Friday, 28th February 2020 | Marketing
9 easy social media ideas to try when you’ve got poster’s block
If you find yourself paralyzed by the question “What should I put on my company’s social media page?”, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got 9 types of easy and engaging posts for you.
If you find yourself paralyzed by the question “What should I put on my company’s social media page?”, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got 9 types of easy and engaging posts for you.
But first, let’s talk about why you should put time into social media in the first place. In 2020, it’s hard to overestimate the impact social media can have on your business. From building loyalty with customers who already know you to attracting new customers, “social” is a winner for businesses of all sizes and shapes. In fact, if you’re not on social it’s a sign of sleepiness, or even irrelevance. (Yikes!) So let’s climb aboard the social train.
To capitalize on the power of social media you have to post engaging content frequently. This is where people tend to get stuck. What can I post? Small business owners have a lot to handle and coming up with tip-top content can fall to the wayside. That’s where this guide comes in. Here are nine types of posts any business can do equipped with a run-of-the-mill smartphone.
1. Contests and giveaways
Add a little fun with a contest or giveaway. After all, who doesn’t like a freebie? Running one can be a low-investment, high-impact way of engaging people and getting your name out there. By offering a prize you can entice followers to like, comment, or share your content which can increase your brand awareness and reach. As with all social media posts, it’s best to be genuine and approachable. Get creative about your prize, too. You could partner with another business (and reach double the audience), or feature a particular product (maybe one that hasn’t been selling well, or one that you’ve just brought in). Use this opportunity to show off your brand personality while making your customers (and potential customers) happy. And don’t shy away from including a picture or video of yourself in the posts.
2. Product features
These kinds of posts serve as reminders about your products and services. Sticking with your sense of personality, take the opportunity to zoom in on a specific product or service. Consider them eye candy or fun features. Got a new dish on the menu or seasonal product that just arrived? These are perfect features. Done right, they reinforce your brand and attract people back to your store or website.
3. Behind the scenes glimpses
Bringing your customers “behind the scenes” establishes a sense of familiarity and loyalty while also really showcasing your, and your company’s, personality. Video is very effective in giving this content a “sneak peek” feel. Don’t worry too much about production values. You can shoot perfectly serviceable video on a smartphone and upload directly to your social media channels. People are very forgiving when it comes to social media posts.
4. Customer polls (in Stories)
If you’ve ever been on a long car trip you’ve probably played “would you rather”, the game that makes you choose between two hypotheticals. It’s an addictive diversion and you can harness its power on your social media channels by using the polls feature in Instagram Stories. Ask your followers to choose. It’s a super effective way to promote interactivity while also gathering market research on their preferences. Note that these are sprints not marathons. The polls lasts 24 hours--as long as your Story. Increase customer engagement by sharing the results as seen here when Toronto food court stall Kid Lee tested out two new juice flavours.
5. Community engagement
It’s always a good idea to engage with your community and an even better one to post about it. Create a campaign that involves local groups like schools or libraries to demonstrate your brand’s place in your community. You can double down on your positive image while making a real difference at the neighbourhood level.
6. Quotes
Quotes are bite-sized pieces of shareable content with a thought-provoking punch. Select messages that align with the business. While you may choose to go sentimental or serious, funny or poignant, they should always be on-brand. They can be as simple as white text on a solid colour from your logo, or add a compelling image to make your quote pop.
7. Sales and special offers
Like the contests and promotions outlined above, posts advertising sales and special offers can entice potential customers and drive traffic to your site while giving followers the feeling of being insiders to your business. Consider sharing advance notice of sales on one or more channels to incentivize following your brand.
8. Customer testimonials and reviews
Potential buyers turn to reviews during when they’re deciding whether or not to patronize your business, so why wouldn’t you put the best of the best front and centre? These positive, easy-to-produce posts belong on your feed--just don’t overdo them. You can take them from Google or Facebook reviews people have already shared. Don’t have any reviews? No problem! This is your opportunity to ask people to review your business—in a social post!
9. Messages to your community
This last type of post is perhaps the hardest to pull off but done effectively can really enhance your customers’ sense of attachment to your company. They’re an opportunity to show the human side of your business. Just like in person, speak directly and personally to create a real intimacy and deepen customer loyalty. Select a single thought and keep it simple (positive messages are your best bet).
Posting to social media is a crucial part of marketing. Those who do it well reap the rewards, and those who don’t appear a little behind the times. These ideas are enough to fill your social profile for the next year. Put them in a rotation and remember to always include an image or video clip and to use hashtags so people other than your followers will see your posts.
See examples below:
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