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Planable is the best client-facing social media tool we’ve ever used and we’ve used a lot.
Not too long ago, everyone was discussing how email marketing is a thing of the past. Then, digital marketing specialists everywhere realized, and I quote, that "Email marketing is not dead." Frankly, I agree. I've seen firsthand how emails, especially newsletters,...
“I solemnly swear to create social media posts more often”. Whether you’re a marketing manager, content creator, or small business owner, you know that publishing consistently is key, especially when managing multiple social media accounts — and you vow to do it. But you struggle to come up with fresh social media post ideas and keep a rhythm going.
We all do. It’s a common challenge to regularly update social media channels with valuable content that educates, entertains, and engages.
Luckily, creativity is not a magic fountain but a flow that springs from research, experience, and organization. And that’s right up our alley, isn’t it?!
Writing is a superpower
says Matt Gray, CEO of Herb, who explains in a Threads post that sharing daily for three years has brought him many benefits, including 249k followers on X (Twitter) and 315k on LinkedIn.
So, let’s get you on the right path toward consistency and fill your 2024 content calendar with creative posts that’ll grow your business.
Motivational posts help you connect with audiences in a helpful and empathetic way. They make brands more human and relatable and help building brand loyalty.
While motivational posts typically have a positive vibe, don’t overdo it. Simply showing followers that you support their feelings can be enough. Be that friendly voice everyone needs once in a while, like in the Balance Facebook post inviting people to responsible gardening.
What better way to show your impact on clients’ lives than having them speak for you? User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful tool for building trust.
Encourage followers to share their photos, videos, or reviews of your products or services. You’ll find that they can communicate creatively and authentically and produce unique social media posts. Share UGC on all channels to create a sense of community.
Some social media platforms are naturally more fit for user-generated content. Leverage the power of TikTok with challenges and collaborations with influencers. Nike hit a slam dunk with the “What do you do when…” campaign involving popular athletes.
@nike "Stay true to yourself. yougotthis" - @A’ja Wilson
♬ You Got This - Flyana Boss
Social media posts highlighting industry news are a great way to remain relevant, be a source of information for followers, and take part in ongoing conversations.
Don’t just share industry news, reports, or analyses, but add your thoughts and perspectives to solidify your thought leadership position.
Some social media posts are short and sweet, while others go more in-depth, offering valuable information without asking people to click away to a blog post or product page.
On platforms such as LinkedIn, Reddit, or Quora, experts leverage long-form content to offer advice, share lessons, demonstrate results, and, in the process, gain loyal social media followers.
While creating long-form content is time-consuming, it’s definitely something to include in your content calendar periodically, especially if professionals are part of your target audience.
See this example from digital copywriter Matt Barker for an insightful LinkedIn post that sparked shares and conversations.
With the right copywriting, design, and storytelling, carousel posts can hook followers and boost engagement.
Carousels are most popular on Instagram and, more recently, LinkedIn (though LinkedIn requires you to upload them as PDFs now, the end result is pretty much the same).
Here are a few tips for creating great carousels:
Industry leaders don’t become known and respected by accident. They create thought leadership content and have a clear social media strategy to ensure their message gets to the right target audience.
Here are a few social media post ideas if you’re looking to grow your authority in your industry:
If you think you don’t need thought leadership content, you do. Even Bill Gates and Snoop Dogg do it.
Product/service spotlight posts are a way to showcase the features, benefits, and uniqueness of your offering. However, they are more effective if you steer away from a me-me-me attitude and use the opportunity to create content that’s useful, relevant, or fun.
Take a cue from Etsy. The X post below manages to create a personal connection with the audience and put the product in the spotlight without being too product-centric.
You need to be creative and fast on your digital feet to create current events memes, but it can be a fun and easy way to join social media conversations. Leave some free spots in your content calendar to accommodate spontaneous ideas from the team and join trending topics.
Remember to stay sensitive to the nature of the current event and your audience’s preferences. Humor can be a great way to connect, but it’s essential to approach sensitive topics with care and respect.
Posting helpful, relevant content will never get old. Small business owners, especially, can grow communities just by sharing useful advice that helps people daily.
Spend time researching your audience and talking to clients. Uncover common challenges, questions, and concerns and translate them into social media content.
Highlight and acknowledge the expertise of professionals in your industry and position your brand as a hub for industry knowledge and insights with expert shout-out posts.
Here are a few social media post ideas to try:
Expert shout-outs become top-performing posts by leveraging the power of the network. They can also highlight company expertise through enticing visual content, like in the Chaleit post below.
Have you noticed that the example above is, in fact, repurposing a blog post? It takes a catchy quote from an expert interview and transforms it into an appealing graphic.
Articles are a great source of social media content ideas. And not only new ones. Your old blog posts are probably full of valuable insights that can be reshared. Don’t let them gather dust while you’re racking your brain to produce fresh stuff.
If you’re looking to get community involvement and gain new followers through shareable content, myth-debunking posts are your secret sauce.
Make a list of common beliefs and fact-check them. Run them by subject matter experts. Whenever you come across a surprising find, share it on your social media pages.
Here’s a Threads post from Our World in Data that is bound to get people talking by providing a new perspective on a well-known fact:
Industry trends posts are engaging content because people simply love to know what’s new.
Jump on trends, but with something relevant to say. Create a trend round-up periodically. Talk to experts to get quotes and perspectives. Host guest posts discussing the latest industry developments.
Ask intriguing questions and challenge people to tell their stories. Or just use a common day-to-day challenge to spark not only comments but a funny chain reaction, as the US Postal Services did with this Threads post.
Express gratitude, show appreciation for your audience, and foster a sense of community with user shout-out posts. Here are a few ideas:
Sharing success stories should be part of your social media feed. Humble brag posts walk the line between being too braggy or too modest.
If you don’t want to state great results upfront, share an anecdote instead. Tell the story of your achievement, pitfalls included. Use a grain of humor and self-irony. Include lessons learned and recognition for everyone involved in the process.
Have you just onboarded the 100th employee? Has your social media account reached a record following? Is your star product turning ten?
Time to celebrate and let others in for the virtual party. Post images that take your audience down memory lane, write a thank-you message, and share growth plans. It’s also a good time to create a giveaway, post a special discount code, or share some exclusive content.
Unpopular opinion posts share perspectives that go against the mainstream. They must strike the right balance between being interesting and too controversial. When done right, they’re great conversation starters.
Brands typically stay away from unpopular opinions because, well, they want to be popular. That doesn’t mean you can’t be smart about it and let others do the talking, like in the X post below:
While we’re on the topic of getting others to talk, why not fill spots in your social media calendar with questions for your audience?
Jump on celebrity trends to encourage engagement.
For example, a conversation between the Beckhams sparked a series of funny memes that offered brands and users alike the opportunity to be more relatable and admit to imperfections in a funny way.
While searching far and wide for social media content ideas, don’t forget to look around. Your hard-working colleagues deserve their 15 minutes of fame.
After all, employees are the backbone of the company, so make them part of your social media presence by:
For example, MassMutual is doing a great job putting employees in the spotlight.
Re-sharing posts is a low-hanging fruit. Whether it’s sharing posts from others or your own older posts, this tactic helps you quickly fill in spots in the calendar while also providing value.
This becomes even easier if you work with a social media management platform that lets you recycle posts.
Recycling posts in Planable
Who doesn’t love a giveaway? Creating engaging contests helps boost brand awareness and is a sure way to get more people to click the follow button.
While they’re great every once in a while, especially to mark a special occasion, giveaways should not be your go-to strategy for growing your social media accounts. First, have them too often, and you dilute their value. Second, contests may attract followers who aren’t necessarily interested in your offering but just in getting free stuff.
Whether you’re getting ready for a big product launch or company event, or if you want to show followers how magic is done, behind-the-scenes posts can provide a look under the shiny hood and give a glimpse into the company culture.
Just like the Carturesti library chose to show fans some Black Friday storehouse action.
‘Tis the season to fill social media networks with holiday cheer. Seasonal posts are another easy grab from the digital fruit tree. Be creative, personalize the posts, and stay away from boring clichés.
Find here some of the most inspiring content ideas for travel agencies.
Looking to breathe some fresh air into your social media channels?
Invite an industry expert or an influencer to take over your social accounts for a day or a week. Make it clear to followers that someone else is at the wheel for a while, sit back and relax. You deserve a break.
Help clients and prospects solve problems, overcome challenges, and achieve goals with short and to-the-point how-to posts.
State the problem up front and proceed with clear instructions. Make them as actionable as possible, and don’t be afraid to include your product or service in the solution.
People don’t always want solutions; they just want someone who gets them.
Here’s a good example from Calm of a seasonal Instagram post that shows understanding and provides subtle encouragement while also inviting interaction.
Step-by-step guide posts are as old as content marketing, and they’re not going anywhere.
Distil solutions to problems into steps — not more than 10-15, or it may get overwhelming — and create social media posts guaranteed to draw attention. Use infographics to spice things up.
Strategic partnerships with influencers or businesses who share your target audience can be a win-win situation. Cross-promotion posts help you widen your audience and serve as endorsements from industry thought leaders.
Be sure to tag partners and be transparent about the collaboration.
There you have it. 30 social media ideas in your toolkit — handy whenever you hit a creative rut.
If you’re looking to organize ideas and optimize your workflow, here’s one more tip: try Planable. Plan everything and schedule social media posts for weeks in advance. It’s free for your first 50 posts.
Sabina is a freelance writer with 15+ years of experience in the MarCom industry. Her to-do list includes helping people write better and businesses sell more through content. She is the host of Zest, a podcast that brings writing within listeners’ reach.
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