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Wondering what to post on social media so you aren’t surrounded by crickets? While it’s easy to blame the algorithm, it’s most likely your content is missing the mark. An unpaid social media strategy is only as effective as your content strategy, and there are three primary types of social media content: Connection, Education, Promotion.
But, before dig into that, we need to take one step back. Posting on social media is a tactic that is part of a broader strategy. Before you post anything anywhere, you should have a goal in mind for the content. What are you trying to accomplish with the post or the series of posts? Once you know what the goal is, you can determine what to post and in what order.
What to Post on Social Media: Connection Content
For most people, connection content is the easiest. The goal of connection content is to build up the Know-Like-Trust factor, starting with Know and Like. You can’t like me if you don’t know me, and you won’t trust me if you don’t like me.
And the easiest way for you to get to know me and like me is to focus on finding our similarities.
The more connected our world has become, the less connected we humans have become. With so much information and access at our fingertips, it’s easy to become anonymous and feel like no one notices us in the digital age.
So, when I post how much I love coffee, and as a fellow coffee-lover, you see my post, you see a commonality. You and me, we’re the same.
If I post a GIF that you find relatable, we make a connection. If I post a photo of my cat lounging on my desk and you can relate to that, we’re connecting.
With each connection you and I have, you begin to see me as an actual human being and not some sales-robot. You feel like you know and like me.
Personal stories, behind-the-scenes, and humor are all types of connection content. Content that showcases your mission, vision, and values can be powerful connection content since it allows your audience to see what matters to you.
To get ideas for connection content, think about:
- What do you love?
- What makes you laugh?
- What is your life filled with?
I have two cats and dogs, love the beach, hiking with the dog, and am obsessed with coffee and puns. So, I share those elements of my life to create connections with my audience.
Connection is designed to showcase how you and I are similar, so you can get to know and like me.
What to Post on Social Media: Education Content
While connection content is all about me, me, me, education content is all about Y-O-U.
With connection content, you began to know and like me. Education content solidifies the like and moves into trust by providing value for free.
We all like someone who gives us something for free!
Education content focuses on educating and informing your audience. You are freely giving them knowledge so their lives can be a little better, a little easier.
This blog post is a perfect example of education content. I’m not charging for this bomb-diggity knowledge, and I hope that your marketing will be a little bit better by reading it. In the end, you’ll trust me a little more because of it.
Education content includes:
- How-tos
- Tips & tricks
- Industry updates
- FAQs
Education is designed to help you so that you will like and trust me.
What to Post on Social Media: Promotion Content
Promotion content is the necessary sales posts- we are in business to make a profit after all. Promotion is how we make our money.
Promotion content intentionally shares products and services that I believe will be of interest to you. It’s using the Know-Like-Trust that I’ve cultivated to move our relationship to the next step.
Most promotional posts fall flat because they haven’t been appropriately framed by connection and education posts. If the dots are not connected between all three types of content, the promotion content is less likely to be successful.
For example, if I post a funny GIF about kittens one day {connection}, then post three tips for keeping your kitchen clean {education}, and then ask you to buy a marketing course, you aren’t buying. The dots don’t connect.
However, if I post a funny GIF about kittens {connection}, then share five ways to keep your kittens off your desk {education}, then share my new e-book on kitten care, you are more inclined to buy. You know me, you like me, and I’ve earned your trust on this topic.
The Key Takeaway
What’s so important to understand is we do business with people we know, like, and trust. If I don’t know you, I can’t like you. And if I don’t like you, I can’t trust you.
So when we look at the types of content that we post beyond promotion, what we’re really doing is we’re earning the right to sell.
People don’t have to follow us on social media. They always have a choice. By posting beyond promotion, we’re giving them a reason to stick around. No one wants to be bombarded by infomercials 24/7. And that’s what promotion without connection and education is: a continual stream of BUY THIS!
You need all three types of content. And you need a mix of all three.
It’s easy and fun to post connection content, but if that’s all you post, you’re going to make friends/followers and go broke. Show me pictures of your dog, and I’ll love him for the rest of my life, but that won’t add one penny to your bank account. You can’t deposit friends/followers into your bank account.
If all you post is education content, you’ll blow my mind with all this free knowledge, but you’ll overwhelm me and become my sixth-grade math teacher, who I certainly did not like. And, if I can’t do anything with the knowledge, what’s the point?
If all you post is promotion content, your audience will bounce faster than you can say Bye, Felicia.
Each type of content can stand on its own, but when you blend them together strategically, you’ll have more engagement and make mo money.
Go review your content and let me know which category you post the most.