In fact, many marketers believe that only 20% of your social media content should be promotional posts. No one likes to feel as though they are being sold to, but people do like to buy, therefore the other 80% of your content should be informative, educational, and entertaining.
Here are some ideas to level up your social media posts.
Share the Latest News
Hired a new employee or added a new product? Share the latest news and update your audience on new developments or initiatives to help them feel truly involved with your company. You can even ask for opinions and feedback on the latest changes or upcoming products and services.
Share blog posts
Most business owners understand the value of adding well-crafted keyword-optimized blogs to their websites. But don’t just leave your articles languishing on your blog page. Share your posts to your social media accounts and repurpose snippets of content to make interesting and informative posts. This can work especially well on channels like Facebook and Twitter that allow clickable links to be added to your posts.
Feature employees
People like to know who they are dealing with so rather than having nameless, faceless employees that remain behind the scenes, bring them to the forefront on your social channels. Introduce ‘Dave in development’ or ‘Patty in customer support’ so your followers know who they are communicating with when they work with your company.
Go behind the scenes
Provide inside glimpses of your business with candid, behind-the-scenes pictures. These could be of staff members at work, group photos of team meetings, or show products being made or designed. It all helps your followers to really connect with your business and understand what your company can offer. If your business is involved in any charitable work or social causes these are great to share too.
Product photos
If you sell a range of items then product photos are a great way of displaying your range to new clients. Take some staged high-definition photos for your social accounts and share some pics of different design stages. If your items are custom-made, photos that capture each stage of the process can be very worthwhile and really make your audience feel like a part of the operation.
User Generated Content
After your customers purchase the product or use your service ask them to share photos of the end result. User-generated content or UGC is a great way to promote your business, attract new followers, and turn current followers into paying customers. Studies show that a high number of potential customers trust user-generated content when it comes to making a buying decision.
Video Reels and Stories
Social media posts no longer have to be static content. Design tools and the addition of video reels and stories allow posts to be created that feature video content, almost like a mini-movie. These small snippets of visual action can be customized and made even more impactful by using filters and adding text, graphics, and music. They are a fantastic way to keep things interesting and engaging.
Go live!
For those entrepreneurs that live to get in front of the camera, going live will allow you to share real-time updates as they happen. Unlike reels and stories, these posts cannot be edited or adjusted later on, so you may need to give a bit of thought to the content you are posting. Going live can help to bring your audience right to the heart of your business.
Holiday celebrations
Capitalize on holidays by using posts to create greetings and good wishes. This is a chance to demonstrate inclusivity and diversity by celebrating all holidays and seasonal celebrations. Christmas and Easter are popular but don’t forget to include things like Diwali, Hanukkah, and Eid especially if your customer base contains people from a wide range of ethnicities.
Feature company (and followers) pets
A large portion of the country’s population is animal lovers. Dogs, cats, small mammals, and even reptiles can be a choice of companion. So featuring the pets of your employees and clients, and encouraging your followers to do the same can boost your number of followers. If you can get your audience to post a pic of their furry friend AND feature your product in the shot, then even better!
Do a poll
Running a poll definitely sparks interest in your business, but there are other benefits too. Inviting the opinions of your audience can provide feedback and insights into things that are working well and those that may be causing frustration. This information can be used to drive improvements or streamline product offerings to meet customer demand.
Feature reviews and testimonials
When you receive a positive review or a good customer testimonial share it on your social media channels. This is similar to word-of-mouth advertising where friends or peers recommend your product or service to friends and colleagues. It also supports the fact that you are providing a quality service to your end-user and can build confidence in your brand.
Share industry news and articles
Keep ahead of the latest news and developments and share updates with your followers. Having your finger on the pulse of all the newest information will help to position you as an expert in your field. For entrepreneurs that are trying to gain a foothold, this can be a good way to position yourself as an authority in your field.
Partner with influencers
This can benefit both you and the influencer in a cross-promotional marketing effort, but not all influencers will help you to advance your brand. If you are an entrepreneurial tech expert then partnering with a beauty influencer may not benefit you much. Select influencers carefully and make sure that their product line, mission statement, and ethos align well with your own brand.
Host a virtual event
Hosting a seminar or virtual event to discuss your services, offer advice, and answer questions is a powerful way to correct directly with your followers. It provided the opportunity to engage one on one while building trust and loyalty among your users.
