This document provides ten essential tips for effective social media writing, emphasizing brevity and clarity. Key advice includes writing concise posts, engaging humorously yet professionally, and ensuring content is shareable and conversational. It concludes by highlighting the importance of maintaining credibility, building a personal and publication brand, and taking time to edit before posting.

1. Social Media
Writing Tips*
Jim Streisel | Carmel High School
@CarmelJim
10
*In no particular order. C’mon, guys, I’m just not that organized.
Tuesday, June 25, 13

2. 1. Keep it short...
very short.
• Posts with 80 characters or fewer
receive nearly 23 percent higher
interaction than longer posts.*
• Twitter: 85 to 100 characters (max).
• Facebook: 30 words or fewer (nobody
wants to “...Continue reading.”
• Type your post, then challenge
yourself to write the same information
using fewer words. (92 characters)**
*Buddy Media Research
**Draft a post, then try to make it shorter but say the same thing. (69 characters)
@CarmelJim
Tuesday, June 25, 13

3. 2. Write for people
who are in a hurry.
Be clear and direct.
• People check social media when they
have time to spare.*
• Write for someone who checks social
media accounts for a few minutes
between activities.
*Like in the middle of math class. Or social studies.
Or now...while I’m speaking.
@CarmelJim
Tuesday, June 25, 13

4. 3. Be humorous...
but be professional.
• Crack jokes.
Make puns.
Play on words.
Make people
smile.
• People are
more likely to
share content
that’s funny.* *But don’t make light of serious news.
@CarmelJim
Tuesday, June 25, 13

5. 4. Make content
easy to share.
• Don’t make posts too long.
• Use active verbs.
• RT means “retweet.” MT means
“modified tweet.”
• Dn’t go crzy w/abb, tho.*
*SMH
@CarmelJim
Tuesday, June 25, 13

6. 5. Have a conversation.
• Acknowledge
when people
respond to
your posts.
This shows you
value your
readers’
thoughts.
*
*Hi, Jill. I value you.
Sincerely,
Me.
@CarmelJim
Tuesday, June 25, 13

7. 6. Don’t write
a press release.
• Don’t be boring and dry.*
• Define your “voice.” Write for your
audience.
• How do you want people to perceive
you/your publication? Your writing
reflects that perception.
*You in the back, stop looking at me like that.
@CarmelJim
Tuesday, June 25, 13

8. 7. Be nice.
• Don’t tick off your readers; you’ll lose
them.
• If you aren’t funny, don’t try to be.
@CarmelJim
Tuesday, June 25, 13

9. 8. Be knowledgeable.
• Be an expert
on all things
_____ High
School.
• Make your
social media
feeds
something that
people will
WANT to follow.
@CarmelJim
Tuesday, June 25, 13

10. 9. Avoid texting slang
if at all possible.
• All of that
BFF and
LOL and
SMH is just
too darn
confusing.*
*Remind me to tell you an LOL story when I see you next.
Oh, and I have one that involves FTK as well. Good stuff.
*
*WTF?!
@CarmelJim
Tuesday, June 25, 13

11. 10. Don’t rush.
• It’s better to be accurate than first.
• Spend a couple of minutes on each
tweet before you send it to edit and
polish.
@CarmelJim
Tuesday, June 25, 13

12. The bottom line.
• Be smart.
• Be professional.
• Be accurate.
• Be nice.
• You’re building your “brand.” You’re
building your publication’s brand.
@CarmelJim
Tuesday, June 25, 13