The rapid growth of interest in emotional intelligence led to the demand for content that would trigger emotions rather than share bare facts. People are on Facebook for conflicts and emotions that they can relate to. With that in mind, you need to craft content that appeals to this interest.
You need to use emotional narrative in your Facebook content.
This writing technique is all about building your message by specific words, writing structures, and particular visual hooks to keep the audience emotionally invested and, therefore, willing to respond. Now, here go five writing tactics you can use to get emotional narrative in Facebook posts.
1. Consider your reader’s needs
First of all, determine the core value of your Facebook post. For that, consider the needs of your target audience. With those in mind, you can determine what topics to choose and what message to communicate so that your readers will reflect and respond to it.
2. Appeal to your reader’s basic instincts
Basic instincts, also known as subconscious needs, appear in the brain's limbic system, and they’re responsible for behavior, emotions, and motivation. So, if you turn to these instincts in Facebook copywriting, your audience will respond.
One theory of personality identifies three basic instincts: self-preservation, sexual, and social.
The instinct of self-preservation is about physical health, safety, and secure environment, so users will respond to the content helping them achieve it. This might be why food and lifestyle blogs are so popular.
The social instinct is about creativity and action. We are all concerned about personal value, accomplishments, status, and approval. Subconsciously, we crave fame and success. So any content that proves we are cool will resonate with us.
The most powerful instinct is sexual. Give the audience content about connections, adrenaline, people, attraction—and they will respond.
Create the illusion of presence with your content. Make your readers feel involved to satisfy the need for action. Post quizzes, slides, tests, and other interactive elements whenever appropriate.
Help your audience find answers
People respond to the content that solves their problems and teaches them how to interact with the world. So help them find answers. Share content with tools and strategies. Write about secrets and tips. Post content with hacks and insights that fit your audience needs.
Show people they can do it
We all want to believe we are different from others, and we can do everything (if we want!). The problem is that most of us are looking for easy ways to do everything. So appeal to the “you can do it” mantra in your Facebook posts: Show the audience that the sky's the limit.
3. Use neuro copywriting tactics and phonosemantics
Legendary copywriter Joe Sugarman has already explained the psychological effect of particular words and sounds to the human brain. Used in a definite order and in the right place, they serve like mental hooks for readers. Known as neuro copywriting, this tactic can make your content flourish.
Here's how to use it:
Avoid weak adverbs and use active verbs only.
Add beneficial adjectives and odd numbers (they get a better response than even).
Choose particular phonemes to trigger desirable emotions and associations from readers.
Consider stylistic devices like metaphors, repetition, and contrast.
Also, use sensory words and transitional phrases liberally to turn your Facebook posts into emotionally powerful narratives.
Transitional words help guide your reader through your narrative by making the connections between ideas and even phrases clear. They are like hooks, engaging users to keep on reading your Facebook posts to the very end. Web content writers know them as bucket brigades and manipulate the dwell time with their help.
Sensory words are best described by Henneke Duistermaat as descriptions of how we see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the world.
4. Tell a story
Readers evaluate your content by feelings rather than facts, so you need to make them “feel” your writing, especially on Facebook. The best way to do that is through storytelling.
ou can use different formats of storytelling in your Facebook content: a short post, a video, a photo, or a long read. You just need to make sure it reflects human values and is unexpected yet relevant to your niche.
And remember, users don't read, but scan Facebook feeds. Structure your posts so they would want to stop and read more.
Hook them at the very beginning (weird words, exclusive facts, or insights can help here).
Avoid professional slang and overly complex sentences (write as you talk).
Make your writing concise (one thesis per post).
Last but not least: Finish your post on a positive note. People come to Facebook to relax or be entertained. They probably won’t remember the specifics of your text but the emotions it caused, so make sure those are positive.
5. Use some “wow” in your post
It's the detail that makes people remember your content and want to respond. It's a hook catching them while they are scrolling Facebook feeds. It makes them stop, raise an eyebrow, think “wha-a-at?” and continue reading to find out what it's all about. Basically, your posts need some wow.
Try out attention grabbing words or expressions, or engage your readers with a question.
Experiments, extraordinary insights, shocking information, and relevant emoticons can work here, too. Before publishing a Facebook post, ask yourself, “What will users remember about this piece of content? What is the eye-catching element here?” The wow-effect in Facebook posts allows you to stand out from the crowd and make your content go viral. People will like, share, and comment on it because it hooked them and reflected their emotions at that very moment.
Start drafting those Facebook posts!
On Facebook or any other social media channels, users want to know what happens in the world right now that could relate to them. Give them what they want.
Here’s a quick recap of the ways you can start using emotional appeal in your Facebook copywriting to boost engagement:
Consider your reader’s needs
Appeal to basic instincts.
Tell a story.
Try neuro copywriting tactics.
Wow your audience.
Now, get writing!
Comments