Social media marketing: what types of content should you choose to perform well on social networks?
The cornerstone of any social media strategy, content creation is now akin to a true science, requiring significant knowledge and technical expertise. For brands, choosing content formats (articles, videos, podcasts, infographics, etc.) demands careful consideration to effectively reach their target audience. What types of content should you choose to perform well on social media? What are the current trends? Why does using a social media agency offer numerous advantages in determining the best content formats for social networks ?
The different types of content possible on social media
Gone are the days when community managers were content to post short messages on social media. Today, social media platforms offer incredibly rich editorial spaces where a wide variety of content types intertwine.
Articles, short news items, videos, podcasts, infographics, product sheets, stories, contests, testimonials, customer reviews, interviews, white papers, ebooks, guides, catalogs… The list of formats available to brands is practically endless. This speaks volumes about the creative power of platforms and content creators.
For brands, this means they can draw from a virtually inexhaustible pool of formats to promote their products and services. Furthermore, they can vary the types of content almost at will to maintain their audience's interest.
Finally, even within a single content type, there are very interesting variations to leverage in a marketing strategy. For example, there are many ways to play with the video format. Duration, playback mode (autoplay), the addition of animations, and the possibilities offered by platform features are, again, almost limitless.
What content formats should be used on social media?
That's a question that calls for a typical Norman answer: it depends! Depending on the brand's DNA, the target audiences, the objectives to be achieved, etc., it will indeed be possible to use more or less different formats.
For example, quite simply, a brand selling a service or concept is better off focusing on text-based content. Its aim is to tease its service through the power of words, catchy slogans, and so on. Conversely, visuals will be the best asset for a brand selling a physical product like a pair of shoes, a car, jewelry, etc.
However, skillfully combining text and images can be an excellent way to generate desire among consumers. This could involve, for example, presenting only a part of the product and revealing the whole thing over the course of several weeks.
For its part, video is an excellent way to add value to a product or service. Not only does it showcase what the brand has to offer, but it also allows for the display of expertise, editorial direction, creativity, and more. Just like in real life, social media users are very sensitive to the quality of the packaging.
Finally, certain types of content, such as podcasts, are also very interesting for some brands. They allow them to target audiences with high expectations for accurate and in-depth information. This could take the form of an expert interview. Using a podcast thus allows for the delivery of high-quality, high-value content.
Trending and high-performing content types
At So Bang, as you know, we regularly follow trends social marketing
remains evident dominance of video content. According to a Cisco study, by 2022, 82% of all online content will be video. Furthermore, short videos are, and will continue to be, the most popular. The success of TikTok is a clear indication of the platform users' affinity for this format.
Podcasts are experiencing rapid growth and are also a highly popular type of online content among consumers. In a 2022 Hootsuite survey on social media trends, over 74% of businesses indicated they planned to invest in 100% audio content next year. This aligns perfectly with what we discussed earlier. Social media users today have increasingly specific expectations that podcasting can help meet. Live streams are also highly valued because they provide the feeling of receiving up-to-the-minute information, at the forefront of the latest trends.
also stand out in this ranking of the most ROI-rich content on social media. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality The emergence of these technologies on platforms is already underway, but this phenomenon is expected to grow very rapidly in the coming years. The immense popularity of augmented reality filters available on Snapchat and Instagram clearly demonstrates this. The development of social selling, with the ability to shop in virtual stores, will also encourage this trend.
Finally, what about texts and other written content? To those who predict their inevitable demise, we say NO! First, because they are precisely the foundation of all other content. Before creating a video or podcast, you have to write a script, a screenplay, dialogue, and so on. Second, although reading time is declining dramatically across all generations, the text format remains popular with many communities who use it as a tool for learning, discovery, sharing, and more. In short, words still have a bright future in social media marketing, and that's a good thing!
Optimize your content with the help of a social media agency
Today, producing effective and high-performing content is a real challenge for brands and businesses. For them, in-house content production involves a significant investment of time and money. Furthermore, content production is a highly competitive field which, to be effective and deliver a positive customer experience, requires creating genuine value.
To overcome these challenges, brands would be wise to partner with professionals such as a social media agency. At So Bang, for example, our agency has an production studio capable ofquickly designing and producing all types of creative and engaging content for online platforms.
Using a social media agency also helps brands mix content types to remain attractive and desirable over time. Finally, our team of social media marketing specialists guides each of our clients in strategic decisions, drawing on best practices and current trends.