How to: Writing Tactful Text

June 8, 2022

Jessica Goldfarb

Social Media Account Manager

What’s the write way to good copy? ✍️ Don’t worry, we’re not going to take you back to your 8th grade English class again. Writing captions, newsletters, and articles (like this one) are a little bit different than essays on the author’s purpose!

“Copywriting”, or writing with the purpose of marketing for your brand, follows a different set of rules. While you should still keep good grammar and punctuation basics in mind, there are some other key strategies to follow to be a good copywriter.

What Should I Caption This?

If you’ve been active on social media, you’ve probably been stumped by this question at least once or twice. You’ve got the perfect photo or video, now you just have to come up with a few words to go with it. Why is this so hard?!

Our advice: don’t overthink it! The main function of a caption is to compliment the media its paired with. This means anything like explanations, further details, a joke, or even relative song lyrics can work well.

Keep it short and to the point, don’t forget your hashtags, and you’re golden 👌.

Extra: Read All About It!

Newsletters and articles tend to have a similar structure. They’re both meant to be written as long-form copy and provide information that relates to your target audience. The difference is how deep they go.

Newsletters are meant to be easy reads that sort of flow~ down the page. You’re carried through the information via short paragraphs and pictures that both grab your eye and relate to your text. Reading a newsletter should feel like you’re talking to a friend who’s giving you the scoop.

Many newsletters also serve to give updates on your business, talk about upcoming or past events, and sometimes give exclusive discounts to readers. At RedefineU we like to use our newsletters to give a little bit of extra insider information and tips! (You’re welcome 😉).

The Deep Dive

Articles are your deep dives into the how-to. They are meant to inform and educate, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring.

A little humor and wit can go a long way in long-form writing. Maybe skip the knock-knock jokes, but a clever pun or pop-culture reference are sure to keep your reader more engaged. Give your reader a break from all of the seriousness, or you may risk information overload! 🤯

Since articles tend to reach a wider range of people, it’s also important to write them with the layman in mind. Don’t use industry-specific language if you can avoid it, but if you have to, make sure you explain what those terms mean.

General Tips

For any copywriting, there are some universal tips that can help take your text to the next level:

Reel them In. Use a hook statement as an opener to pique reader interest.
Keep it short. Don’t drone on and add an unnecessary anecdote.
Keep it sweet. Be funny, be personable, and, as always, be authentic!

With all of this in mind, it’s important not to lose your brand voice! If sappy song lyrics aren’t your thing, then you don’t have to include them as captions. Being authentic to your brand is much more important than anything else.

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