Have you ever wanted to blog better, create better social media posts, or just write more professionally? Fortunately, you don’t need to study writing or spend 10 hours typing out 1,000 words just to be unsatisfied.

Today we’re going to discuss ways to write better, faster, and more efficiently on various online marketing platforms. We’re always looking for more advice and your own feedback, too, so don’t be nervous!

The Audience Question

When writing content for sites, blogs, or social media, you need to understand one important factor: No piece of writing will appeal to everyone, so don’t even try! It would be impossible to write marketing content that a wide audience will accept and appreciate. Instead, we need to target everything we do and always write with intent.

Still confused? Consider structuring a piece of content directed at a specific demographic. If you’re trying to sell a new line of eco-friendly power tools to women, for example, you wouldn’t use the same phrases, tone, and tips, would you? Of course not. You would write in a way that gives women in need of household power tools a better understanding of why your tools are the ones to buy.

The Platform Question

We also need to consider the platform you’re writing for. A Facebook post, for instance, is much different than a landing page on your website. Tweets are less than 140 characters, blogs typically range between 300 and 2,000 words, and so on.

The first thing you need to do is decide how you’re going to deliver a specific message over a particular platform. Using the same power tools example above, here are some ideas of what I’m getting at:

  • Twitter: “Ladies – have you seen our eco-friendly power tools? We have a great holiday discount!”
  • Facebook: “Have you considered doubling up on power tools for women? Check out our holiday deals on our website.”
  • Blog: A 500-word post structured around “5 Reasons You Need Your Own Power Tools.”

Again — these examples are forced, but you get the idea. On Twitter, for instance, you need to immediately capture interest because it’s easy to scroll over a tweet. The same goes for Facebook, though blogs need to convince a reader to visit a product page on a main website after reading a post.

5 Ways to Write Better Marketing Material

This brings us to crux of this post: How you can write better content without stressing yourself out.

1. Consider the Audience on Each Platform

As mentioned above, it’s essential to match your tone and content with the audience you’re reaching out to on each platform. Ever a subpar writer can do this by thinking, “OK. Most of my Twitter followers are loyal customers. What will convince them to retweet this discount to their friends?”

2. Get Inspired

One of the best ways to write better is to read more. Check out other blogs, Facebook pages, news websites, and so on to hunt for ideas. Writers are professional shoplifters, after all, especially when it comes to inspiration.

3. Share & Get Help

Most marketers responsible for blogging and social media will understand the importance of group collaboration. While it may not be possible to sit side-by-side and write out blog posts (nor is this even recommended for that matter), it never hurts to have a co-worker read through the content, check for errors, and give constructive feedback. You would be amazed how a non-writer or non-marketer can improve a piece from a reader’s perspective.

4. Break the Fourth Wall

In theatre, the fourth wall is when actors “break character” and talk to or recognize the audience. This is a good tactic for marketers, too, especially if you’re stuck on creating new content. Reach out on social media and say, “What would you like to hear from us? How are we doing?”

5. Don’t Over-Market

One of the biggest amateur mistakes a marketer can make is over-promoting a brand, product, or service. People don’t follow your Facebook pages for ads, do they? So don’t post them! It takes a lot of work on your end to justify posting a deal or discount. But as long as you post entertaining information, followers will expect seeing a few pieces of “promotional content.”