Have you ever struggled to create a clever caption to post along with that funny photo of your dog in a sweater? What about crafting ideas for an entire week’s worth of social media posts? How about a month-long content calendar for each of your 108 business locations? As you sit in front of a blank social media content calendar, these 39 ideas spark inspiration and get the wheels turning.

Get Personal

People don’t often buy into a brand or a product on social media until they connect with the story behind the brand. Don’t be afraid to put a personal spin on the content you produce.

• Remind people who you are: Penning a post on how you or the business owner got started speaks to both old and new followers. Many who’ve been following an account more recently may not have seen the introduction posts put up when it was created. It’s always a great idea to revisit the who, what, when, where, and why, and how behind the brand. Photos with faces have been shown to perform 40 percent better than images without faces, so don’t shy away from using selfies on a social media feed to display the friendly face behind the scenes.
• Go behind-the-scenes with a video of the operation: A peek at the inner workings of how a business operates always makes for great content. If the industry includes appointments – where the business owner is on-site in different locations like real estate offices or home services locations – video tours of these different places are also fun to post to different channels.
• Share a personal story or struggle: Chances are your customers are not alone in their hardship, and followers may often relate, leading to more interaction with the post.
• Share a quote: Ask your customers who inspires them and conjure up some quote posts by conducting a quick Google search. You can also look for quotes regarding industry-relevant topics. Quotes let an audience in and paint a picture of where your customers fin their professional motivation.
• Share a morning routine: There’s nothing more fun than a morning workout selfie and a mouth-watering picture of that avocado toast creation you made for breakfast.
• Share what inspired your business to create your products and services.

Engagement is Everything

There are a few easy wins when it comes to content that everyone wants to interact with. Try these ideas to get the action rolling with the comments and engagement pouring in.

• Ask a question: Audiences love to weigh in with their unique view on different topics, so ask away.
• Host a poll: Nothing gives you a better read on where on audience stands on a new design or expanded operating hours than a quick poll. Instagram Stories, Facebook, and LinkedIn all have great options for in-platform polling.
• Share a review of your favorite book: Many people are on the hunt for good book recommendations from those they trust online. Share an industry-relevant professional resource or just a fun piece of fiction your business had dug into lately.
• Ask for recommendations: For books, TV Shows, Apps, Music, Local Restaurants, or anything else related to your industry.
• Host a giveaway: Nothing gets followers commenting and tagging their own friends faster than a great giveaway. Giveaways reward followers while giving a boost to account engagement, building the following at the same time. Be sure to read up on the rules and regulations for giveaways on different social sites. Many platforms like Instagram and Facebook have specific disclosure statements you need to include when posting any giveaway.

Be a Thought Leader

Your customers likely have years or perhaps even decades of experience in their field. Position yourself as thought leaders in your industry with these content ideas:

• Post a how-to tutorial: Demand for video content is increasing. In fact, 54 percent of people say they want to see more video content from a brand or business they support. Take a minute out of your day to record a favorite life hack or how-to tidbit that might be relevant to an online audience. 
• Build an infographic: Infographics make for great snapshots on a particular topic, and it’s a content type that’s highly shareable, which should spike your engagement rates. 
• Share a quick tip: Implementing a weekly ‘Tip Tuesday’ post can work for various verticals. 
• Share the learning from loss or failure: A leader calls out a loss and turns it into a learning movement or opportunity for growth. Social media is where followers look for authenticity, so this strategy should give your accounts a boost. 
• Celebrate a Win: A good, humblebrag can get followers in a brand’s corner and show the hard work they’ve put in to achieve something great. 
• Post a testimonial: Build credibility by leveraging the testimonials of customers and colleagues who interact favorably with the business. 
• Share the “secret sauce” of the business offering. 

Classic Content Considerations

These ideas are those you’ve likely seen on social media before. Don’t doubt their ability to boost your online presence: 

• Do a #ThrowbackThursday post to re-amplify older content: Try reposting old blogs, graphic quotes, and professional milestones. You can also “throwback” photos of a personal or work trip. 
• Post ‘Motivational Monday’ content to kickstart the week. 
• Thank your followers: This is a great one to post every time your business accounts gain another 500 or 1000 followers. Celebrate and recognize them for their support of your brand. 
• Post something seasonal or highlight a holiday: There are many great resources and social media day calendars to follow. 
• Talk about the top pain points the solution solves. 
• Share a success story.
• Share a relevant tweet: Try cross-sharing between different platforms. Republish a relevant tweet to your customers on your Facebook or LinkedIn accounts. 

Lean on Others

Leverage the audience or influencers in your business’s network to get more eyes on the content. 

• Host a takeover: Let a business staff member or connected influencer take over your business’s social media accounts for a day. 
• Show someone using the product or service. 
• Shout out to or mention other brands: Tagging another brand or account within a post is a great way to encourage reshare and reach more people. 
• Mention your customers: Tap into an even broader audience by tagging customers of the business, encouraging them to reshare content with friends and family. 
• Host an interview with a guest: An easy way to accomplish this is to set up a video call on Zoom or Google Mett between you and a guest of interest. Record the meeting and conduct the interview virtually. After the meeting, the service will send you a downloadable video file that can be uploaded to the social media platform of your choice. 

Social Mechanisms for Growth

Finally, a few more mechanisms you can use for social media growth. 

• Give people a compelling reason to join an email list: Be sure to spell out the benefit and takeaway they’ll receive. You must clearly state what’s in it for them. 
• Give the audience a gift: Use your accounts to promote special discount codes, sales, and freebies. 
• Post about events your business hosts or attends: For hosting, Facebook and LinkedIn both publish dedicated events pages, improving the chances of discoverability by a broader audience. If you or the team is attending an event, be sure to search for relevant event hashtags before crafting the post. 
• Post upcoming speaker events or presentations.
• Share contact information.
• Ask the audience how they found your business. 
• Share other social profile connections. 
• Answer FAQs
• Amplify new blogs, case studies, and other written content from your website. 

Whether you’re aiming to post once a week for your business or three times a day, remember to create content with variety. Tell the brand story as often as you can, and be sure to speak in an authentic voice that’s in line with the business’s strategic goals. Follow GREEnstick on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for more digital marketing insights and expertise.