, 278,000 Tweets, 1.8 million Facebook likes and 2 million Google searches (Woollaston, 2013). So how do you create the perfect post to stand out among all the rest?

Boosting your creativity

The most important part of creating the perfect social media post is to be creative. I know, I know, staying creative is impossible right? No. A few ways to stay creative are: Carry a notebook everywhere, try free writing, take breaks, drink coffee or caffeine, make lists, get feedback, collaborate, allow yourself to make mistakes and take risks, practice and don’t force it. Writing is not easy. But it is crucial that you are creative and fun with your posts and writing.

Choosing the right social media platform

All social media platforms are not created equal. Each platform has different benefits, audiences and tools to make your posts successful. In order to choose the best platform for you posts, consider your audience, your purpose and the goal for your post.

Posting tips by social media platform

Pinterest is all about creating niche boards with creative themes. The most successful and perfect posts on Pinterest include descriptions with 200 characters and include keywords to help people find your pins through searches. Even more, maximize your real estate by creating long and narrow images to get noticed. The more visible the pin, the more engaging and inviting your posts will be.

The key to Twitter is to write tweets between 120 and 130 characters and to leave room for retweets with comments. Use a scheduler such as Hootsuite to pace your posts. Lastly, use action words in your tweets.

Facebook is one of the highest used social media platforms. To create the perfect post on Facebook, its crucial to stay positive. Positivity fosters engagement and excites users. Provide updates that offer information that users and fans will want to know. Include images, engage with users, provide links to your brand's website and be available to answer questions or respond to posts at any time of the day-not just during your business hours.

LinkedIn is the place to show your smarts. The important thing to remember here, is to be relevant. Be consistent and post at least one update per day. Each post needs to be full of quality content and focused on your industry. Your content should reflect your brands mission and goals.

Posting at the right time of day

The perfect social media post will depend on the time of day. Each platform has good times and bad times to post. The following are examples of the perfect times to post for each platform: Facebook-1pm to 4pm, Twitter-1pm-3pm, Pinterest-2pm-4pm and 8pm-1am, and LinkedIn-7am-9am.

It is not easy to create the perfect social media post. You need to be entertaining and creative with your content. Post a mix of your own content and content from others in your industry or niche. Hold users attention by posting at the best times of the day for each platform. Most of all have fun and break the rules of content writing.

Sources:

Fitzpatrick, P. (2014, May 16). How to Create the Perfect Social Media Post. Retrieved July 22, 2014, from Positvely Peggy: http://pegfitzpatrick.com/2014/05/26/create-perfect-social-media-post/

Woollaston, V. (2013, July 30). Revealed, what happens in one minute on the internet. Retrieved July 22, 2014, from Mail Online: www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2381188/Revealed-happens-just-ONE-minute-internet-216-000-photos-posted-278-000-Tweets-1-8m-Facebook-likes.html