What types of content do you post on your business’s social media platforms? Are the posts strictly business related, personal stories, comedic content, or other random facts and images that you find interesting? 

While you can (and definitely should) post personal and fun content on your business page that showcases you or your brand’s personality, it should be done in moderation. This will ensure the consistency of your brand’s image — and consistency is key. Posting random and irrelevant content that in no way relates to your business not only hinders your brand’s reputation and credibility, but it can also devalue your brand’s image if not done tactfully. 

However, sharing a testimonial, success story, personal struggle, or related message that highlights the human side of your business can show your audience that you are a real person and that, like everyone else, you have also faced and overcome hardships. This is where you can showcase your brand’s personality and engage more personally with your audience.

As social media constantly evolves, we understand it can be intimidating and overwhelming to learn about algorithms, reels, lives, ideal times to post, utilizing hashtags, etc. That’s why at Thrive we develop curated social media strategies for each of our clients. If you don’t know where to start, here are four categories of content that your audience likely wants to see on your business’s social platforms:

       1.  BTS—Behind the Scenes

Behind-the-scenes photos or videos are a great way to provide value to your customers while also differentiating your business from the competition. Show some of the things you and your employees do to make your product or service different, especially if there is something fun or unique you can show off.  Incorporating BTS elements in your social media also opens up a doorway for creating trust in the early stages of the buying process. Transparency is key!

       2.  People

People connect with people. People follow people. Don’t be afraid to show you, your customers, your employees, or anyone else who helps make your business a success. Posting about people close to your business can help your customers relate more to your brand as a person. This is a breath of fresh air if you’re constantly posting stock or product images, and your engagement statistics will most likely second this.

       3.  Your product or service 

One important thing to note: you shouldn’t be constantly talking TO your customers; the goal should be to talk WITH your customers. Customers want you to be transparent with them and show that you are listening. Posting about your product or service can be a good conversation starter and a good way to get feedback. Be sure to always respond to questions or comments that appear on these posts, and don’t be afraid to start the post or conversation by asking a question. Your followers will appreciate your candidness and your willingness to engage.

        4.  Personal testimonies, success stories, or other business-related, heartfelt content

Posting personal content to your business page is not strictly forbidden, but it should be done in moderation. Every now and then it’s okay to post something personal you feel like sharing. Doing so can help your customers capture your personality and build brand value. However, if you consistently post irrelevant content that doesn’t connect to your brand, your followers may begin to disregard or completely ignore what you have to say.

It’s important to keep in mind that you as a person and you as a business owner are two separate entities. Imagine a Venn diagram; two circles—one to represent you, and one to represent your business—that overlap in the middle. The overlapped sections of the circles are the areas of information you should share on your business social platforms. These are things that make you relatable and showcase your personality. Now, it’s up to you to decide what image your brand will present.