Help! What Do I Post On Social Media?

So many people will log on to their social media accounts then stare blankly at the screen. You don’t want to be one of those people sharing photos of your dinner or funny cat videos. Ultimately, writer’s block kicks in and you end up not really sharing anything!

We’ve all been there. However, you know that you have a story to tell. There is engaging content about you, your company or your brand that people will find compelling. It’s just a case of getting it out!

The Big Social Media Questions

There are a handful of questions that come up time and again around using social media in a professional capacity:

- What platforms should I be using?

- What should I be posting?

- How often should I post?

- How do I know it’s working?

Before you even ask this however, you should take a step back. Start with why. It’s vital to ask why you are embracing social media. If you’re not clear on your ‘why’ – it’s near impossible to define which platforms and what to post. (While we’re talking about your ‘why’ – it’s worth looking up the Simon Sinek book ‘Start With Why’)

You might pick goals from the following:

- To generate traffic to your website

- Build brand awareness

- To build a community

- Reputation management

- To get data on behaviour

- Market and customer research

Once you are clear on why you are on social media you can start to think about the ‘whats’. What platforms and what to post.

Which Social Media Platform Is Right For Me?

Not every platform will suit you or your business. Facebook is by far the biggest social media platform but if you are selling a professional service or high-end product it might not be the most suitable for you. Twitter is great for sharing content, finding what’s trending (that is, the hot topics of the day) and engaging with people. Over on Instagram, it’s a great space for a younger audience – think 20-30 year olds and it’s ideal if you have a visual product or service to promote.

Keep in mind the demographic of your desired audience. That is their age, gender, location, background, likes, dislikes and so on. If in doubt, ask some of your network in person, where they like to hang out online.

So, what should I be posting on social media?

What you post on social media doesn’t have to be bland or boring. It doesn’t have to be sales messages either. In fact, it shouldn’t just be sales messages. Imagine standing in a room of people and shouting ‘This is what I do’ or ‘Buy this’, over and over again. Pretty soon people will click the unfollow button and avoid you.

A great rule of thumb to work towards is that 80% of your content should be engaging, thought leadership and general messages about news, your industry and so on. The remaining 20% should be about you.

You’ve made it nearly to the end of this blog, which means you are really keen for more ideas on what to post on social media. For more inspiration than you can shake a stick at, head for this free e-book ’75 Ideas of what to post on social media’. As a sneak preview – it includes tips like sharing reviews, asking for advice, writing recommendations, short video tips, offering free whitepapers or e-books (like the 75 ideas one!) and loads more.

About The Author

Do you need help implementing your social media and online marketing strategy? Specialising in the recruitment sector, Christina Robinson and the team at Green Umbrella are on hand to help through their coaching, training and social media management services.