The secret sauce that adds some spice to your social media posts!

Recently, I encountered two small business owners who shared, that at times they feel stuck when it comes to their online posts and so they often just post about the different products they offer.

The thing to remember is that social media is about relationships; relationships start with a personal connection and so the ‘sell, sell’ approach of only or mainly posting photos of your products, is not the most effective tactic. In the social media world, you also have to contend with the algorithms which determine if your posts show up on newsfeeds; additionally, as an example both Facebook and Instagram have millions of users who are always posting content, and so with more people comes more content which leads to crowded newsfeeds. So, what’s the secret sauce? Here are a few post ideas:

1. LIVE Video – The secret sauce to boost your organic reach is LIVE video. I myself have used this mostly when I attend media interviews, and I have encouraged my clients to use this for their tutorial videos, studio sessions, to announce and showcase new arrivals and to kick-start promotions. As a host of many LIVE programs, I can tell you that this tactic is a definite booster for your brand.

2. Animated text overlay and animated GIFS – Coverting your text or image posts into animated videos is a sure way to boost your organic reach. I started doing this about two years ago and saw a significant increase in engagement via social media analytics. Apps such as Adobe Spark and invideo can help you to convert your posts into animated content. A GIF is a graphic that moves and this movement attracts your fans on their newsfeeds; tools such as Canva and GIFMAKER are a big help in this area.

3. Add some fun! – The secret sauce to more engagement is infusing some fun into your posts. Games, brain busters, puzzles and even word searches are ideal for this. I consistently used this approach for a client particularly on weekends and rainy days. You can inspire your fans to comment by simply injecting fun! Google ‘word search maker’ to create your own word search game relevant to your business or any topic.

4. Expert Tips: ‘How to’ tips and educating your fans are ways to position your brand as an expert. Whether you’re in the banking sector, a dentist, cosmetologist, DJ, an accountant, a tutor, a chef or fashion designer, it’s time to embrace “edutainment” as part of your social media content.

5. Fan Love – Having your fans and your customers in your content is a powerful move. You can build strong bonds by including reviews, testimonials, user generated content and customer highlights.

6. Calendar updates and branded quotes: How does your brand welcome a new month? How about a creative post welcoming them to a new week? Branded inspirational, self-care, motivation, wine, business, food or health quotes are just a few of the different types of quotes you can incorporate so as to increase engagement on your social media pages.

Candice Sealey is a freelance content writer, advertising copywriter, voice-over talent, media personality and the Founder & Principal Consultant at Ignite! a Full-service Marketing & PR Consultancy that helps businesses/brands to stand out, engage and connect with the right people through Strategy, Marketing, Media services and Design solutions.

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