In short
- 01The first sentence decides whether anyone clicks “See more”.
- 02Write like a person, not like a press release.
- 03One post, one idea, one call to action.
- 04An image or video makes people more likely to stop.
1The first sentence is everything
Facebook shows only the beginning of a longer text. The first sentence has to give a reason to keep reading. Compare:
“We have something new for you in our shop.” (generic, stops nobody)
“This mug survives the dishwasher even after the hundredth wash. We tested it.” (specific, sparks curiosity)
2Write like a person
A business on Facebook is followed by people who know it or have bought from it. Talk to them as you would in the shop, not as in a catalogue. Instead of “We offer a wide range of quality products”, write what exactly you have just got in and why you are excited about it.
3A structure that works
A specific sentence, question or situation the customer recognises.
A story, tip or piece of information. Short paragraphs, so it reads well on a phone.
One specific thing the reader should do. Comment, click a link, save the post.
Length depends on the content: an announcement fits in two sentences, a story can take ten. But every sentence has to earn its place.
4Questions and comments
Questions at the end work when they are easy to answer: “Which colour would you pick, A or B?” Hardly anyone answers a generic “What do you think?”.
Reply to comments, especially in the first hour. A conversation under a post is the most valuable thing, for customers and for reach.
5Images, video and links
Draws attention in the feed. Text alone gets lost.
Belongs in posts where the reader should do something. Put it in the text after the hook.
Should be short and readable on a phone.
Most common mistakes
Starting with a greeting or “Today we would like to introduce…”
A wall of text without paragraphs.
Three calls to action in one post.
Copying the same text from Instagram, dozens of hashtags included.
Promising what the product will not deliver, or making up numbers.
If you publish on both Instagram and Facebook, adapt the text for each network. That is why Virlya prepares a separate caption for Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for every post.
Frequently asked questions
- How long should a Facebook post be?
- As long as the content needs. The first sentence decides: if it grabs attention, people read longer text too. Keep paragraphs short so it reads well on a phone.
- Should I use hashtags on Facebook?
- They matter less there than on Instagram. One or two relevant ones are enough; dozens of hashtags copied from Instagram look unnatural.
- Is it better to share a link or an image with text?
- It depends on the goal. For reactions and reach, an image or video with text. For shop visits, add a link to the text.
