Let’s talk about social media and business:
How often do you check your phone? If you’re like the rest of us, it’s probably too often. People are always checking their phones, and it is this very reason why as a business it’s important to consistently post on your social media accounts. Consistent social media posts keep your business at the forefront of the minds of your potential clients. When they are ready to make a purchase, you want to be the first one that pops into their heads. However, consistently coming up with fresh content and media can be time-consuming. So what’s our tip to take the stress out of the nagging need to post on social media every other minute?
Develop a social media arsenal for your business. Here's how:
Create a Media Bank
Create a media bank where you have your own stock of business photos and videos. This could be done by simply having a photographer or videographer come out to your business and take pictures and b-roll of everything: individual pictures of the staff, group pictures, funny posed pictures, natural pictures, pictures of them working, a dozen different product shots of a dozen different products, your location from various angles, your signs, front desk, customers using your product. Take 1 day to take hundreds of photos that you could use for your social media throughout the entire year. They don't have to be perfect shots, but they do need to be quality images.
Remember, the pictures don’t have to match the content 100%. You want the pictures to interest the viewer, to reflect the quality of your business’s product or service, and to give off an aura the viewer enjoys. This is why actual photos of your company will serve you better than stock photos because they are a window into your company, not some generic cookie-cutter photo that businesses too often try to hide behind. People want real, even if it may not be perfect. This is why photos of your business are going to serve you better than stale stock photos.
While typically the content inspires the photos, you’ll also have times when the photos inspire some content. So have the photographer get clickin’ so you have a storehouse of visuals to pull from. This will take the hassle out of scavenging for media every time you need to post.
Layout Template Folder
Along with the photo/video bank, design 10 cover page templates and layouts to keep in a folder. Anytime you decide to make a new one, add it here. This will help streamline your social media posts: You don't need brand new designs every time.
You want to make sure that not all your designs are the exact same so people don't skip over it thinking they've already seen it. However, you want some consistency for people to easily identify you. It's okay if it's simple, the important thing is to be recognizable without being too visually redundant.
By creating a template folder, you save yourself the work of trying to come up with a new design or layout every time you want to post, because the truth is, you don't need to. One mistake beginners often make is spending too much time on design; by pre-planning some designs, it will give you more time to focus on content.
Content List
You have your media bank and your template folder - now you just need your content list.
For a content list, come up with a bunch of ideas for posts in a "fill in the blank" style, such as "How to _______ in 3 easy steps." If you need help with this, go to Wix's Title Generator, title-generator.com or other similar websites for some ideas (or see our 65+ content idea list below).
If you already have a list of ideas you could use to fill in those blanks with then that is excellent. If not, you'll want to go to a website like AnswerthePublic to find out the hot topics for your niche to help you fill in the blanks with things people are actually searching for.
Spend a couple of days creating your media bank, template folder, and content list, then posting becomes simplified and much quicker. Rather than scraping for content, media, and design each time you want to post, this will put it all at your fingertips, taking the stress out of social media posting.
Need a head start on content ideas, check these ones out below...
75+ Content Ideas for Your Business's Social Media
Remember to be specific when coming up with content ideas. The more you generalize, the less beneficial it becomes. If you're a photographer, don’t just say “Top 10 favorite poses,” do “Top 10 favorite couples poses”, “Top 10 favorite sitting poses”, or “Top 10 favorite poses for the beach.” It gives you more content to post and provides richer information for your followers.
10+ Product and Services Related Content Post Ideas:
Remember the first lesson of sales: sell the problem, not the product. Be strategic in your delivery when promoting your products or services.
Preview or trailer of an upcoming product release
Announcement of a sale, discount, or phasing out of a product
Product Highlight: list features and benefits
Product Test: show the product being used.
Tutorial showing how to use certain features of a product or specific benefits of a
Customer Testimonial of the product/service and how it has benefited them
Show samples of your work (i.e. a wedding cake you decorated) and end with a CTA like “DM us if you’d like to see more samples of our work.”
Show how the product was designed or made
In a carousel put a variety of your products to encourage scrolling, ask people which product/variety they prefer, and include a link to your website’s store in the caption.
Commercial: create a entertaining fictional story demonstrating the need your product meets (extra points for comedy)
Compare two products: it could be your product vs. a competitor, or it could be two of your products against each other (highlighting price points and features)
10 Company Posts:
Office/Workspace Tour: No one actually cares to see everything, so make sure your commentary is fun and worth listening to, or speed up the video to ensure it's not boring
Interview the founder or owner
Write about the process of working with your team. What will they do first? Who will they meet with? Are consults free? etc. Walk them through your process from start to finish so they know what to expect.
Greetings! Show your viewers what they can expect when they walk into your store.
Where you at? If you are located in an office building, do a speedy walk through to show how to get from the entrance of the office building to your specific suit. Or if your location is a bit off the main roads, do a fast-forwarded video of you driving from a nearby landmark to where your business is.
Shoutout to a business partner or client who you have recently worked with.
Behind the Scenes: Let people know what goes on behind the scenes of your business. Anytime you are hosting an event, give people an inside look by going behind the scenes.
Company History: Highlight the interesting parts of your business's history; remember to tell it as a story and not as a textbook spitting out dates and facts. Make it worth remembering. (add in any throwback pictures and make a comparison or use a morph transition to highlight changes)
Growth: If your company has been growing, then let people know. If you've opened up at a new location, then let people know. If your brand has been making some improvements, then let people know. Just don't forget to keep it interesting (and make sure to remind them how your growth can benefit them).
Values/Mission: Never miss an opportunity to highlight how you are sticking true to your standards of bringing people quality. Are you environmentally friendly, keeping things affordable, or offering the latest technology. Take time to emphasize why your business is worth following.
10 Staff and Employee Related Content Post Ideas:
People want to connect and feel the genuineness of your company - you do this through the employees who make the business what it is. Getting them involved is a great way to help potential customers relate to you.
Employee Spotlight: Quick & quirky interview questions with a staff member that not only reveals fun information about themselves but also about their role in the company
Employee Testimonial of the Work Culture: reveal the genuine nature of your business through honest testimonials.
Employee explains aspects of how your company does things differently [read “better”] than past companies they’ve worked for.
Employee Shout Outs: if one of your employees has something to celebrate that’s worth sharing about, let the whole world know! This could be them graduating with their masters in a course related to their job, finishing a big company project which you could show off in pictures, getting a promotion to be new lead manager of a certain branch, etc.
Employee Performance: if you have a group of outstanding employees, you could post how they ranked that month (i.e. Employee of the month; if real estate firm, post top 5 of who closed the most deals; if sales, who sold the most, etc.).
Office Surprise: posting a surprise or harmless prank pulled on a co-worker could show off the fun side of your work environment.
Employee Events: attending business conferences, company picnic, management training, or any other event which reflect positively upon your staff or employees.
Employee Tik-Tok Dance Off: side-by-side video of two employees doing a popular tik-tok dance, ask the viewers to comment who did better.
Employee's top 5's: Top 5 things they love most about the customers, top 5 things they enjoy about their job, top 5 lessons they've learned while working at this company, etc.
How your employees stack up against the national average for your industry: do they get better customer service reviews than the standard for your industry (or your competitors)? Do they hold more experience or degrees than the industry average? Are they paid better?
20 Informative or Educational Content Post Ideas:
People will follow people they know they can learn something from. Try establishing yourself as a reliable source of info in your field by consistently posting information that is beneficial to your followers.
How To…[step-by-step process]. Include how your company can take people from point A to point B.
Top 10…[things in your industry]. (For example, if you’re a graphic designer, top 10 favorite color pairings for 2023; top 10 free stock photo websites; top 10 favorite photoshop brushes; etc.)
This is the BEST way to…[how your business does something]
3 Reasons you should… [...stop doing doing this; …buy this product;
Before & After: Show the transformation. New and old uniforms, lobby makeover,
How you can…_____… in the 3 easy steps! Make sure to always consider how you can help your audience by breaking things down into easy-to-do steps.
Top 5 Mistakes Beginners Make when starting out in your industry
Pro vs. Rookie: Show what separates a professional like yourself from the beginners? How can you spot the novice in your industry?
Trivia: fun facts about the industry (i.e. how it started, how it has changed over the years, or other interesting facts that people may find curious).
How it’s made! Show the process of how you made something: whether it was how you frosted a cake, sold a digital design, or crafted that Windsor chair.
202_ Trends in ________ [insert your industry here]
Stats & Studies: post new statistics or research that is relevant to your industry (show infographic for visual)
Repost/Share well-crafted informative posts by other established sources in your industry. Not only is it beneficial for them, but people will know you are well-read and are staying up to date on what others are doing.
Host a Q&A with an expert in your field.
10 industry experts you should be following on Social Media [of course, include yourself in that list if you are also supplying people with beneficial content]
10 industry educational resources you should be digesting (top 10 books of the year, top 10 best podcasts concerning your industry, top 10 youtube channels or websites to get ahead, etc.)
Myth or Fact? Debunk some common myths about your industry or your viewer’s pain points.
Discuss a Problem or Pain Point Your Typical Customer deals with. Connect with them emotionally, and offer multiple solutions (not just what you are selling).
Streamline your ______ with this 1 efficiency tip! Show people how they can improve what they are already doing.
Words: What words or acronyms are important to your industry? Whether it's "50 powerful words to use in your hook," "10 ways to tell a client 'No'", or "25 Need-to-Know Terms for Starting in _____."
5 Chill Content Posts:
Post on Holidays in your own creative style: If you’re a hardware store, organize some tools into the shape of a heart for Valentine's Day, or have an ugly-Christmas-sweater picture of your staff saying “Happy Holidays.” It doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to remind people your business is still alive and kicking.
Post a “View from the Office Window” (if the view is not impressive, then make a joke about it)
Timelapse of a work project, people scurrying around the office, or the changing sky above your company’s building.
Work Playlist: What sound vibe does your business got going on?
Post-Work Hangout: Where does your staff go to chill after work? A cool restaurant, a fun boba tea shop, or maybe a book lounge? Take a selfie, share what people ordered, and tag the location.
5 “Feels” Content Post Ideas:
Inspirational quote connected to something in your field or from an expert in your field (or in the caption somehow tie it to your industry)
Highlight a charity or nonprofit that your business supports
Write a "Thank You" post to followers letting them know how much you appreciate them.
Show solidarity or support for a current cause or social issue (even simply reposting a post from an established source related to that cause can help let people know your company does have a heart).
Repost a heart-warming video of a chubby baby laughing or a dog excited to see his owner return (add a comment about the way you feel when you get to see your clients again).
5 Ask Content Post Ideas:
Create a poll or survey about a hot topic in your industry.
Ask an open-ended question about what followers think about news or trends in your industry.
Respond to a popular or intriguing question left in the comments.
“Ask Me Anything” / “Hot Seat”: the employee/manager/owner must answer any company-related questions.
Ask an Influencer: Have an influencer use your service or product to get an honest opinion about what they think.
10 Fun Content Post Ideas:
Funny fail videos of people in your field (warehouse business showing forklift fails, building company showing construction fails, food industry showing restaurant fails, etc.)
Challenge: Come up with a fun but easy challenge and have a prize (too time-consuming or boring and no one will want to participate. Be creative.)
Gifs or jokes customers will relate to (or if B2B, people in your industry will relate to).
Create a Meme based on whatever hit show is in this season (Stranger Things? Wednesday? The Last of Us?)
Every day is a special day. Just check out the National Day Calendar to help give you a reason to post. National Spicy Guacamole Day? National Lost Sock Memorial Day? National Talk Like a Pirate Day? There's a day out there you could somehow connect to your company in one way or another).
Joke Contest: Choose a unique word from your industry and ask people to see who can come up with the cleverest joke using that word as part of the punchline. Post people’s jokes (not only for more content) but also to see who gets the most likes and wins the contest.
Valentine’s Poem Contest about people loving your product (On Twitter, Wendy’s asked people to propose to their crispy fries...in August...so really, anything goes).
Who wore it better? After a popular awards show, have a member of your staff recreate one of the dresses using what they can find around the office/store. Ask followers to comment on who wore it better.
Funny Poll: Whether it’s “What's the right way to cut a sandwich: horizontally or diagonally?”, “Which pen writes the best?”, or “Which brand of toilet paper does your butt prefer?”, sometimes people can’t help but comment.
Throwback Thursday: Sure, it's an old concept, but that's the whole point - bringing up the past. Post some throwback pictures and highlight a positive aspect of your business which has remained constant through the years.
Other Post-Related Reminders:
Collaborate. Whether it's with another business in your industry or someone who is an a (don’t be afraid of rejection - go ahead and ask people to see if they’re interested. It gives both of you more content).
Go Live! You don’t always need a big reason to go live. Go live for anything you would share with your friends about: unboxing new equipment that just arrived? Go live! Trying to guess who in the office made the drip coffee way too strong? Go live! In the middle of a consult with a big-spending client? don't go live - stay focused obviously! But so long as you have a fun host, then even seemingly normal events can be a reason to go live.
Recycle Older Posts: Not only can ideas be re-used, but the actual video can be re-posted. After waiting a few weeks or a few months, re-post a popular one. People don’t mind seeing good content twice, and you may be able to get some new eyes on it from people who may have missed it the first time.