These days, anyone can be a content creator. Grab your phone, record a trendy act or dance, and post it on IG or TikTok. Upload the video, sit back, and let the likes roll in.
Sounds easy? Well, not quite.
We’ve all been there—spending hours crafting a post, yet no one bats an eye to like or share it. Sure, you have the writing skills and a knack for graphics, but you still fall short.
What separates top creators from the rest is that they understand which content types resonate with their audience. They know what kinds of posts can grab attention.
Fortunately, anyone can create compelling content with the right approach. In this article, we’ll explore different types of social media content that can help bring your audience closer to your online brand.
Top 10 Social Media Content Types, Ideas, and Examples (2024 and Beyond)
Irresistible content drives engagement and attracts new followers to your brand. So, if your posts aren't getting much traction, it’s time to switch up your strategy. Check out our social media content ideas to revamp your online presence.
1. Short-Form Videos (Reels or Shorts)
The average human attention span today is around 8.25 seconds—dismally shorter than that of a goldfish. So, it’s no surprise that many people now prefer simple, bite-sized, entertaining content they can consume in under a minute.
Short-form videos now reign supreme on Instagram and Facebook (as “reels”) and YouTube (as YouTube shorts). These are 15 to 60-second videos that can:
- Share “dumb-downed” information
- Showcase a product and its features
- Connect with the audience through humor
- Give inspiration and motivation.
Social media is pretty “content-saturated” today, and people are quick to switch their attention if they’re bored or uninterested. Hence, the audience must achieve “instant gratification” when watching your short-form videos to keep them hooked on your content. Quick tip is to distribute your content across multiple platfomrs - for example download videos from LinkedIn and repurpose it to Instagram.
Examples:
Check out this eye-catching YouTube short from Apple. It’s concise, but it perfectly presents the features of its new product using vibrant colors, visual aesthetics, and chill music.
This IG reel from Adidas featured Noah Lyles, an American track and field Olympian. It reflects Adidas’ commitment to honoring athletes and their remarkable feats.
Try these short-form video ideas:
- IG reels or YT shorts of influencer product testimonials
- Product spotlight/montage/review
- 15 to 30-second product unboxing
- Short UGC (User-Generated Content) videos
- 30 to 60-second easy-to-follow tutorials/walkthroughs
- Quick motivational videos
2. Long-Form Videos
Long-form videos provide the depth and nuance that short-form videos cannot expound on. This is the ideal type of content to educate, inform, or persuade your target audience.
A long-form video is typically at least 10 minutes long. This length requires strong “hooks” throughout to keep viewers engaged. Using tools like an AI video generator can help streamline the creation process, allowing you to focus on delivering valuable content without unnecessary fillers or digressions. You can sprinkle in occasional gimmicks, rhetoric, or humor, but stick to the meat of your content so your audience feels their time is well spent.
While long-form videos are more common on Facebook and YouTube, consider exploring how to use videos on LinkedIn and Twitter to maximize your reach.
Examples:
Science channel Veritasium explains the physics of bike riding in 11 minutes. But instead of using the old-fashioned, classroom-style discussion, Veritasium used a physical demonstration to keep the audience engaged.
The School of Life educates viewers on the philosophy of Stoicism using easy-to-understand language, relevant scenarios, and humor.
Try these long-form video ideas:
- Interview series with key personalities, influencers, industry leaders, professionals, etc.
- Behind-the-scenes footage of productions, events, or gatherings.
- “Get ready with me” (GRWM) content
- Travel series
- Educational content (e.g., documentaries, tutorials, video essays, online courses)
3. Images
The human brain is more receptive to visual stimuli than text. It can process visual content like images 60,000 times faster.
That’s why many brands post images. If people can see something unique, relevant, or fascinating, they’re more likely to engage with the content.
For instance, if you have a food brand, describing your products in blogs or articles isn’t enough. You need to showcase them in images so people can see how appetizing they are.
Examples:
Burger King posts eye-catching images (with witty captions) of their snacks on Twitter to entice people to try them.
Women's clothing designer Tory Burch posts event images highlighting her expertise in modern women’s fashion.
Try these image post ideas:
- Thought-provoking quotes overlaid on an aesthetic background.
- Candid behind-the-scenes or event photos.
- Product showcase photos.
- Unique graphic design or art related to your brand.
4. Written Posts
While visuals dominate content today, written posts like blogs and articles will never go out of style. Many people still enjoy reading content that is informative, inspiring, or entertaining.
Written posts can also showcase your brand’s expertise and knowledge in the industry. High-quality posts position you as a reputable professional in your field.
LinkedIn and Facebook are ideal for long-form blogs or articles. X (formerly Twitter) is also effective, though you’ll need to be creative with its character limit.
Example:
Shay Tieberg wrote an article suggesting effective LinkedIn post ideas and examples for his followers.
Try these written post ideas:
- How-to guides or tutorials
- Informative blogs/articles/essays
- Listicles (e.g., “Top 10 cosmetic products”)
- Written testimonials
5. Memes
A meme is a piece of content—often a combination of text, photos, or videos—that rapidly trends online through imitation. It carries a certain piece of cultural context understood by many online users. Memes are usually created for giggles, but they’re also useful for building a strong social media presence, especially among the younger generation.
Brands that can effectively use memes create an authentic, relatable, and memorable persona on social media. Currently, memes are prominent in all social media platforms (except LinkedIn, of course).
Examples:
HBO used a clip from their popular series House of the Dragon in a humorous attempt to connect with their show’s fanbase.
Try these meme post ideas:
- Spin trending meme templates to your own, such as “Expanding brain,” “Stonks,” “Confused Pikachu,” and “Drake Hotline Bling.”
- Use pop culture references (e.g., music, TV shows, movies) in your memes.
6. User-Generated Content (UGC)
A user-generated content (UGC) is content created by your brand’s customers or fans. UGCs are organic, which means that you didn’t pay these creators. Instead, they voluntarily showcase your products.
When you repost or share UGCs that feature your business, you provide people with authentic proof that customers like your products or services.
Example:
Away’s IG marketing heavily features UGC content to showcase their luggage products. These These UGCs portray their products as ideal companions for travelers during exciting moments in their lives.
7. Infographics
Infographics are visual content that present data, information, thoughts, or narratives in a concise format. Their main appeal lies in their ability to quickly educate people using illustrations or graphs.
Creating a good infographic requires thorough research and creativity. The subject it covers must also be interesting to your audience.
Example:
This infographic in Talha Akram’s LinkedIn post summarizes the key elements for successful business storytelling.
8. Contests or Competitions
People love prizes and rewards, which is why contests, competitions, or tournaments are effective for grabbing attention.
Your contest doesn’t need to be on a game show level to be successful. A simple quiz or guessing game can work well if executed properly.
The prize is the most important aspect of this content. Make sure your audience will be excited to win it. The prize can be your product, but you can also offer other appealing rewards.
Example:
Here’s a riddle-like quiz from Blue Mug. It’s simple, so anyone can engage with the post.
Try these contest ideas:
- Best fan video featuring your product/service.
- Pop trivia quiz about your industry/niche.
- Best title/caption/hashtag for your milestones.
- Giveaways for random users who like or share your content.
9. Polls/Survey
Polls or surveys are interactive content that let people voice their opinions about matters that interest them. As users engage by sharing their viewpoints, your brand gains exposure and relevance to the target audience.
Example:
Krispy Kreme used a poll to see what people love more—the classic original glazed or their choc Iced with sprinkle.
10. External Content
Regular content creation is no easy task; it will eventually drain your time and energy. At times when you need to recharge, you may link to other trustworthy blogs, videos, or websites relevant to your brand.
You may also add links to your websites (or other external content) in your social media posts. This strategy effectively drives traffic to your site and boosts your brand’s online presence.
Example:
This post from Highperformr links to a comprehensive blog post on their website. By doing this, followers can discover more of Highperformr’s capabilities for B2B LinkedIn brand building.
Use HighPerformr to Unleash the Brilliant Social Media Content Creator Inside You
With HighPerformr, you can create your next viral post with ease. Our social AI can generate multiple post drafts from your ideas and tailor them to your brand’s tone and writing style.
Scale your social media marketing today as Highperformr writes, schedules, and publishes your content across channels like Twitter and LinkedIn.
Amplify your online presence now—sign up for Highperformr today!
