Digital Marketing » Blog » Social Media Marketing

What Shakespeare Can Teach You About Social Media Marketing?

Posted By Bruce Clay on November 4th, 2018 in Social Media Marketing

Every social media marketer can agree: the shorter the text, the better. Every post on social media has a purpose, whether it’s to convert leads or raise awareness; we want to leave an impression.

One man who knew how to leave an impression, through wit and brevity was no other than Shakespeare.

It goes without saying that the reason his poems and plays are so known is because he would write them to follow a meter – or the sound of a heartbeat, you could say. Linguistics aside, there is a lot we can learn from Shakespeare’s use of language – and his ideas – to write great social media content. But if he lived way back during the 1500’s, how much really is there to learn? Trust us; there’s a reason we still read Romeo and Juliet.

“Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.” The Merry Wives of Windsor

Ah, the twitter world will surely agree. Any news that travels too late, is too late to tweet. With social media accounts – especially on platforms like twitter – it’s crucial to post news, updates, or tweet on relevant things as they happen. When it’s too late, or it’s old news, no one bothers to share or interact.

So, don’t be late. Keep your audience informed; they’ll see you as an industry leader.

“Brevity is the soul of wit.” Hamlet

Being brief and concise in your social media posts attracts a larger audience. Why? Because people scan and skim as they scroll through their social feeds; not many bother to read longer posts – unless they’ve been shared by their friends, or have a catchy introduction. Often, though, brands do not follow the ‘long content’ approach. Instead, brands are advised to remain brief. Keep the good impression lasting!

“Suit the action to the word, the word to the action…” Hamlet

Competitions are one of the ways to gather a larger following on social media and increase sales. However, if you guarantee a prize and do not meet it, you will be ruining your company’s integrity and reputation. So, make sure you always promise prizes that are possible and don’t mislead your audience for the sake of shares and clicks. Over time, consumers may find it difficult to trust you, since “no legacy is so rich as honesty.” Wow, thanks, Shakespeare.

“Boldness be my friend!” Cymbeline

This is very sound advice. To engage more people, your content (through text or visuals) needs to be out of the ordinary. Of course, this may require you to be a little bold, but that’s what people are looking for! Seeing the same things as you scroll down your social feed gets boring. Stand out!

“It is a wise father that knows his own child.” The Merchant of Venice

In the context of marketing, of course, the father is you and the child is the customer. Before making a content plan, marketers identify their target audience. You need to know your audience in-and-out. See what would appeal to them and cater for them.

If you are targeting people in the Middle East, appeal to that audience – while keeping their likes, dislikes, traditions, age, and demographics in mind. Of course, not everyone in the Middle East will be the same, so it’s important to make a thorough research and create content that would appeal to your audience, not to you.

Though he was celebrated in the 1500’s, Shakespeare is still celebrated to date, because he wrote about life and aspects that can be applied to our professions interchangeably with the way we run our businesses and deal with personal relationships. Thanks again, Sir William Shakespeare.