DEVELOPING ENGAGING CONTENT is one of today’s biggest digital communication challenges, and for good reason. There’s so much content competing for our attention.
There are, however, some tried and true ways of getting and keeping a viewer’s attention. Certain types of content always get higher engagement, and at the top of that list are those that use strong visuals, motion, and sometimes sound.
Although different channels have different parameters for the kind of content you can post, (for example video length), you can adapt these ideas to most channels to help you grow a more engaged following.
Stories continue to rise.
Over 70% of Instagram and Snapchat users watch Stories on both platforms daily, and one in four Gen Z and Millennials actively seek stories of products and services they’re in the market for.
When you consider that 80% of all daily active Instagram users are watching stories just as often as they’re checking their feed, the opportunity to connect with them through a consistent posting strategy of your own becomes evident.
According to Instagram, one in three of the most viewed stories are from businesses. In 2019, the number of Facebook stories’ daily active users (DAU’s) reached 500 million, tying with Instagram for the most active users of stories across all social networks.
USE STORIES when you want to increase your presence on the feed with an update or when you want to draw attention to a recent post. (Ideal for Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat.)
Keep your followers up to date.
Did your company recently win an award? Maybe you’re celebrating a company milestone or announcing a move to a different location. Whatever the news may be, they care about your successes.
USE COMPANY NEWS when you want to keep your followers up to date on any milestones or changes within the company—especially ones that elevate your brand or benefit your customers.
Showcase the value you bring to the table.
While this may look different depending on the industry, your followers will appreciate seeing examples of the work you do or the service you provide. Not only that, but those examples can also serve as a visual resume for potential clients who may stumble across your feed.
USE TEASERS OF RECENT WORK to give your audience an idea of the work you do and to give prospective clients a glimpse into what might be possible for them.
Give your audience a peek at your work.
People follow you because they either know you, have worked with you, or are interested in what you do, so give them some behind-the-scenes glimpses into the work you do. This could be a photo of an employee working on a project at their desk, or a video of you packing up a product your about to ship or posting a Story to let your followers in on a company event.
USE BEHIND THE SCENES CONTENT to tease at an upcoming project release, showcase an employee at work, or just give your followers a peek at your creative process.
People still crave authenticity in our hyper-connected world.
You can meet that need by being intentional about humanizing your brand through the content you share. Show your followers who you are by introducing them to the people and personalities that make your brand what it is. Not only can it build a personal connection, but it’ll also boost engagement, as photos with faces get 38% more likes on average.
USE EMPLOYEE PHOTOS when you want to generate trust and show your audience the people and personalities that make your brand uniquely yours. (Ideal for: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.)
Quality images matter.
That’s because the brain is drawn first to images, and then to text. But images do more than just draw viewers—they boost understanding and retention and provide a rich sensory experience for the brain.
USE POWERFUL IMAGES whenever they are relevant to the message you want to communicate. (Ideal for: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest.)
Information is currency.
Articles and blog posts continue to be a strong component of your content toolkit. Don’t just share any article, though. Step back and think about who your followers are and what information might be valuable to them. Once you’ve got a clear idea of that, look for articles in that niche or, better yet, write one yourself.
On Instagram, pair a captivating on-brand picture or graphic with a key paragraph from the article as the caption. Then put the link to the full article in your bio and invite your followers to read more by visiting that link.
USE ARTICLES AND BLOG POSTS to share company news, job openings, industry trends, or any other information that your followers might find value in.
ANNOUNCEMENTS Have some important news? A company update? This might come in the form of a video, a powerful image combined with a compelling caption, a new blog post, or even as a Story on Facebook or Instagram. Consider the preferences of your audience and decide which format would be most compelling.
CASE STUDIES can give your audience an inside, in-depth look at the work you’ve done or the projects your working on. Use this to build trust with prospective clients.
CELEBRATE Take the opportunity to celebrate national holidays by creating relevant, timely content for your audience. Try to tie it back into the work you do or a core value of your company if you can.
CONTESTS AND GIVEAWAYS Invite your followers to like, share, comment and tag friends on a post and incentivize engagement by offering a prize related to your company.
CURATED CONTENT Stumble across a great piece of content that’s relevant to your industry? Go ahead and share it with your audience—but make sure to give credit where it’s due.
EDUCATIONAL CONTENT Everyone likes to learn something new, especially your followers. Look for ways to educate your audience on your area of expertise using any of the formats we listed above.
FAVORITE THINGS Spread the love! Create content that puts a spotlight on some of your favorite products, services, people or brands.
FREE DOWNLOADS Have you created something that your audience might find value from? Make it accessible to them by offering it as a free download from your website.
HELPFUL TIPS are a great way to add value, show expertise, and give back to your social network.
HUMOR brings people together. So, if you have a gift for humor—share it.
INSIDE LOOK Invite followers to see you at work behind the scenes of whatever project you’re working on at the time. Provide insights into the creative process of whatever industry you find yourself in.
INTERACTIVE CONTENT Want to know the opinions of your audience? Platforms like Instagram and Twitter allow you to host polls and pose questions to your audience. This is a great way to engage your audience and invite conversation.
time to generate your own content.
Ask us about our content packages that provide you with custom content for use across all of your channels. You can grow your business, we can help.
SOURCES
1. Stories: https://adespresso.com/blog/instagram-statistics/, https://www.businessofapps.com/data/facebook-statistics/
5. Employee Photos: https://www.omnicoreagency.com/instagram-statistics/
6. Powerful Images: https://venngage.com/blog/lead-generation/#4
