How to make your social media content stand out

By Steph Hebdon

With approximately 3.5 billion users worldwide – social media is growing increasingly more important for, well - pretty much everyone. In fact, 42% of us choose to use; and we share everything from holiday snaps and headshots to pretty pink public bathrooms (not sure why on that one). 

As online platforms go, the world of social media is about as busy as the M1 on a bank holiday – and it can be hard to get noticed. So, if you’re looking to promote you, your business, or your best friend’s really cute dog; here are our tips to make sure your social media stands out – no insta-worthy bathrooms required. 

Choose to You-se.

Even the business big-dogs have to rely on their home-grown resources every once in a while - and what better resource than your lovely old self? 

You-se it well. (get it?) 

Social media is just that; social. So throw some of your personality into your posts. Tell the story of how your business started, tell personal anecdotes, show your face, and don’t be afraid to interact in the same way you would offline - us small businesses are a chatty bunch!

In an ever-busy, anonymous world, we’re all craving a bit of connection – and if you can provide that - digitally or otherwise - it’s sure to get you ahead of the social media game. 

We’ve been trying to follow our own advise over on the Bloom Instagram account and showing a bit of face. It is a bit out of our comfort zone but we’ve had some great responses.

F*** the figures. 

Yes – numbers are important, but don’t let them drive everything you do. With Instagram’s recent decision to remove the number of likes on posts; we’ve got a sneaky suspicion that social media in 2020 will be heading down a decidedly number-free route.

Focus on engagement. You can have all the likes and follows in the world - but if they’re not producing page views, website hits or real-life customer interaction, then they’re not always worth your time. 

Find opportunities to engage with your customers – ask questions, run surveys, or simply take the time to reply to comments. Your customers will remember a nice comment for a lot longer than a fancy graphic. (just don’t tell your graphic designer) 

Find your filter. 

Ever found a social media feed that makes you Monstera green with envy? Think about what made it look that good – and you’ll often find it’s one simple thing. Consistency.

Whether it’s a filter, colour, font, or a set social media ‘voice’ – sticking to it will help keep your feed looking fancy.

We love the use of greenery and black on @rabbitnoseapothecary’s feed.

To keep her Instagram theme consistent, @fiercebeautyhessle alternates images with themed graphics.

break the rules. 

2019 was the year that Innocent decided that the customer isn’t always right; openly arguing about the colour of one of their juices. Prompting continual engagement, the campaign was one of the most successful, and most discussed ideas of 2019 – and it shows that rules don’t always apply. 

Be brave -  you don’t have to be a global company to do something different. Whether it’s a customer vote, a funny photo shoot, or even a somewhat embarrassing video of you falling off that fancy new office chair – if it gets people talking, it’s probably a good idea. 

give the game away. 

This one definitely falls under breaking the rules. Like good recipes, good businesses will always have a number of different ingredients for success – and a couple of them are always secret. 

Whilst we’re not suggesting you give your customers your great-grandmother’s coveted cookie recipe – you can always give them a taste. 

Customers want to know what makes your business so great – so show them! Write posts with hints and tips relating to your service, and use your social media to run giveaways, competitions or provide offer codes. You’ll be surprised how effective it can be. And, let’s face it – everyone loves a freebie. 

Need a hand with your social media? Get in touch today and we’ll see how we can help you out.