Social media is one of the best ways to connect with an audience of potential customers.
The right channels can vary, of course.
A digital marketing agency might thrive on LinkedIn, while a streetwear brand might see the best results from Twitter and Instagram.
Whichever platforms you're using for social media marketing, there are a few key types of content “themes” you can incorporate into your content strategy.
Some of these are better suited for some social media platforms than others, but they're all worth considering if you're looking for new ways to engage your followers.
In a recent article from Sprout Social about social media best practices, they give an excellent rundown of the six main types of content themes, as well as how to get the most out of each one.
Types of Content Themes
So now you know the brands doing it right, but how can your organization fit in without completely copying their theme? Luckily there are several content types to help boost your visibility and help engage your audiences at the same time.
Here are a few of our favorite content themes marketers can use for social media channels:
1. User-generated Content
Encourage users to submit their own content to post on your Instagram account. Urban Outfitters regularly uses Instagram to promote various levels of user-generated content. This helps boost trust in your community and shows there’s a human behind the username.
2. Humor/Lighthearted Content
Brands like Casper, Denny’s and Hamburger Helper rely on being the comedian among the crowd on Twitter. Just look at what Wendy’s is doing with their fan asking for a year’s worth of free chicken nuggets. However, there are huge pitfalls to this theme, so be cautious.
HELP ME PLEASE. A MAN NEEDS HIS NUGGS pic.twitter.com/4SrfHmEMo3
— Carter Wilkerson (@carterjwm) April 6, 2017
3. Engagement Driven Questions
What’s one of the best ways to garner a response from your audience? Ask questions! It’s simple and easy to do whether you’re on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or even Instagram. Just remember to be present and ask thoughtful questions that will actually drive engagement.
Can you guess the secret ingredient?
Inside-Out #Easter Egg Recipe: https://t.co/gGoHzAXZ20. pic.twitter.com/XGwiUBPocO
— Whole Foods Market (@WholeFoods) April 15, 2017
4. Behind the Scenes Content
Instagram is perfect for brands to take users behind the scenes of their company. Instagram Stories is the ideal tool to show your audience a more raw and authentic real-time look into what makes your business unique.
5. Highly Visual Images or Videos
How do some Instagram accounts have hundreds of thousands of followers without selling anything? More likely than not, their content is highly visual and absolutely engaging. If you don’t have an artistic eye for Instagram, find someone who does.
6. Products in a Unique Light
So most people know your business name, but do they know what you do? Use unique product shots or customer testimonials to showcase your brand in a new light. GetStat, a search analytics tool, uses GIFs and industry stats to highlight unique findings for users.
Video results made up just over 40% of the SERP features we saw for keywords using the modifier “compare”. https://t.co/MSbWHoHhil#seopic.twitter.com/Qh3x2fiRZz
— STAT SearchAnalytics (@getSTAT) April 13, 2017
These themes have been successful for many companies in a variety of industries, creating buzz and getting people genuinely engaged with brands. If you've been at a loss for new social media content ideas, this could be just what you need to get things rolling again.
You can read more about social media best practices in the full article over at Sprout Social.
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