What Types of Social Media Posts Actually Get the Most Engagement?

According to the We Are Social 2022 report, there are 4.62 billion social media users around the world, and they’re using an average of seven social media platforms per day.

Today, social media is more than just a tool for communicating with friends and sharing holiday snaps. People are spending more time than ever on social media - 95 minutes per day on average - and they’re using it for a variety of reasons: socializing, consuming news and researching brands, among others.

As new social media platforms pop up and industry trends shift, it can be challenging to know which content will be most engaging for your audience. Here are several types of social media posts that are guaranteed to get and retain their attention while growing your brand.

1. Content that inspires an emotional response

The most effective marketing campaigns appeal to emotion, not reason. There are various ways you can reach your audience on an emotional level with your social media posts.

You can use humorous or entertaining visual content to disrupt people’s scrolling and make them chuckle. Alternatively, share inspirational text-based stories about success or failure to elicit an emotional response from viewers.

When someone feels moved by a piece of content you’ve shared, whether it makes them laugh or cry, they’re more likely to leave a comment or share it - which is great for social media engagement.

2. Video content

According to the Wyzowl State of Video Marketing 2022 report, people are twice as likely to share video content with their friends and family than any other type of content. If your social media marketing goals are focused on building community engagement, social video content is the way to go.

If you’re a part of the 86% of businesses that use video as a marketing tool, then you’ve probably already got a stack of video content under your belt.

You can repurpose webinars, company culture videos, testimonials or case studies and share them on your social channels. Other effective ideas for social media video content include product announcements, explainers and how-tos and content teaser videos.

Another aspect of video content to consider is stories and reels on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Short form video is extremely popular, particularly among millennials. Moreover, 58% of users say they’re more interested in a brand after seeing it in an Instagram story.

3. Live streaming

Live streaming is an effective way to break down the barrier with your audience, allowing them to participate in video content with you.

Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to go live anytime, anywhere. You might host a Q&A session with a company leader, do a newscast or let an influencer/brand ambassador take over your social media page.

Live streaming on your social platforms gives audience members the opportunity to join in the conversation, engage with your brand in real time and even ask questions directly to the source.

3. Educational content

It’s all well and good sharing funny or entertaining content on your social pages, but including educational content in your strategy is guaranteed to improve engagement and bolster your reputation as an industry leader.

Social media feeds, whether on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn, are full of pictures and memes that entertain users, so disrupting this with an informative story about your industry or an educational article about a specific product or service you offer is a great way to catch your followers' attention.

Informational content can come in various forms, including blog posts, infographics, videos, webinars, podcasts and more.

4. Share your company culture

Create and share social media posts that show the behind the scenes of your workplace, images and news from events or interviews with team members to show your audience what it’s like to work at your company.

Doing this boosts engagement by humanizing your business. It’s your chance to share with your social media followers the people behind your brand, the ones who make the magic happen.

Along with being a great tactic for engagement, conveying your company culture through social media is also a powerful recruitment strategy. Job seekers will often sift through a company’s social media pages to get a taste of the work environment. This is increasingly important as 65% of American millennials are more likely to care about company culture over salary.

Find which kind of social media posts work for your audience

Social media plays an integral role in any digital marketing strategy. With 71.6% of people reporting they use social media for brand research, an engaging social media presence is crucial to business success in today’s hyper-connected digital age. 

Increasing engagement isn’t about posting on social media more frequently, it’s about sharing content that inspires, educates or entertains. Be creative and delve into what your audience likes and dislikes and their demographics and behaviors to better understand how your posts can add value to their experience.

As always, it’s important to A/B test different types of social media posts to see how your audience is responding and continuously adjust your strategy to meet their needs. But, when done right, social media posts can be a powerful tool for facilitating an online space where your audience can engage with your content and build an affinity to your brand.