If your brand wants to grow its social media community organically, relevant content and engaged community managers are key. But even the best community managers sometimes run out of creative ideas.
Here are 10 types of posts that can boost your brand's engagement. Many of them include interactive elements.
10 Engaging Social Media Posts for Business
1. Pictures
Whether you share candid images of your team or behind-the-scenes shots, create visual content that your audience can engage with. Consider including not just professional business photos, but ones that show the human side of your brand.
2. Fill in the Blanks
“Fill in the blanks” are a good example of interactive posts, letting followers share their own perspectives with you. Listening to customers consistently can go a long way.
3. Questions
Similarly, asking fans to share their story or point of view is one of the most effective ways to increase engagement. “Real or fake?” “What do you think?” “What's your story?” These are just some simple options, but “yes or no” questions can also be simple and effective.
4. Trivia
Fans of your brand and those seeking to learn more might appreciate brand trivia or your company sharing historical facts behind the brand. It doesn’t have to just be branded trivia: anything connected with your industry or company in some way will do.
5. Stories
Facebook or Instagram stories, along with TikTok videos, can be a great way to humanize your brand. It can help your business page come across as a lot more personable and friendly. Sharing stories also gives you a good chance to reach people quickly and capture a moment.
6. Videos
Videos, especially unique or funny ones, are often a hit with followers. It doesn't have to look professionally produced: this is a great way to showcase a behind-the-scenes look at your brand. If you make people laugh, even better!
7. Milestone Celebrations
Did you reach an important milestone? Celebrate with your fans! When your brand reaches a certain number of followers, try updating your profile picture and thank your fans for being a part of your amazing community.
8. Calls to Action
Do you want your content shared? Ask! A simple “Like [or share]” or “What do you think?” could do the trick. However, be careful not to overdo your calls to action: aim to have only one per post.
9. Quizzes or Challenges
Quizzes or engaging questions might be interesting to your fans. Try posting a comment with a question that your fans can have fun figuring out.
10. Polls
If you run out of ideas or if your content calendar is lagging, just ask your fans what they want to see on the page and deliver high-quality content meeting those expectations.
The Takeaway
You don't need more than a few tools and some creativity to create engaging social media content. You can test photos, videos, and various interactive elements to see what your audience likes. Then create more content like that to keep them engaged.
A version of this article was originally published on January 24, 2012.
Photo: Getty Images