Social Media for Small Businesses 101: The Top 9 Types of Social Media Posts You Can Create

As a small business owner, you’re likely already aware of the fact that posting regularly on your social media platforms is a fantastic way to keep your brand top of mind, provide information on your products and services, distinguish yourself from your competitors, and so much more.

However, when you have to come up with new and impactful ideas for posts every week, you might find yourself stuck in a bit of a creative rut from time to time — but don’t let that get you down! It happens to even the most skilled content creators out there, and after you read the remainder of this blog, you’ll have tons of options to turn to in times of need.

Before we move on, we want to mention that you shouldn’t focus too heavily on one area or another. For best results, balance the more fun and freeform types of posts with typical business-related content and spread everything evenly throughout your content calendar. 

And of course, don’t be afraid to have a little fun with it and try new things out to see what’ll work best with your particular audience.

Type No. 1: Promotional

Of course, when you’re posting for your business on social media, you’ll want to make sure that you’re promoting your company, products and services, ongoing sales, etc.

However, keep in mind that too much promotional content will drive potential consumers away, so you’ll want to make sure you’re balancing this with other types of content.

You don’t have to promote just sales — you can promote your blog or website, any videos you’ve created, alternative platforms you’re listed on (like your YouTube channel), any webinars you’ve created, and tons of other types of content. After all, 70 percent of people would rather get information about a company or learn something from an article or blog post rather than a traditional advertisement — so sharing content you know your viewers want to see is a great way to promote your business without coming off as too salesy.

Type No. 2: About the Business

When you’re trying to cut through the digital clutter and show others why they should choose to do business with you, you’ll want to provide as much information as possible to aid in consumer purchase decisions while distinguishing yourself from your competitors.

For times like these, create a post sharing the tale of who your business really is and how you got started, informing your audience about why you do what you do and what makes you special.

You can also share the stories of the people behind the product: your awesome team of coworkers!

Type No. 3: Educational

Consumers are 131 percent more likely to buy from a brand immediately after they consume early-stage, educational content, so be sure to carve out some time in your social media strategy to educate your viewers about what makes your company special, how your products and services work, how they’re made, etc.

Sharing educational content helps build trust and authenticity for your brand, allowing you to sell your products and services without coming off as too salesy. In order to make this tactic even more powerful, you can also educate your viewers on larger trends related to your industry, including fun facts, important changes, and so much more.

Type No. 4: Engagement Driven

Of course, you’ll want to do what you can to make every post an engaging one, but for the times where you’re looking to draw a few extra likes, comments, and shares to your content, you can turn to a strategy that’s solely based on garnering engagement.

Try inviting your audience to participate by creating a poll on Twitter or within your Instagram Stories. You can also ask trivia questions related to your industry, ask them to leave a comment with their opinions, invite them to share photos, and so much more.

Consumers who connect with brands on social media are loyal customers, with about nine out of 10 people saying they buy from companies they follow on social networks. It’s vital that we take the time to send that connection back the other way. 

Type No. 5: Feel Good

Don’t you just love it when a cute picture of a puppy pops up in your feed?

Your audience will love it, too!

When a brand is associated with happiness, it leads to greater loyalty and more profitable relationships. That’s why you should share “feel-good” content by showcasing things your team does for fun, posting pictures of your office pets, and so much more.

You can also employ the use of social media holidays to help you out. Not all of them will work, but there are tons of fun ones for you to pull from, like National Star Wars Day, National Ice Cream Day, and even things like National Leave the Office Early Day!

Of course, for best results, you’ll need to make sure that the feel-good content you’re posting aligns with your brand, your values, and your company. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t fit, so just make sure to tread carefully when going this route. You don’t want to risk driving away potential viewers because your content is irrelevant to your business, industry, or niche.

However, implementing this type of post is great if you’re looking to build authentic, human connections with your followers. After all, everybody could use a little feel-good content to brighten their day!

Type No. 6: Local Love

More likely than not, your target audience will include people living within your community. As such, you’ll want to make sure you’re showing your connection to that community — so pour some local love into your feed!

Creating location-based content will not only connect your company to its community but it can also play into your local SEO efforts. For best results, showcase your connection to the wider community by posting your team’s go-to spots around town, your involvement with any local events, the restaurants you visit on your lunch break, and more.

Type No. 7: Testimonial

The regular use of consumer testimonials on your social media platforms can generate over 60 percent more revenue, lead to higher conversion rates, increase search traffic, and so much more.

And it’s super simple, too — all you need to do is pull a review from Facebook, Yelp, or Google, turn it into an on-brand design, and write a quick “thank you for sharing such kind words!” in the caption.

Instead of creating a post promoting your own product or service, it’s much more impactful to let the words of a real user speak for themselves. This way, you’re providing social proof while also encouraging others to leave reviews as well!

Type No. 8: Behind the Scenes

Viewers love learning about what life for you and your company is really like. By showing your unscripted, natural side through behind-the-scenes content, you provide that to them by becoming more relatable, open, and “real.” 

Plus, 86 percent of consumers are more likely to follow brands that share that authenticity with the world. 

You can share details on any ongoing projects your team has in the works, do a deep dive into your day-to-day life, share little fun facts about your coworkers, and so much more.

Type No. 9: Client/Customer Focus

Showcasing the people you work with will allow you to create great connections with your current and future audiences, build social proof, and diversify yourself from competitors.

Plus, clients and customers feel special when they see themselves on a company page!

You can share a client or customer spotlight, talk about your role in ongoing projects, and so much more. You can also make use of the ever-growing popularity of user-generated content, which is basically just repurposing something one of your customers posted and using it on your page. 

Thanks for Reading!

Thanks for reading our blog! We hope it helps you come up with awesome ideas for content the next time you’re in need of a little burst of inspiration.

If you still think you could use some help posting for your business, creating social media strategies that get more sales and close more deals, or designing on-brand and creative pieces to strengthen your messaging, our eager team of skilled creatives here at OpticTour would love to lend a hand!

Whenever you’re ready, you can schedule your free social media audit by heading to this link.