How to Speak the Language of Each Social Media Platform [Plus Create the Ideal Post]

rawpixel

How many languages do you speak?

If you’re a savvy social media marketer you likely answered six.

Six? You read that right–English, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Each social networking site has their own language and communication style, so if you’re wondering why you’re not gaining more traction with your posts, it might be time to become #fluent.

With 59% of respondents finding social media to be the most effective marketing promotion for their business, let's chat a little further on this topic and ensure you're speaking the right lingo on each platform (don't worry, we’ll only be speaking in plain old English in this article).

Here we’ll cover:

What your post should look like on each social media platform
Tips about each platform and what kind of content to post
How to create an ideal post

Since we’re no stranger to the occasional happy hour—especially Texas senior care professionals—we’ll use margaritas for our example.

Facebook

“I like margaritas.”

Facebook is best for building relationships with your audience and is the top social media platform for those 65 and older. Facebook users are more willing to read longer posts. If you have something you’d like to express—opinions or feelings—this is the platform to do it on. However, err on the side of caution and avoid posting anything that could come off as offensive.

What to post: blog posts, curated content, photos and videos (try incorporating Facebook Live as the platform prioritizes this type of post)
Post idea for senior living: Do a Facebook Live celebrating a resident’s special moment (i.e. birthday, anniversary).
Post idea for home care: Spotlight one of your caregivers by posting a photo and sharing why they’re a vital asset to your team.

Components of an ideal Facebook post

Post length: 1-80 characters
Best time to post: 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Best day to post: Thursday to Sunday
How often to post: at least 3 times per week (once per day is optimal)
Number of hashtags to use: 1-3

Connect with SRG on Facebook →

Twitter

“It’s happy hour—we’re drinking margaritas.”

Twitter is best for updating your audience with current happenings and trending news. It’s important to be concise since Twitter users like digesting bite-sized information versus a whole plate.

What to post: blog posts, updates, news and GIFs
Post idea for senior living: Promote any special offers that your business is currently doing (ex: discounted rate for the first three months, waived move-in fee).
Post idea for home care: Share a current trend happening in the home care industry.

Components of an ideal Twitter post

Post length: 71-100 characters
Best time to post: 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Best day to post: Weekend
How often to post: at least 3-6 times per day
Number of hashtags to use: 1-2

Connect with SRG on Twitter →

“How to make the perfect margarita.”

Pinterest is best for sharing high-quality images and relevant content with your audience and is one of the top three social media platforms for those 65 and older. Popular topics for Pinterest users include DIY, crafts, home decor and recipes.

What to post: quotes, infographics and how-to tutorials
Post idea for senior living: Create a pin board of the different crafts/activities your residents are enjoying. If you can find the DIY tutorial and/or create it yourself, even better.
Post idea for home care: Create a pin board for caregivers of the different tips and techniques they can use to boost themselves up in their day-to-day.

Components of an ideal Pinterest post

Post length: 100 characters
Best time to post: 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.
How often to post: 3-5 times per day
Number of hashtags to use: no more than 20

Connect with SRG on Pinterest →

Instagram

“A perfect shot of our margaritas.”

Instagram is best for providing your audience a peek into your experiences through photography and video. To Instagram users, visuals are everything—make sure your posts are compelling and high quality.

What to post: photos, quotes and Stories
Post idea for senior living: Post a Story of something exciting happening at your community (i.e. special guests, entertainment or events).
Post idea for home care: Share an inspirational quote about caregiving. Here’s one: “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” — Leo Buscaglia

Components of an ideal Instagram post

Post length: 138-150 characters
Best time to post: 1:00 and 5:00 p.m.
Best day to post: Friday
How often to post: at least once per day
Number of hashtags to use: 9-12

Connect with SRG on Instagram →

“A perk our company offers: in-house margaritas.”

LinkedIn is best for informing your audience of company news and sharing industry-specific content. LinkedIn users are on the platform for business so remember to keep things professional.

What to post: company news, job opportunities and professional content
Post idea for senior living: Share company achievements and milestones (ex: it’s our [insert year] in business, we’ve had our [insert number] move-in). Positive correlations can help boost your company image to prospective business partners.
Post idea for home care: Post an interesting article or recent news related to the home care industry.

Components of an ideal LinkedIn post

Post length: 25 words for updates, 1,900-2,000 words for articles
Best time to post: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Best day to post: Wednesday
How often to post: at least twice a week
Number of hashtags to use: 1-3

Connect with SRG on LinkedIn →

Next time you log onto Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or LinkedIn, be cognizant of the language of the social media platform you’re on.

Incorporate the tips we’ve shared above but also do your own research on your social media followers. Look into the various insights that each platform offers and take into consideration which of your posts have the highest engagement. At the end of the day, only you know your audience the best.

Here's to optimizing your social media post across platforms so you don’t get lost in translation!