Be authentic. Post Reels. Select your desired audience. Sacrifice a goat. Perhaps these qualities helped you stand out a year ago, but no longer.
With almost half (46%) of Generation Z “constantly online” and Millennials like me not far behind, I would argue that social media is busier than ever.
It is not sufficient to publish frequently, perfect Reels transitions, join TikTok, or do what everyone else does. To expand this year, brands must be unique, pleasant, and practical.
If you are none of them, here are eight alternative social media content ideas for companies. (Kidding! You are already excellent, but these suggestions will make you much better.)
8 CREATIVE SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT IDEAS FOR BRANDS
1. USE ORIGINAL AUDIO IN REELS
Finding a hot Reels audio clip, creating a Reel, gaining thousands of new followers, and then repeating has been a standard Instagram growth method for some time:
The days have passed. Yes, you can still utilise Michael from The Office’s voiceover, and yes, it may help expand your Instagram following. Yet in 2023, original audio will reign supreme.
Create your own humorous sketches, or for the easiest Reel of all? You plus a camera equals answering your clients’ inquiries.
Using original audio in your Reels can:
Keep them watching longer by preventing them from knowing how the story will conclude (as they do with trending audio after seeing a few).
Showcase your creativity and, potentially, make you — gasp — go viral.
2. CREATE “HOW TO” CONTENT ON YOUTUBE SHORTS
How-to YouTube Shorts engage viewers immediately with short images and a defined outcome. If you offer a product, demonstrate to your audience how to utilise it, whether in a conventional or inventive manner.
Share your approach or procedures to obtain a rapid success, such as your finest sales email script or a software lesson, as service providers.
How-to YouTube Shorts can help you:
Bring in new subscribers.
Test quickly to determine what your audience wants to see or learn most.
3. START A SERIES
You’ve heard of #ThrowbackThursday and #SundayFunday, so develop your own daily or weekly series instead of parroting these stale trends. It is more original and will facilitate your content preparation.
Instead of needing to come up with three fresh blog post ideas for the next week, you will already be familiar with the framework and concept of your series and can immediately begin generating it. Keep a rolling record of all your ideas and choose one to shoot each week, or film and plan them all in bulk a month or more in advance, for maximum efficiency.
Intensive educational programmes perform very well on YouTube. Create a YouTube playlist and link to it from each video’s description to keep viewers engaged.
Source: YouTube
A content series can help you:
Develop momentum for an upcoming product launch or event.
Establish your knowledge and win respect.
Maintain a constant publication schedule.
4. INVEST IN UGC CONTENT
UGC, or “user-generated content,” is not new, but if you haven’t already, it’s time to jump on board. UGC material, like influencer marketing, is developed by individuals rather than the business, but typically, UGC content originates from unpaid, actual consumers.
Why trouble? Customers are 2.4 times more likely to engage with user-generated content than brand-created material. Authenticity is a selling point.
Add a hashtag for your consumers to use and highlight their photographs and videos in your stream.
Do not yet have a large audience? You may also purchase authenticity, so worry not. In 2023, UGC creators are popular: Individuals are compensated to create material that seems to be user-generated.
UGC content can help you:
Advertise your items without being overly promotional.
Get a variety of materials to repost on your social media profiles or utilize in other projects. For instance, photographs represent individuals of various races utilizing your items, or a variety of home design styles, as Wayfair has done.
5. KEEP IT SIMPLE
Some firms are more fortunate than others in terms of social media content ideas.
Regardless of language, region, culture, demography, or hobbies, what form of entertainment is universally enjoyed by all?
Adorable animal videos.
The San Diego Zoo’s social content strategy is not overthought. People enjoy cute animal videos, therefore they provide them with such content. Occasionally, it truly is that simple.
@sandiegozoo Dare you #hacker #rhino #cameraroll #animals #animalsofTikTok #capybara #redpanda #leaked #SanDiegoZoo ♬ Sirtaki (Zorba the Geek) - LucasGitanoFamily
Consider what “simple content” means for your organization. What can you prepare in less than five minutes? Hootsuite allows you to plan up to 350 pieces of content at a time to be automatically published in bulk. Oh, the good life.
Simple content can:
Provide for batch production and scheduling, reducing the time required to create content.
Attract numerous sorts of customers and audiences.
6. CURATE CONTENT FROM OTHERS
Good news: content curating remains popular. Your original material is what keeps visitors coming back, but curated content may increase your posting frequency and bring in new visitors.
Put up time each week for smart content curation, and you will never run out of stuff to post.
Obviously, anything you post must be relevant to your business and consistent with your typical brand language and tone. Consider posting industry news or media stories written by your staff, such as this essay by the Chief Product Officer of Adobe.
Content curation can:
Fill your editorial schedule with material without having to produce graphic assets.
Create cross-promotional partnerships with other brands and/or market leaders.
7. EMBRACE MEMES
As there is always something to be upset about, humor is always in trend. So give your audience a little’ giggle, eh?
Maybe submit really hot items to legal compliance beforehand. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
