Nowadays, social networks are an excellent marketing lever. But to fully exploit their potential, it is essential to establish an editorial line. And this requirement also applies to your company's Facebook page!
Here are the steps you need to know about creating your editorial line for Facebook:
- What is an editorial line?
- Why create an editorial line for Facebook?
- The specifics of an editorial line for social networks, especially Facebook
- Five steps to create your editorial line on Facebook
What is an editorial line?
An editorial line corresponds to the set of rules you have defined in collaboration with your content team. Whatever content you publish (articles, press releases, etc.), you can be confident it will be consistent because it is based on a three-pronged marketing strategy:
- First, establish a specific framework with internal controls to avoid ending up with dissonant or overly similar content.
- Next, have a reference template so writers within the same team can easily orient themselves and prioritize topics. This document also defines each person's role according to their skill level and involvement.
- The final pillar focuses on the editorial framework. You define your positioning relative to the image you want to project, making you far more credible and visible to your target audience.
In this context, you should see the editorial line as a reflection of your choices regarding your identity. Before producing any content, you must take the time necessary to think about how you will communicate.
Why create an editorial line for Facebook?
Today, Facebook is an essential social network. Although its use is less intense among young people, the platform should not be neglected if you want to build a community and communicate with it.
If Facebook remains an important social network, it is thanks to its large user base and their activity. But that’s not all — many tools are available to help you ensure effective communication. For example, you can run polls, use Marketplace, or publish videos.
So to promote your services and products, Facebook is a perfect fit, especially since you can reach a wide audience. This is an undeniable advantage, provided of course that you have established an editorial line for the Facebook medium.
If you succeed, you will be able to deliver a clear, concise message while building your brand and retaining new customers.
But be careful, nothing prevents you from using other networks in parallel to maximize your visibility and grow your web traffic. Also don't forget the importance of publishing articles on your blog.
The specifics of an editorial line for social networks, especially Facebook
Choosing a social network like Facebook helps increase your visibility. But as you can imagine, these platforms crave content. So before taking the plunge and starting to publish, it is imperative to define an editorial line!
Think of it as your internal rulebook. It’s the common thread you will systematically use for writing. Focus on the writing style you employ. You can vary the tone depending on your target audience: informative, humorous, or committed.
Also consider a list of topics you will be able to write about regularly. Recurrently, you will use lexical fields as well as emojis. Will you address your audience informally or formally? Do you prefer the active voice or the passive voice?
Finally, there may be certain expressions you want to focus on or ban. Now is the time to define them!
Regarding Facebook, keep in mind that it is an entertainment medium. To stand out from the competition in newsfeeds, it is especially wise to focus on emotions. Creativity will be the watchword, and it is through creativity that you will interact with your audience.
Be imaginative by offering knowledge quizzes, organizing games, or promoting your services, but always use a light tone. Feel free to highlight practical information, tips, or to show behind-the-scenes of your organization.
Five steps to create your editorial line on Facebook
1. Define your goals and your target audience
To start on the right footing — that is, by committing to a strong editorial line — it’s essential to ask yourself a few questions. For example, what are your expectations for your presence on this social network? From the outset, define your objective and keep it in mind. It might be to strengthen your identity, increase your visibility, or gain additional prospects.
The second element concerns your audience. What type of users are you addressing and how do they behave on Facebook? Depending on their interests, gender, location, or age, expectations are not always the same.
You will therefore need to analyze these different criteria to choose the most appropriate tone and use it in your editorial line.
2. The importance of writing style
Now you can get to the heart of the matter by deciding the tone and style for your editorial line. By definition, Facebook remains the social network of emotions. However, using professional language will not put off your audience. The key is to use a voice and style that perfectly match the image you want your brand to convey.
Do you want to position yourself as an expert using specialized terminology or, on the contrary, like a friend offering advice?
Once you have answered these questions, you’ll know the level of language and vocabulary you’ll use. To make your messages more impactful, don’t forget to use hashtags and emojis. This is how you will define your relationship with your community.
3. Always choose impactful formats
At this stage, you define the most appropriate types of content. Keep in mind that Facebook is a social network that favors relaxation. With that in mind, photo carousels, videos, infographics, or motion-design animations are to be favored for effective marketing.
What these different elements have in common? The visual. But to leverage the organic reach of your content, don’t hesitate to invest in video content.
Also remember to incorporate your imagery rules into the graphic charter you establish for Facebook.
4. Find the right topics
The fourth step in establishing an editorial line on Facebook is to publish on your preferred themes. Simply put, these are topics that will interest your readers with the aim of encouraging engagement.
There’s no need to scatter your efforts; work on predefined axes with subjects inherent to your activity. That way you’ll remain credible while keeping your objectives.
For example, if you are a company specialized in selling shoes, there’s no need to publish a piece about the latest trends in gardening.
5. Content planning
Here is the final step to build your editorial line on Facebook. To keep up the pace of publishing, it is essential to set up an editorial calendar. A balanced approach is required to avoid complete silence but also not to be seen as unwanted content.
To avoid mistakes, the schedule will be there to help you. On average, make three posts per week with a maximum of one post per day on Facebook. It’s not so much the quantity that matters as your consistency.
Facebook requires regular, high-quality posts so you can develop quality traffic and build awareness. If you are consistent in this approach, you will be seen as a real authority in your field. So don't underestimate the importance of an editorial calendar and ask yourself when during the day you are most likely to reach your audience.
There are also specific tools that allow you to schedule your posts to avoid having to publish manually. A useful tool to save time.
Our tips for an impeccable editorial line on Facebook
You now understand the importance of an editorial line on social media and how to create one. One last piece of advice concerns moderation. Whatever you post, you will inevitably receive both negative and positive feedback.
Even if a comment is not always pleasant to hear, it’s important to take it seriously and respond. This is how you build a relationship with your community by showing you care about your audience’s well‑being.
Also, if you don’t have the time or the skills of a community manager to maintain an editorial line on social media, don’t hesitate to order your content on Redacteur.com. Indeed, the platform has several thousand professional writers able to perfectly manage your communication strategy on Facebook, other social networks, and blogs.
The article How to create an editorial line for Facebook? first appeared on Redacteur.com.
