It happens to virtually every business owner who does their own social media marketing.
A few days go by — maybe a few weeks, months or more — and you haven’t posted on your business’s social media accounts as often as you’d planned to.
Or at all.
Or maybe you have been posting regularly, but you’re stuck in a rut, posting the same kinds of things and getting a lacklustre response from your audience.
Either way, you know it’s time to shake things up.
Well, good news: this is the blog post you’ve been waiting for to step up your game — or get back in it.
Why these 5 posts?
In my experience, these 5 post ideas work for pretty much any industry or niche.
They draw your audience in by putting the “social” back in social media. They’re authentic, helpful, inspiring, entertaining, and, most of all, human!
They put your audience first and prompt REAL conversations — which is the key to building the kinds of relationships that are going to be a game-changer for your business.
Let’s dive in…
Post Idea #1: Tease something big you have coming up.
I’ve intentionally put this one first because it’s a great “first post” to do when you haven’t posted anything in a while.
Think about something you’re currently working on or have coming up — a new product line, a new service offering, an online or in-person event — anything that will get your audience interested, excited and re-engaged.
How to do it:
Start by saying something like… “You may have noticed we’ve been a little quiet around here. That’s because we’ve been working on some BIG things behind the scenes…”
Use the rest of the caption to tease your big news or big event — “We can’t give you all the details just yet, but what we can tell you is…”
Or share a sneak peek at something new and ask your audience to guess what it is!
Pair it with a photo that relates to what you’re teasing or a photo of you in your element (in your store, in your office, at your desk, etc.), and you’re set!
Note: Want tips on how to take amazing social media photos with your phone? Download my free guide here.
Post Idea #2: (Re)introduce yourself!
This is the kind of post you should be doing every few months or so, depending on how fast you’re growing and how many new followers you have.
It’s a great way to connect with your new followers and to remind your existing followers of exactly who you are and what you do.
How to do it:
Start by saying something like, “Wow, it’s great to see so many new faces around here! And it’s probably a good time for me to properly introduce myself to those of you who are new…”
Use the rest of the caption to talk about who you are, what you do and why you’re passionate about it. And feel free to throw in some personal details, too. (“2 truths + 1 lie” is always a fun game to play here and get your audience talking back — see example below!)
Pair it with a photo of you in your element (in your store, in your office, at your desk, etc.), and you’re good to go.
Note: As a business owner, don’t underestimate how much people want to see YOU on your social media accounts! Unfailingly, with my social media clients, the most popular posts we ever do almost always feature a photo of them! Give it a try and prepare to be amazed.
Post Idea #3: Answer a customer FAQ.
Quick — think of the 10 most common questions and/or misconceptions your customers have about your industry, your products and services, or what you do!
Now write them down.
Congratulations — you just came up with 10 different posts!
And they’re fantastic posts at that because you already know they’re going to be relevant to your audience — they’re literally asking you to give them this info.
How to do it:
Start off the caption with a strong hook — something like, “It’s time to talk about the elephant in the room…” and then address a misconception.
Or lead with something like “It’s the question I get asked virtually every single day…” and then talk about a question your customers often ask you.
Pair it with a photo that matches the topic, a general photo of your workspace (store, office, restaurant, coffee shop, etc.), or a photo of you, and you’re ready to go.
Post Idea #4: Share a funny tweet or meme.
When in doubt, be entertaining! Sharing relevant memes for your industry and funny tweets is a great way to connect with your audience and make their day a little brighter.
Memes and funny tweets are also among the most shared content on social media, so they’re fantastic for gaining exposure to new audiences and potential customers.
How to do it:
Most memes live in the public domain, so just pick one that’s relevant to your business or industry, and share away! (But if you do know who created it, be sure to fully credit them in your caption.)
To find relevant memes, you can do a Google search (e.g., interior design memes) or a hashtag search on Instagram (e.g., #plantmemes or #yogamemes).
You can also create your own on sites like Imgflip, Giphy or Canva (which I rave about in a previous post here).
As for sharing funny tweets, you can use a free online tool like Pika to automatically turn a tweet into an image you can share on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. Or, if you want some more control over the appearance, Canva has lots of options to choose from.
Post Idea #5: Talk about the benefits or perks of a product or service you offer.
I’ve intentionally put this one last — because you don’t want to just come out of the gate selling on social media if you haven’t been giving your audience value in other ways (see post ideas #1-4).
But once you’ve primed your audience, a well-timed sales post can work wonders!
Don’t think of it as selling — think of it as helping your audience. You have something that will make their lives better and/or solve a problem they have. Share that info from a place of service and an effective sales pitch will flow from there.
How to do it:
Start your caption with a strong hook, like “Top 3 reasons you need _____ in your life” or “I’m BEYOND excited about this new product that just came in.”
Or lead off your caption with a testimonial quote from a happy customer raving about the product or service. Then go into detail about what it is, etc.
And don’t forget to include a call to action at the end, like “DM me for more info!” or “First come, first served — come by the shop asap to get your hands on one!”
Pair with a relevant photo and get ready to make some sales!
Bonus: Turn post ideas #1, #2, #3 or #5 into a TikTok or Reel
It’s as easy as turning on your camera and starting to talk!
So many people underestimate the power of these simple “talking head” style videos, but in my experience, they’re among the most powerful content types out there.
How to do it:
Just like in written captions, you want to hook your audience with a strong lead and then deliver the goods from there.
And don’t forget to include a call to action at the end! Here are some of my favourites for Instagram Reels and for TikTok.
A final word…
I hope you found this post helpful and feel inspired to get posting and connecting with your audience on social media!
Give it a try and let me know how it goes. And if you need some help, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
From social media coaching to building a tailored social media strategy just for you, I’ve got you covered.
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