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Ok, so things have calmed down enough for us to take stock about what the heck happened to Twitter last week!

On Monday 25th April, news broke that Twitter’s board of directors had accepted Elon Musk’s offer of $44 BILLION for control of the social media platform. The South African has apparently acquired Twitter to make sure the platform adheres more closely to the principles of free speech.

The board at Twitter at first resisted Musk’s offer, taking the ‘Poison Pill’ defence to shield themselves from a hostile takeover just days before they accepted his offer.

What has been the reaction to this, and why has Elon Musk bought Twitter? Let’s delve in…

The Reaction

Musk’s takeover of Twitter was met with a mixture of shock, fear, and humour by Twitter employee’s. The fact that Twitter is now protecting its source code from potential disgruntled employees kind of says it all. Remember when an employee on their last day closed down Donald Trump’s account? That’s one way to leave your job…

A number of celebrities have left Twitter because of the Musk takeover. They cite various reasons, namely because of opinions he’s shared on the platform ranging from politics to the use of pronouns.

There are those who don’t see the takover as a bad thing. Even the former CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey tweeted his support of Musk and his plans to transform it.

According to a recent poll, 58% of marketers aren’t worried. Musk has said that he will eliminate harmful bots by verifying accounts. Marketers like myself are happy that the Edit button might actually be on the horizon now.

Many express they are happy about the potential changes to the platform when it comes Musk’s campaign on free speech. Some think will help broaden the audience.

This leads us nicely on to the next topic of this takeover…

Free Speech

“Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,”
Elon Musk

The other 42% of marketers from this poll are worried for about the future of Twitter. With Musk’s crusade on free speech (he describes himself as a “free speech absolutist”), some worry that the platform will be flooded with dubious consipiracy theorists and ‘alternative truthers’. They are concerned that the billionaire will “turn a blind eye to harassment, hate speech, disinformation and other vile expressions”. Potentially, this could turn off many big brands who no longer will want to be associated with Twitter.

Some people on the Right see Twitter as being more left-leaning compared to other platforms (this research shows otherwise), as a number of big names on the Right have been banned from Twitter, including a former president of the United States. Maybe Trump et al will make a comeback now Musk is in charge?

Musk is well-known for blocking “haters” on Twitter when they tweet negative opinions about him, so how can this person really be for free speech?

Some journalists and business owners think it’s not about free speech at all. So what is it all for?

Other factors at play

Amazon founder, and second richest man in the world, Jeff Bezos shared his opinion on Twitter about Musk’s buyout:-

Could China now have an influence on Twitter now that Elon Musk has bought it? It’s certainly an interesting take on the whole thing and one that could absolutely lead this author down a rabbit hole! But I won’t get into this today…

I’ve seen a few jokes on Twitter about this being one of the most expensive mid-life crisis ever. It could well be, but of course, this isn’t the first big company that Musk has splurged out on.

We’ve also got to think about the actual character of the man. A word that is often bandied about is, ‘Narcissist’. Has Musk come to the conclusion that money can really buy you love? Searching through Twitter comments about this subject (aka, the cesspit), you will inevitably come across Elon Musk ‘Fanboys’ who idolise the man as some sort of saviour of the “Deplorables”. All the Likes, Retweets, Replies and Follows are just fuel to Musk. Why not buy a platform that makes him feel like King of the World?

The Future

My initial reaction to the news was, “another rich man spending money on things that he shoudn’t be”, followed by “hmm, it could work, Tesla is doing ok! Hey, an Edit button!” to, “I’ve got a really icky feeling about this”.

I’m on the side of the 42%. I worry about what this white, billionaire, middle-aged man can do to the future of free speech on social media.

The last thing we need right now is for someone of privilege to start polarizing the world even further by allowing the floodgates to open on hate speech, misogyny, and racism.

We’ve all seen what impact Rupert Murdoch has had on the world by purchasing multiple media outlets. I don’t see this as any different, Musk is now effectively a modern-day media tycoon with this purchase. We don’t need another Murdoch, that’s for sure.

Hey, I could be completely wrong and Musk will throw away his toy and move on to something new, and maybe help solve climate change with his billions…

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Most brands usually have one of two goals when they post on Facebook: engagement or conversions.

Both metrics matter, but depending on what your goals are, one will typically matter more. If your goal is to increase website traffic, a Facebook post with a high like count, while nice, isn’t necessarily helping.

When do you want conversions? Basically, whenever you want someone to take a specific action after seeing your Facebook post. Maybe you’d like people to subscribe to your newsletter or join a membership club. Or maybe you want them to visit your website, or buy a specific product.

It’s true that every good Facebook post will have some things in common. But if you want your posts to have a high conversion rate, you’ll need to use a different strategy from the one you’d use to achieve a high engagement rate.

1. Content that Stands Out

A Facebook post without creative is like a store without a window display. Nothing has the power to stop people in their tracks (or stop their thumbs from scrolling) like a good visual.

Remember, every Facebook post competes with whatever else is in someone’s feed. And it only takes about 2.6 seconds for their eyes to choose what to settle on.

So make sure your visual is eye-catching and attention-worthy.

Whether you use static images, GIFs, or videos, here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing visuals for Facebook:

Get the right specs: Check Facebooks specifications to make sure you deliver high quality images. Low-res images reflect poorly on your business and no one likes to click on them.

Limit text: According to Facebook, images with more than 20% text have reduced delivery.

Skip stock images: If you can afford to commission a photographer or illustrator, do it. Stock images are easy to scroll past and may be too generic for your brand.

High contrast: Contrasting colors will help make your images pop, even in low light or black and white conditions. A colour wheel can help you make the right choices in this area.

Think about mobile: 88% of Facebook users access the platform from a mobile device. Test your images on a mobile device before posting them to ensure your text is legible and the focus is clear. Consider trying vertical video for maximum effect on mobile.

2. Catchy Copy

The next aspect of high converting Facebook post if gripping copy. Keep your writing simple, clear, and to the point.

Avoid business jargon and promotional language. In addition to deterring readers, too much marketing speak can put your post out of favour with the Facebook algorithm.

Copy should convey your brand personality, whether it’s witty, friendly, or professional. No matter the personality, aim to be personal and connect with the reader.

Conventional wisdom holds that short copy tends to win out. While it’s true that social media users tend to have eight-second attention spans, posts with long copy can perform well, too.

Ultimately it depends on your audience. Analyze your top performing posts and see if there’s any correlation between text length and performance.

3. Smart Call-to-action

The most important element of a high converting Facebook post is the call-to-action, a.k.a CTA.

Ask yourself what you want someone to do when they see your post. If you’re not sure, no one else is going to be either.

Whether you’re looking for website traffic, sales, or even engagement, you’re not going to get it if you don’t invite it. Power verbs like Sign up, Download, Subscribe, Reserve, and Click put Facebook users into action after seeing your post.

But those verbs are also pretty commonplace these days, so don’t be afraid to spice them up a little.

Adding urgency can help. For example, “Only a few places left. Reserve your trial today.” If the trial is free, that might be worth mentioning, too.

A CTA should give your post, and its readers, purpose. But don’t overdo it. Too many CTAs can lead to decision fatigue. One CTA per post is generally a good rule to abide by.

4. Give an Incentive

A call-to-action is only as good as its incentive. If you can’t give someone at least one good reason to visit your website, download your app, or subscribe to your newsletter, then you shouldn’t ask.

An incentive can mean a few things. Maybe it includes the benefits of membership to your rewards program. It could be the opportunity to learn more about the cool features of a product you’ve launched. A travel company may want to highlight the attractions of top destinations. Showing a little sun and sand during the winter can go a long way when it comes to inspiring wanderlust.

A good marketer should already be in touch with what their audience and customers want. And the incentive you choose to share should appeal to these needs and desires as much as possible. If you’re not sure where to start, look at the posts that have performed the best in the past. Dig into your audience insights and explore the interests of your customers.

A good teaser for a blog post leaves viewers wanting to know more. But don’t oversell it. Clickbait, while sometimes irresistible, can come across as gimmicky and disingenuous.

5. Targeting your Market

Facebook is known for its ad targeting capabilities, but there are many ways to target an organic Facebook post, too.

First of all, be conscious of your Facebook audience demographics. Don’t take for granted that your followers on Facebook are the same as those following you on LinkedIn, Twitter, Snapchat, or other social media platforms.

For instance, what is the largest age group?

Are they mostly male, female, or gender non-binary?

Where does most of your audience live?

What are their interests?

Tailor your posts around these insights. If your Facebook audience is mostly female, for example, it may make more sense for you to showcase your women’s clothing line versus men’s.

Timing is another important factor. When is your audience usually online? Function28 research finds that the best time to post on Facebook is between 3 pm and 8 pm.

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