8 Essential Types of Social Media Content to Wow Your Followers

Social media is an integral part of life for billions of people across the globe. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok allow us to stay connected, express ourselves, and be entertained. For marketers, social media also provides amazing opportunities to engage audiences and grow brand awareness.

But simply having social media accounts is not enough. To fully capitalize on the incredible reach of these platforms, you need to be thoughtful about the types of content you share. Posting a random mix of bland, irrelevant material will cause followers to disengage.

The most successful brands use a strategic blend of content designed to inform, inspire, and delight their fans. This article will explore eight forms of social media content that check all the right boxes.

1. Short-Form Video

Once upon a time long videos were all the rage on social media. But now short-form video reigns supreme. Platforms like TikTok and Reels demonstrate the massive appetite for bite-sized video clips.

Short videos work well because they

• Are easy for viewers to consume on mobile devices
• Can be made quickly and cheaply using basic equipment
• Allow brands to showcase personality and humor
• Enable interactive features like duets and stitching
• Offer flexibility for experimenting with new content formats

When creating short video, focus on being genuine, candid, and fun. Aim for videos under 60 seconds highlighting your product, behind-the-scenes moments, or entertaining how-to tutorials

2. Long-Form Video

Despite the popularity of its shorter counterpart, long-form video still performs well on certain platforms. YouTube especially caters to videos over 20 minutes, with many top creators posting daily vlogs, let’s plays, interviews and more.

Long-form works when you want to:

• Do an in-depth tutorial or demonstration
• Share an unfolding story over time
• Host a discussion with multiple guests
• Maximize context for complex or controversial topics

The key is providing enough compelling content to justify the length. Otherwise, viewers will click away. Use chapters and highlights to improve navigation.

3. User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content comes from fans and followers, not brands themselves. Types of UGC include:

• Social shares and reposts of your content
• Mentions and tags of your brand
• Reviews and testimonials
• Visual content like photos and videos

UGC is powerful because it comes from an authentic, independent source. It carries more credibility and emotional appeal than branded content alone.

To generate UGC, run contests for visual content and reviews. Make it easy for fans to tag or mention you. Reward contributors by sharing their content.

4. Live Streams

Broadcasting live video in real-time lets brands interact directly with their audience. Popular live stream platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, and TikTok.

The spontaneous, unscripted nature of live streams brings a sense of novelty and excitement. Fans feel special when they get to directly engage in the chat.

Use live streams for behind-the-scenes access, virtual events, Q&As, tutorials, or just casual check-ins. The more authentic and impromptu it feels, the better.

5. Polls & Questions

Actively involving your followers in polls and questions turns passive viewers into engaged participants. Every major platform supports built-in interactive features like:

• Facebook and Instagram polls and questions
• Twitter polls and Space audio chats
• LinkedIn polls and comments
• Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) threads

Use polls to crowdsource opinions and lighthearted votes. Questions let you start meaningful conversations around topics followers care about.

6. Influencer Collaborations

Influencer marketing leverages the established brand and audience of a popular social media user. Types of influencers include:

• Mega-influencers (500k+ followers)
• Macro-influencers (50-500k followers)
• Micro-influencers (5-50k engaged niche followers)

The key is finding influencers whose interests and values align with your brand. Negotiate sponsored content, giveaways, or product reviews. Smaller micro-influencers are often more affordable yet highly effective.

7. Infographics and Charts

Visual content can convey complex ideas and data in a quick, engaging snapshot. Infographics combine text, stats, timelines, graphs, and images to tell a story. Timelines and charts also simplify and visualize data for easy consumption.

Infographics and data visualizations work well for:

• Product or company history
• Business statistics and growth
• Industry trends and analysis
• DIY tutorials broken into logical steps
• Any topic involving numbers, stats, timelines, or processes

Use compelling designs optimized for viewing on mobile feeds. Include your logo and brand colors for instant recognition.

8. Memes

Memes have transcended their early internet days and gone mainstream. What was once an obscure online joke format now drives major cultural conversation. Brands would be remiss not to at least experiment with memes.

When using memes:

• Ensure the image and text align with your brand personality
• Stay on top of trending meme formats and pop culture moments
• Put your own spin on the meme template vs mimicking it exactly
• Think visually and humorously, not just text in a box
• Use responsibly – forced memes usually flop

Viral memes spread brand awareness rapidly when executed strategically. The key is brands acting like regular meme creators, not advertisers shoehorning sales pitches into the format.

Curating a Diverse Content Mix

With so many options to choose from, it can be challenging to strike the ideal balance of content formats. Here are some tips:

• Know your platforms. Play to the strengths of each platform’s audience and features.

• Experiment and iterate. Try new formats and analyze performance data to double down on what works.

• Use variety. Mix up long/short, serious/funny, text/video, scheduled/live.

• Don’t overpromote. Most content should aim to entertain and inform, not constantly sell.

• Leverage UGC. Repost and feature user-generated content to add authenticity.

• Schedule thoughtfully. Space out your posts – don’t flood followers all at once.

• Remain on-brand. Ensure tone and messaging align across content types.

With the right blend of content formats tailored to your brand, you can captivate your audience and take your social media game to the next level.

Frequently Asked Questions About Social Media Content

For those just getting started with social media, content strategy raises lots of questions. Here are some common FAQs:

How often should I post?

Frequency varies by platform, but 1-2 times per day is a good goal. Avoid posting too infrequently or too often.

What image and video sizes work best?

Refer to each platform’s recommendations. Square images (1:1 ratio) and vertical video perform well overall.

Can I reuse content across platforms?

Absolutely – no need to reinvent the wheel. Just tailor each post for the particular platform.

What makes a good caption?

Captions should grab attention, add context, incorporate keywords, inspire engagement, and use natural language.

What is the best time to post?

It depends on your audience. Use each platform’s analytics to identify when your followers are most active.

How do I credit others’ content I share?

Always give credit to the original creator and link to the source. Get permission as needed.

Using a thoughtful mix of content tailored to your brand, you can captivate audiences while supporting business goals. The key is maintaining consistency, carefully tracking performance, and optimizing along the way. With the right social media content strategy, you can build communities and connections that translate into real business impact.