Over the years, social media content has become the workhorse of digital marketing. These are platforms that offer the possibility to create all kinds of content, for free, and with an audience that keeps growing.
The different types of content on social media allow for more varied strategies that generate greater impact on the audience.
Social networks are constantly evolving and every year new channels appear (for example, a few months ago, friend.tech emerged). This facilitates the appearance of new types of content, with new formats and better features.
All of this encourages the creation of new social media strategies and the possibility to let our creativity run wild. Here you will find some examples of the types of content for social media that you can use in your strategies.
Different types of content for your social media strategy
-Memes: Memes have gone hand in hand with social networks since their creation. These images or videos allow us to express emotions quickly and easily. This content is usually generated as a trend after a social, sports, political, or economic event, and you can use it to take advantage of this trend.
In the case of brands and businesses, you have to be careful when using them and choose only those that resonate with your audience. Memes work very well on Twitter, although nowadays Instagram and TikTok are where they are most used, although in video format, of course.
-GIFs: You might think that GIFs and memes are the same, since most memes used are in GIF format. These animated images are used to express an emotion, describe a situation, or as a reaction to other content. They are a fun and relatable resource that audiences usually love, especially on networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or even TikTok, where there are also GIFs.
The rise of video on social media
-Long-form video: Long-form videos are those that last more than 10 minutes. It’s true that you don’t consume them as much in your day-to-day as other forms of content, but they are a very useful tool for creating a solid content strategy. In this sense, they allow you to create high-value content such as video reviews, interviews, or documentaries. In this case, the best option is YouTube.
-Live videos: Live streaming is one of the most consumed types of content by social media users and a tool that brands are beginning to take advantage of. It offers a direct and real-time communication channel with customers, where you can provide guidance or solve problems. These live videos are popular on Instagram, TikTok, and also on YouTube and Facebook Live.
-Short videos: Video has been the king of content in recent years on social media. This content is attractive because it doesn’t require as much attention from the user, who consumes it as entertainment. This content can last between 0 and 3 minutes and is very versatile, including everything from TikTok videos to reels or stories.
You can use it to promote products, showcase case studies, create informative content, or you can use other content, such as long-form video or podcasts. You can also create short clips to publish as reels or stories. This type of content works very well on TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.
Audio and video formats
-Webinars: Although you might think a webinar is a live video, many of these contents are pre-recorded and broadcast as a “simulated live.” They also allow you to connect live with the audience, even during a simulated live, through chat, which you can use to answer questions and offer more advice. This type of content works very well on LinkedIn, where it can be an opportunity to make new connections and improve networking.
-Podcast: Although it seems like everyone has a podcast these days, the truth is that this type of content works very well. This type of content can be consumed while doing other activities, which is very convenient and, like long-form video, allows you to create high-value content. There are many platforms and apps for podcasts, such as Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube itself.
User-generated content
-User-generated content: This is a common type of content in brand marketing strategies and involves publishing (or republishing) content that users create about the brand’s products. It is one of the most valued types of content, as the user themselves becomes a brand ambassador. It works very well on Instagram and TikTok.
-Collaborations with influencers: Within user-generated content, a common practice is collaborations with influencers. These users have highly engaged communities that trust their judgment, so they have become a great promotional tool for brands.
However, as a brand you have to choose the right influencer, one that resonates with your customers, as a poor choice can be counterproductive. The best networks for this content are Instagram, Twitch, and TikTok, although in some sectors LinkedIn can also be very profitable.
Content that seeks interaction
-Questions and polls: Questions and polls facilitate user interaction with the content and therefore improve brand engagement. At the same time, this content can be very useful to you, as you can use the data to improve your strategies or to create other content based on the responses. This content works on almost all social networks, but especially on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
-Infographics: Infographics offer a lot of information organized visually, making it very easy for the user to consume and, moreover, our brain loves it. They are widely used to explain complex concepts in a very simple way and work very well on channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Pinterest.
-Carousels: Carousels are a series of images that we can use to recycle broader content such as blog articles, studies, or talks. They work similarly to infographics, breaking down dense information into images that are easy to consume and understand. This content works very well on LinkedIn, but also has a place on Instagram.
