Looking for fresh social media ideas that work?
Good for you! That means you are a small business owner who understands why social media marketing can no longer be ignored.
I hope you don't expect to see some copy-paste social media post ideas.
What you'll see are some of the most effective types of content...My team and I have been using these to get great results for all SMBs relying on our social media services.
I'm Evan, the founder of a small boutique digital marketing agency. What you'll learn here is coming straight from the Ernst Media kitchen. So, have no doubts...It works.
Powerful Social Media Marketing Ideas for SMBs
While I'll mention where each type of content can be used, we won't discuss all social media channels. That's not the purpose of this article.
If you aren't sure where to focus your marketing efforts, I have another article covering the best social media platforms. It includes some inspirational small business success stories, too...So check it out.
Now, let's get to the social media content ideas.
1. Post Behind the Curtain Content
You want to build trust with your target audience, right?
So, show them what's happening behind the scenes. It gives your followers a peek into your day-to-day operations. It humanizes your brand and creates a deeper connection with existing customers.
Social media posts showcasing the company culture receive great engagement. They shift the focus away from hard selling, and there are different ways to do it.
You don't need professional editing for it. Just grab your phone, start filming, and keep it casual. Record a quick office tour or a video of your product-making process.
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube shorts are perfect for this type of content.
It can be very impactful because the number of your followers doesn't matter. Most social media platforms will show it to a much wider audience if it's engaging.
We had a client providing web design services, and they had an artist doing hand-drawn logos. A 45-second time-lapse video of his work posted as a Facebook reel reached 80K+ views in a week.
I don't remember how many DMs they received from it, but it was plenty.
2. Break Down Industry News and Trends
Want to position yourself as an industry leader?
Share the latest news and trends in your field. This shows you're on top of your game and helps your social media page followers stay informed.
In my experience, this content has always been effective.
It boosts the credibility of our clients and keeps their audience coming back for more. In fact, social media users are often thankful in the comments for saving them time.
Let me give you some tips for utilizing this social media content idea for your small business.
- Research long articles or videos published by authorities in your industry.
- Then, break them down into bite-sized, easy-to-digest key points.
- Ask a question to encourage engagement and increase organic reach.
- Don't forget to mention or tag the source(s) to avoid copyright issues.
Twitter (X) and LinkedIn are your two go-to social media networks for this type of content.
Here is an example of a post we did for a Healthcare startup:
"AI just got smarter! According to TechCrunch, a new algorithm beats human experts in disease detection. Here are the 3 key takeaways: [1, 2, 3] Do you think AI will overtake medicine?"
3. Make Engaging How To Guides
How-to guides are a fantastic way to get social media engagement by demonstrating your expertise. I think every successful small business owner is an expert in their field. If not, at least someone on the team should be.
So don't be shy...Share some of that knowledge.
Let me clarify something. I don't mean showing just how people can use your products or sign up for your services.
Sure, you can do that, too. But teach your audience some DIY hacks related to your business, which they can apply without paying for your products or services.
They'll see you as a helpful resource, not just another business trying to sell them something.
To come up with some social media post ideas for engaging content in the form of how-to guides...Think about common questions or challenges your prospective customers face.
To make your content digestible, which also means engaging...Break down the solution into simple, actionable steps in a short video or slides.
A YouTube video I recently watched is a perfect example.
Brian from Next Level Gardening shares a "Top 10 Free Vegetable Gardening Hacks" in 5 minutes. He provides tons of value with no calls to action or anything else to instigate sales.
The result is 650K+ views, 26K likes, 700 comments...Which translates to gaining many new followers and building brand awareness.
4. Create Content from Case Studies
If you're looking for small business social media ideas, you must have an existing business and some happy customers...I hope.
Their success stories are the most powerful user-generated content you could get.
I emphasized the importance of UGC in my Social Media Tips for Small Businesses, but I have to mention it again.
Genuine user-generated content is the biggest trust factor. It gives your potential customers a clear picture of what you can do for them.
The process is straightforward:
You reach out to your satisfied clients. Ask them about their experience with your product or service. What problems did you solve? What results did they see?
But getting customer stories isn't easy.
People are busy, and most won't give you what you need, even if they promise. To increase your chances, offer free stuff or discounts for future purchases.
Most business owners don't try hard enough, and they miss a great opportunity...Posting UGC can have a big impact not only on your social media presence but also on sales.
According to the American Marketing Association,
Campaigns implementing UGC see close to 30% more conversions.
5. Show Old Blog Posts to New Followers
Don't let your great blog content gather dust.
At Ernst Media, we often come up with great social media content ideas by digging into our clients' company blogs. It's not something we invented...Marketing gurus have been doing it for a long time.
And it's just one of many examples of how SEO and Social Media complement each other.
It extends the life of your best content. It also reaches people who missed the blog post when you shared it on a given social media platform.
So, next time you and your team brainstorm ideas, check out the blog analytics.
Look for posts driving steady organic traffic or posts that got shares and comments on LinkedIn or your Facebook page.
Take these winners and break them into short content.
Turn key points into quotes for Instagram. Create a thread of tips on Twitter (X). Make a quick video summary for TikTok or Facebook Reels.
You get the point...And here are the three top benefits:
- You save time by working with existing content
- You know the information resonates with your audience
- You can create different formats for different platforms
Putting It All Together: Your Social Media Marketing Plan
You've got the content ideas. Now, it's time to weave them into your social media strategy and chase the key goals for small business growth.
My advice is to start by mixing these to keep your feed fresh. After a while, you'll see what works best with your audience on the different social media platforms. Then, start to post regularly whatever performs better.
While these types of content are proven to boost organic reach, it may take a while...Especially if you haven't put much effort into building your social media profiles.
A winning strategy combines engaging posts for organic reach with targeted social media ads. That doesn't mean you need to spend $5K monthly on ads.
We have clients with much lower budgets. Their social media pages have great engagement thanks to proper targeting and budget optimizations.
The key is to keep your brand in your audience feed without trying to sell with every post.
All social media platforms offer innovative targeting methods and cost-effective solutions for small businesses. They're competing hard for your ad dollars. Even LinkedIn ads are becoming more affordable and worth trying.
The main challenge is that social media moves fast.
Trends change, algorithms shift, and new features pop up every week. It's hard to keep up while trying to run a business.
That's one of the main reasons SMB owners outsource their digital marketing.
Whether you decide to DIY or bring in the pros...It's best to start now...And if you need help...
I'm doing free consultations 5 days a week!
