10 Types of Social Media Content to Boost Engagement & Growth

1. Short-Form Promotional Videos

Short-form promotional videos, ranging from five seconds to three minutes, focus on promoting a specific product or service. For instance, Instagram reels, typically 15 to 90 seconds long, are perfect for these purposes. Nike uses reels effectively to showcase their new athletic wear, and smaller businesses can also benefit from this format. For example, Kin Culture, a local fitness club, promotes its weekly running club through engaging Instagram reels.

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Benefits of Short-Form Videos:

• Ideal for Ad Campaigns: These videos are well-suited for advertising, helping you reach new audiences quickly.
• Higher Engagement Rates: Short videos cater to viewers with limited attention spans, increasing the chances of full views and shares.

2. Behind-the-Scenes Videos

Behind-the-scenes videos offer a glimpse into your business operations, helping to build trust and credibility. This type of content can include employee highlights, product development processes, or upcoming launch teasers. For example, comedic insights into office life can also be effective.

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Benefits of Behind-the-Scenes Videos:

• Enhanced Storytelling: They allow you to tell your brand’s story more effectively by showing behind-the-scenes journeys and successes.
• Stronger Audience Connection: These videos humanize your brand, fostering trust and connection.

3. Tutorials and How-To Videos

Tutorials and how-to videos demonstrate how to accomplish something, establishing you as an expert in your field. For example, Tasty creates visually engaging cooking tutorials on TikTok. These videos can be long-form, especially if the process is detailed.

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Benefits of Tutorials and How-To Videos:

• Increased Authority: Demonstrating expertise builds credibility and trust.
• Long-Term Value: These evergreen videos attract views and engagement over time.

4. User-Generated Content (UGC)

UGC is content created by customers and fans, repurposed by businesses. It acts as a personal recommendation and is often seen as more trustworthy. For example, Apple’s #ShotoniPhone campaign encouraged users to share their best photos, which were then used in advertising.

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Benefits of UGC:

• Shows Social Proof: UGC is relatable and trustworthy since it’s created by real users.
• Grows Brand Loyalty: Engaging your audience with UGC fosters community and long-term relationships.
• Cost-Effective: It reduces production costs as users create the content.

5. Influencer Marketing Content

Influencer marketing involves partnering with influencers to create content promoting your products or services. This approach can effectively increase sales as users often trust influencer recommendations. For example, Ice Spice and Dunkin’ collaborated to promote the “America Runs on Donuts” campaign.

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Benefits of Influencer Marketing:

• Increased Reach: Tap into the influencer’s follower base to expand your reach.
• More Sales Potential: Influencers’ followers are likely to trust their recommendations, leading to more sales.

6. Live Videos and Streams

Live videos and streams allow real-time engagement and direct interaction with your audience. Use them for special events, new research introductions, customer Q&As, or collaborations with influencers. For example, Airbnb hosted a live discussion on YouTube about creating welcoming spaces.

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Benefits of Live Videos and Streams:

• Algorithm Priority: Social media platforms prioritize live content, increasing reach and engagement.
• Real-Time Feedback: Collect feedback instantly to improve products, services, or future events.

7. Q&As and AMAs

Live Q&A or AMA sessions build personal connections with followers and showcase your expertise. These can be conducted via live video, text-based sessions, or live-tweet threads. For example, Jon Stewart’s AMA on Reddit promoted his new Apple TV show effectively.

Benefits of Q&As and AMAs:

• Greater Transparency: Open discussions build trust, especially with high-level company representatives.
• Genuine Connections: Directly addressing customer queries strengthens relationships.

8. Simple Images and Image Carousels

Photos quickly convey concepts and tap into emotions, making them ideal for businesses with smaller budgets. For instance, Palate uses images to promote wine tasting events and their shop.

Benefits of Images and Image Carousels:

• Easy Production: Powerful mobile cameras make image creation accessible.
• Visually Engaging: Eye-catching images can attract attention and clicks.

9. Infographics

Infographics combine visual and informative elements, making complex information easy to understand. B2B companies often use them to explain processes. For example, an infographic on how to conduct an SEO audit can be highly effective.

Benefits of Infographics:

• Highly Shareable: Their visual appeal makes them popular on social media.
• Simplify Information: Break down complex data into easily digestible visuals.

10. Memes and GIFs

Memes and GIFs are great for engaging your audience with humor and trends. Wendy’s, for example, is known for its witty use of memes on X. Ensure the content is relevant to avoid seeming forced.

Benefits of Memes and GIFs:

• Highly Shareable: Their comedic nature encourages sharing, increasing your post’s reach.
• Stay Current: Using trending content keeps you connected with your audience’s interests.

Each of these content types can help enhance your social media strategy and at Hitsearch, we can assist in implementing these strategies to boost engagement and growth for your brand.