Written by Ilona Selina, Founder of Route Marketing
Ever feel like you’re stuck in a content rut? Don’t fret. Below, we’ve rounded up some simple yet effective social media content ideas to help drive brand awareness, foster loyalty, and increase engagement among followers and potential customers.
Not only is a roundup easy to create, but it also keeps customers, consumers, and even strangers up-to-date on what’s happening with your company or business. Simply share a list of your favorite industry posts or user-generated content featuring your brand. You can also make this a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly series so it feels more consistent (this may also promote user engagement). For example, over time, your followers will know to visit your page at noon for a roundup that focuses on the latest news and updates regarding your brand.
Don’t be afraid to brag about your business or your brand! Whether you’ve just received a stellar product review or flattering testimonial, share it on social for all to see. Who knows? Let’s say you’re a digital marketer specializing in the food and beverage field. Perhaps one of your followers, who just so happened to open a new coffee shop in their town, comes across your post. The rave review could inspire them to reach out, which in turn would increase your bottom line while also promoting your business, services, and/or products.
Repurposing old content that has performed well in the past is a lot easier than it sounds. All you have to do is tweak the creative or the caption to make the post engaging and relevant to the current season or cultural conversation.
According to HubSpot, 50% of all articles posted on social media receive eight shares or less. This stat demonstrates the importance of repromoting and repurposing content to best meet your goals. For example, create three graphics (Canva is an easy tool for this) that summarize your last blog post. At the end of your Instagram story, include a “Swipe Up” link if you’re able to. Alternatively, end your Instagram story with a question or poll to encourage your followers to stay informed and engaged.
Ultimately, repurposing content breathes new life into often-forgot-about posts — and it prevents followers from getting bored and swiping right past your post, story, or profile.
Launching a new product soon? Have some major news to share? Let your followers in on all the exciting news, events, launches, and updates regarding your brand or business.
One easy and (almost) effortless way to do this is to create a countdown on your Instagram story. The goal here is to encourage followers to set reminders or add the event to their calendar. Ideally, the “sweet spot” for promoting your announcement is around three to four days before. If you promote too many days in advance, your audience may become bored, lose interest, or just forget altogether.
Repurposing content breathes new life into often-forgot-about posts — and it prevents followers from getting bored and swiping right past your post, story, or profile.
If there’s one thing we know for certain it’s that people love free stuff, whether it’s a gift card, cash, a bucket-list-worthy vacation, or products. Hosting a giveaway or contest (yes, there is a difference between the two, but more on that later!) is an easy way to boost engagement and achieve your marketing goals. For example, if you’re looking to grow your email list, have your followers enter their email to participate in your giveaway.
While contests and giveaways sound similar, there are a few differences. For one, contests can include all of the requirements of a giveaway, but the prizes tend to be higher in value, according to Statusphere. And, since it is a contest, all submissions must be judged according to your terms and conditions. Meanwhile, giveaways typically require less work from followers; more information can be found here.
According to Tailwind, 91% of all Instagram posts with more than 1,000 comments are related to a contest. While you don’t have to host one every week or month, it’s worth noting that accounts that run contests regularly are noted to grow 70% faster than those that don’t.
Plus, hosting a contest or giveaway is a lot less intimidating than it sounds. You’ll need something to give away (that’s a given), terms and conditions (there are plenty of templates online that you can use), a point of contact, and a specific way to enter (i.e. “Like this post for a chance to win,” “Tag a friend below for a chance to win,” and so on.
Do you have dozens of DMs from followers all asking the same thing? If so, save yourself the time, effort, and energy of responding to each one. Instead, create several Instagram Reels that answer any common questions customers, followers, or potential clients may have. In this case, each FAQ can be a different reel.
Similar to TikTok, Instagram Reels allow users to create short-and-sweet, 15-second videos. After all, short-form video is becoming increasingly popular among brands around the world. According to Deloitte, “the proportion of US consumers watching short-form video (15 minutes or less) grew to 74 percent in 2018. The numbers are even higher for Gen Z (84 percent) and millennials (81 percent).” What’s more, the same survey determined that almost 40% of Americans spend over an hour per week watching short-form video clips on social media platforms.
More than just an unedited live video stream, Instagram Live offers businesses and brands a fun, engaging, and free way to increase brand awareness/reach with followers and non-followers alike. The questions and leave comments left in real-time provides invaluable market research and a positive connection point as prospects move across their own consideration set. Give your own team members the mic and a chance to connect around a specific area of expertise, share a personal story or give further insight into company culture and the human beings behind the brand.
Remember, creativity is key when it comes to crafting engaging and compelling social media content. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and experiment with some new ideas.
About Ilona:
Ilona Selina is an NYU Grad and driven entrepreneur that geeks out on strategic collaboration. Ilona founded Route Marketing – a team of social media gurus, marketing professionals, influencer relations managers, and content strategists – to help start-ups and small businesses navigate the ever-changing world of digital marketing. As a content creator and digital marketing expert with demonstrated history in integrated partnerships across digital and experiential platforms, Ilona is constantly finding new ways in which her clients can stand out in the digital space.
