“You guys will love this new product – I am OBSESSED.”
Sound familiar? It’s ALL I see on my social feeds. We already know that everyone is ‘hustling’ and selling their social media space for ads and sponsored posts… hey, we all gotta make money. The problem isn’t amount of ads or the fact that you’re promoting a product at all – you do you. But use a thesaurus.
Obsessed [verb, past tense: obsessed; past participle: obsessed]: preoccupy or fill the mind of (someone) continually, intrusively, and to a troubling extent.
After giving your ultimate “obsessed” stamp of approval every time, at this point, no one believes you or your #sponsored #ad and we all know you got paid to say something good. Unfortunately, you said you were obsessed by 15 different products this month and it’s losing all meaning. There are other things to say; and maybe throw in some objective reviews sometimes.
It’s time to make your ad stand out…
Who are you?
Why should people trust your opinion on this product? Why are YOU the one to sell it? Maybe your followers already know, or perhaps you need to give a little context for the new eyes on your feed. Did you study this subject, or have you reviewed every product out there in a specific field? Give it some personality and really drive home why you are the authority to be listened to on this subject!
Who is your audience?
It’s so simple but easy to forget. Are you selling (yah, influencer ads are sales) to regulars or newbies? Do you want to thank your regular followers for their loyalty with an exclusive discount code? It’s way better to reward regulars with a deal than throw it out there for everyone. Oh, you shared a coupon code in the caption? Now that’s just the new price for everyone. Try adding “and if you’re on my email list, look out for an exclusive discount code coming soon to your inbox!” This might be something you need to discuss with the company you’re collaborating with… but it’s a win-win way to grab interested people.
Do you need to be more casual and conversational or a little more formal? As an influencer, it’s most likely a chatty style, but if you’re peddling a vitamin or something scientific, you might want to include real stats, data, and information. People looking for a gummy chew to improve their skin need to know what’s in it and how it works. Bonus points for a video or before and after pics. Show it in action. The proof is in the pudding.
Why is it worth the purchase?
There are so many things you can say to endorse a product that aren’t just “I’m obsessed”. You’re not. Obsessing over things is boring and vague. And sometimes unhealthy. Try giving it more effort…
The best thing about using this moisturizer is… (why is it epic?)
I found that compared to foundations I’ve worn in the past, this one… (what does it do differently?)
You may have heard that this dry shampoo (what is a cool feature you love?)… well let me tell you this: the rumours are true.
Grab onto those unique selling points and really hit home to your followers why this one thing is worth spending money on. Use it yourself (I’d hope you already are) and give things a personal touch with real information.
Actually describe it.
Sounds like a no-brainer, but just saying you’re obsessed with something doesn’t actually describe anything about it and makes you look like that’s the only word you’ve got in your arsenal.
Epic. Beautiful. Long-lasting. Miracle worker. Great value for money. Versatile.
Choose specific words in your ad copy (yeah, your caption is an advert) that are tailored to the product. You’re less of a benefit to a company or business if you say the same thing you said for everyone else. That’s not only lazy and lacking creativity, but your post is a waste of money.
And if you can’t think of nice things to say or ways to promote the product? Then you shouldn’t be encouraging your followers to buy it. Influencing at its very core should be about spreading the word about great things you’re passionate about and actually use yourself.
Write well.
For the love of social media, check spelling and grammar before hitting ‘post’. We’re not perfect – humans make mistakes. Just writing this part gives me anxiety that there’s an error somewhere in my writing. But please… CARE. Care about the post you’re writing; don’t just churn out nonsense in a hurry. (A quick Google search will teach you that a plural doesn’t need an apostrophe so, I love Monday’s is not correct.) Someone is paying you to write so if you usually muddle up too, to, and two… double check before posting or even ask for a second opinion from someone you trust. So often our brains read what we’ve written without noticing mistakes because we know what we meant.
Clean copy is going to make you look more professional. After all, you want to be credible and worth hiring again.
Looking for engagement?
Other than offering an exclusive discount for your email list or certain group of followers, you might be seeking a certain level of engagement from readers.
Unfortunately, everyone knows that including a call-to-action question at the end of your IG caption is the standard influencer ploy to fish for comments. Super transparent. But if you’re going to go with that, make it interesting – don’t just ask something for the sake of it. People want to share their opinions and recommendations so it’s fair to ask for those, and engage with responses and give something back so followers don’t feel like they’re talking to a wall. Create that sense of community where there’s room for conversation and sharing.
It’s that easy.
You got this. Often having something (like overusing the same phrase in every single post) pointed out by an outside reader can be the push you need to take your work to the next level.
And hey, I don’t have all the answers… look at what other people have written, invest in yourself with training, coaching, mentoring, or even an online course. Read good writing and see what already works for other successful people. But y’know, don’t obsess over it too much.
