Social media has become an integral part of modern society. This gives more reason for brands to get their social media strategy right.One sure shot way of expanding your brand visibility and awareness is through effective social media planning and execution.Creating and sharing content that offers genuine value for your audience, is what keeps them coming back.It is important to have variance in the type of content you share as a brand.

Here are 9 types of social media content that will drive brand engagement and visibility.

1. BLOG POSTS

In today’s digital world, if you are a business, you have to have a blog!

A business blog not only helps drive traffic to your website, but also helps you get discovered on social media. Your blog posts should be tailored to the industry you are in and for your target audience persona. Regularly sharing blogs, with high quality content, will lead to higher visibility and an increase in leads and sales closures. The more blog posts you have on your website, the more pages from your domain are indexed by search engines, increasing your search engine rankings.

Blogging also gives a voice to your brand, showing the human side of your business, which builds trust and increases your brand’s likeability quotient. A study by Hubspot found that a business that prioritizes blogging has a 13 times increase in ROI, year after year!

Your business blog is a cost-effective marketing investment and therefore, should be at the center of all your marketing endeavors.

2. EXTERNAL CONTENT THAT COMPLEMENTS WHAT YOU DO

Sharing content which is not authored by you should also be an important element of your social media strategy.

Your brand’s online presence shouldn’t be limited to just sharing your own content but should be a holistic experience for your followers.

Sharing industry insights from non-competing websites is a great opportunity for you to double your social media efforts.

Educate your followers on what’s happening in your industry, the latest trends, news and more.

3. BRIEF EDUCATIONAL CONTENT, DID YOU KNOW, TIPS

One of the best ways to engage with your followers is by educating them.

Tell them what they don’t already know and they will remember you for at least for a foreseeable future.

Sharing educational content about the industry or products in your portfolio is an effective way to drive conversions.

Create an info graphic or social media creative with key points you want to share is an effective way to drive clicks and engagement.

4. INSIDE STORIES

It’s not always about business and commerce. Sometimes, it is important to have non-commercial engagement with your audience as well.

Share what is happening within your company. It could be as basic as having a new office or as grand as winning an award.

Show your audience you are human who has emotions and not shy to share it.

5. FEATURED PRODUCT/SERVICE

Having a great product or service won’t mean much if your audience don’t know enough about it.

The “Featured Product/Service” is all about highlighting your product portfolio. What are some of the key features of the product/service?

Having a weekly Featured/Product service is a great way to spread awareness about all that you do.

6. MOTIVATIONAL CONTENT

Motivation is something we all need. Sometimes we find it difficult to believe in ourselves, especially on a Monday morning.

Sharing inspirational content is one way to beat the Monday Blues, regardless of the product you are selling.

It is important to understand your audience and the emotions that drive them. Sharing quotes or videos from successful people that inspire, garners an emotional response of familiarity; first to the person you’ve posted about and second to the person who has posted it.

7. FESTIVE GREETINGS

Posting festive greetings is a great opportunity to reach out to your clients, vendors and employees in times of happiness and joy.

It shows appreciation for their patronage and creates good will. This post should have elements of your brand but should not be an advertisement for your business.

8. HAPPENINGS – EVENTS, LAUNCHES, WINS, ETC.

One of the advantages of social media is that you can look back at all your memories over the years.

Posting about past, present or future major events for a business is a fun way to keep your audience engaged.

Creating a Facebook Event is an effective way to gain exposure, retain attention and manage engagement.

9. INTERACTIVE CONTENT – POLLS, CONTESTS QUIZZES AND MORE

Finally, the best way to achieve instant engagement is through interactive content.

After all, social media is a two-way form of communication which should be dynamic! This can include anything from polls, contests to quizzes; however, the content should align appropriately with your brand.

Polls don’t require much effort and can provide insight into what the customer really wants.

Giveaways and contests are a form of incentive based engagement. For example, asking your followers to participate or to generate content for a contest is an organic way to engage with them. You could go a step further by asking them to tag their friends for a higher chance of winning; this will generate new leads and potential customers of your business, as well.

If done correctly, social media can be used to grow your business and help you connect with your current customers and lure prospective ones.

Regularly posting a variety of high quality content can increase brand visibility and help in generating qualified leads; however, it is important to remember to tailor your content for your target audience.

Are there other types of content which you are sharing and should be part of this list?

Let me know in the comments below!