Writing for social media is the key skill set providers need to bring to the table to successfully serve marketing, branding and “new media PR,” clients. Writing for social media is a specialty.

Writing well is essential as the foundation for creating appealing content for business owners, artists, authors and other clients. That’s the core skill. Included in the “new media” skill “set” is the ability to write for social media.

When you’re in business you must sell. Even when your business is non-profit, an independent project or your own employment career, you’re in the process -the business- of selling. Writing for social media is no different.

Although best practices approach social writing as a function of electronic relationship-building, this writing must still, ultimately sell. Today’s over-informed consumers demand direct interaction. You must connect with and relate to them on their terms on their turfs. This is WHY you must engage in social networking communications -for the benefit of your customer- and this is WHY these social communications must sell, for the benefit of YOU. Memes and emojis have been one of the trends having the most reactions in social media these days. This is why you need to adapt and utilize them. For example, you are sharing a link to one of your sites about something pathetic in politics. You can use the facepalm emoji with your post to show your fanbase that you are dismayed with the issue.

Writing for this new environment involves a savvy combination of copywriting plus expertise, familiarity and credibility with the social networks, or inside the “social space.”

This simply means that first the writer must have strong skills writing copy which in this context is entirely different from journalistic skills, academic or literary mastery. And, “grammar don’t matter.” Copywriting means sales writing. This is the rare and mighty ability to persuade and sell from the printed page.

In addition, not only does the social writer need to know his way around Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin; have an established YouTube channel AND keep up with each new social phenomenon, but he needs to also be visibly present in the social networking space as proof.

WRITING FOR PRESENCE: Social Media Engagement
When it comes to social media, written messages need to keep coming. You need to become and stay engaged in social conversations with your audiences -who are ultimately prospects and customers- throughout your social networks. The more consistent writing delivered, the stronger your presence. This gives you social credibility. The good news is you don’t have to perform all this writing -or ANY of it- yourself. You can hire a writer who is expert in ‘new media conversation.’

WRITING FOR CAMPAIGNS: Building Social Content
Engaging effectively with your prospects and customers through social communication on consistent basis becomes strategic when your series of messages is planned. This means rather than simply posting, tweeting or texting randomly you do so at regular, planned intervals with planned content. This is campaign marketing. These strategic marketing campaigns build and enhance your brand.

Content you create for your social campaigns starts with writing. Your content can be produced as simple captions with photos, scripted videos, tweets, surveys, promotional contests, podcast interviews, audio announcements, new media press releases, digital info products, text messages, ads and so on.

As you imagine, when you produce and use many forms of content, the combination becomes powerful. In each case, for each type of content, its production begins with or is supported by writing. These writing efforts are specifically for social media.

WRITING FOR NEW MEDIA PR: Social Media Branding
Branding which is NOT simply a term interchangeable with marketing, but a marketing specialty, has always been best facilitated through public relations, by public relations professionals. PR pros know how to deliver long-term strategies that involve creating and promoting brand relevance. PR pros are capable of helping clients develop and reveal business “personas” to the marketplace that serve to “brand” the business.