15 content ideas for your socials

“I have no idea what to talk about on my socials!”

“I know I need to keep showing up, Frances – but I just don’t know what to post!”

I hear you. Coming up with fun, engaging, informative and shareable social media content is hard.

Even if there’s lots to talk about within your business or in your wider industry, you’ll hit a creative block from time to time.

Sometimes, the best thing to do is go back to basics.

Following on from an Instagram Reel I posted on my own social media channels last month, here are my 15 favourite pointers for coming up with great quality social content that will strengthen your social media presence and get your audience talking!

1. Introduce yourself

It’s something we social media users often do when we first set up an account – but it’s important to keep re-introducing yourself and your business for new followers who don’t necessarily know much about what you offer yet. A great way to boost engagement on these kinds of posts is to share a photo of you doing something you love; it doesn’t necessarily have to be work related, although you might want to keep those boozy Friday night pics under wraps! 

2. Tell your story

People are curious. They love to learn more about where you’ve come from, and how you got where you are today. Don’t be afraid to talk about your background, key points in your career to date, and some of the challenges you’ve had to overcome on your journey. Sharing your story in this way will make you much more relatable and memorable.

3. Give a shout-out to someone you love working with

Working with a great supplier? Collaborating with somebody special? Share the love and let them know how much they mean to your business. Mention them and tag them in a post that sings their praises!

4. Post a recent review

There’s nothing wrong with blowing your own trumpet from time to time. If you’ve received great feedback from a client, tell the world about it! If your client has provided you with a testimonial, draft up a branded design using a graphics tool like Canva to make your post stand out in your followers’ feeds.

5. Shine a light on your struggles

Running a business isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. All of us face challenges from time to time. It’s best not to dwell too much on the negatives – but sharing some of the bad with the good can help to bring your social media feed back down to earth (and prove to your followers that you are human after all).

6. Give five top tips

It’s a simple idea, but a good one: give your audience five practical tips that will help them in their professional or personal life. For example, if you’re a life coach, you could list your 5 best pieces of advice to help business owners avoid burnout; if you’re an insurance broker, you could talk about the 5 things people need to look out for when choosing a policy. Not only will your audience come away from your post with valuable advice – they will also get the sense that you really know what you’re talking about.

7. Answer an FAQ

You’re sure to come across the same questions time and time again from potential customers. Save them the bother of asking you directly by picking a commonly asked query and answering it right there on your feed.

8. Ask a question

You can also flip the conversation around by asking your audience a specific question, then collecting the feedback and using it to guide the way you do business.

9. Share some news from your industry

Whether it’s a big legislation change that could affect your customers, an article sharing important statistics on a particular issue, or a light-hearted tale that proves the value of what you yourself can offer, talking about what’s going on in your industry will prove to your audience that you’ve always got one eye on the bigger picture.

10. Provide your own recommendations

If you’re particularly impressed with a product, a supplier or a colleague, let the world know! It’s a lovely way to inject bundles of positivity into your social media strategy, and you’ll be helping out someone else in the process by introducing them to your own network.

11. Share your ‘why’

Why do you do what you do? Do you love helping people? Does your family inspire you to keep pushing forward? Give your followers an insight into what drives you.

12. Share your mantra

Share the quote that inspires you to do better and be better. Your mantra can also be your business’ mission statement (but the shorter, less corporate, more social media friendly version).   

13. Share who inspires you

Maybe a family member has been the driving force behind setting up your business. Perhaps you have been guided by a friend, a teacher, or a colleague. Tell your tribe all about the people who have inspired you over the years, and the part they have played in getting you to where you are today.

14. Post a client win

I’m not talking about a humble brag – I’m talking about an out-and-proud statement about what you have achieved for your client, and how it has supported them in their life or their business. Better still, get hold of some kind words directly from the person (or people) you’ve helped and use this feedback to add credibility to your case study.

15. Address some common mistakes

You’re the expert in your field, so why not use your knowledge to help your followers avoid common pitfalls that could cost them time, money, or both? They will definitely appreciate the heads up – and by giving a little value out via your social media accounts, you’ll encourage enquiries from people who may want to sidestep these potential mistakes altogether and invest in your services instead.

So, there you have it – there are my 15 top content ideas! Hopefully you can use this list as inspiration for your own social media strategy. Which one will you be using first?