Social media has been on the forefront of digital advertising and marketing for fairly a while, and it’s unlikely it will change within the close to future.
In reality, we’re nonetheless seeing new social media channels and platforms emerge – alongside all kinds of content material sorts, options, and codecs.
This article will cowl the highest social media content material sorts and which channels they’re greatest fitted to.
We may even spotlight a few of our favourite examples of how manufacturers have excelled in every kind of content material.
Let’s dive in.
1. Short-Form Video
If you’ve spent any time on social media up to now few years, you already know that short-form video has turn out to be one of the vital widespread – and common – varieties of social content material.
Short-form video might be outlined as any piece of video content material that’s underneath 10 minutes lengthy, however usually, the shorter, the higher. When I consider short-form video, I consider video content material round 0-3 minutes lengthy.
From Reels to TikTook to YouTube Shorts, short-form video has confirmed to be an extremely efficient format for reaching audiences on social media.
Why? Because, when performed proper, it packages compelling visible storytelling right into a bite-sized, digestible piece of content material – which is precisely what as we speak’s more and more distracted and busy customers are searching for.
Short-form video can be versatile. You can use it to attain totally different goals, whether or not showcasing inside thought management, highlighting a buyer case examine, or that includes your product.
The Best Social Media Channels For Short-Form Video
Given the demand for short-form video, it really works effectively throughout most social media platforms, from TikTook to LinkedIn. However, the next stand out as the most effective match:
TikTook – This one ought to be apparent. As the preferred social media platform worldwide, TikTook is the chief in short-form video.
Instagram – With the introduction of Instagram Reels in 2020, the platform has leaned into short-form movies. If you create quick movies on Instagram, the algorithm will seemingly reward you.
YouTube – While YouTube is healthier recognized for long-form movies, which we’ll dive into beneath, the platform has additionally been branching into short-form movies. It launched YouTube Shorts in 2020, which now has over 1.5 billion month-to-month customers.
Snapchat – The pioneer of the ephemeral video story, Snapchat has considerably light into the background when it comes to social media chatter. But don’t be fooled; it has over 530 million month-to-month energetic customers.
Brand Example: Short-Form Video
Mediterranean quick informal meals model, CAVA, is a superb instance of an organization that leverages short-form video on social media.
The model has amassed over 87,000 TikTook followers by making enjoyable, snappy video content material that options CAVA’s merchandise and infrequently employs trending TikTook sounds or codecs.
Here is an instance of a video the place CAVA used a remark by a buyer to create video content material.
@cava
Jeffrey stamp of approval ☝️ #CAVA #foodreaction #saladrecipe #foodreview
♬ Rich Flex Carter Walsh Remix – CarterWalsh
2. Long-Form Video
Long-form video is video content material that’s 10 minutes lengthy or longer.
And whilst you might not see as a lot of it in your day-to-day social media actions, it positively performs an necessary position in model advertising and marketing.
Long-form video could be a highly effective instrument for extra in-depth model storytelling and content material.
Some examples of long-form video content material chances are you’ll wish to leverage for advertising and marketing functions are documentaries, branded collection, video profiles, interviews, and extra.
The Best Social Media Channels For Long-Form Video
If you’re enthusiastic about distributing long-form video content material on social media, YouTube is the place you wish to be.
YouTube is the chief in relation to long-form movies, and also you’re probably to seek out your viewers there.
While you possibly can – and may – share shorter clips and cutdowns out of your video on apps like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTook, many of those platforms gained’t even permit you to add longer movies.
Brand Example: Long-Form Video
The staff behind BuzzFeed’s Tasty is aware of what it takes to make nice social movies, together with long-form content material.
Tasty’s YouTube channel options tons of video content material, starting from fast recipes and tricks to collection like “I Draw, You Cook” – an episode of which is featured beneath.
3. User-Generated Content (UGC)
User-generated content material, or UGC, is content material created by people unaffiliated together with your model about your model – and it’s good proof of what makes social media content material so highly effective.
Over the previous decade or so, UGC has turn out to be one of the vital pervasive varieties of model content material on social media, and for good cause.
UGC leverages word-of-mouth advertising and marketing to construct belief and group together with your target market. This is as a result of individuals are extra prone to belief a suggestion from their friends than consider in advertising and marketing immediately from a model.
UGC can are available in many varieties, from picture or carousel posts to quick movies, Instagram Stories, and so on.
The Best Social Media Channels For UGC
Instagram is the plain alternative for sharing UGC.
It’s visible by nature, has a hyper-engaged consumer base, and gives totally different avenues and codecs relying on the content material itself – from Stories to Reels or posts in your grid.
X (beforehand generally known as Twitter) can be an excellent platform for sharing UGC, relying in your business and the viewers you’re making an attempt to succeed in.
Brand Example: UGC
Adobe options loads of UGC made by clients on its varied merchandise. Here’s an instance from the Adobe Creative Cloud Instagram account.
4. Live Streams
Live streaming has been on the rise in recent times, and types are more and more getting concerned.
It’s turn out to be so common that platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and even TikTook now have devoted reside video merchandise.
Beyond this, new platforms constructed fully round reside streaming have popped as much as cater to followers of this content material format.
For manufacturers, reside streams present a chance to interact in real-time together with your group and provide a extra genuine, “behind the scenes” have a look at your model than produced content material can.
The Best Social Media Channels For Live Streaming
As talked about above, Instagram Live, YouTube Live, and TikTook Live are all nice avenues on your live-stream content material.
Where you select to play will rely on the place your target market spends essentially the most time and what type your content material will take.
Depending on this, Twitch is one other highly effective platform for reside streaming.
This reside streaming service was initially constructed round video gaming content material however now homes quite a lot of reside content material – and might be the most effective place to host your subsequent reside stream!
5. Polls & Questions
The greatest form of social media content material engages your viewers and encourages them to work together with you.
Enter: viewers polls and questions.
Whether you’re utilizing a ballot function in a particular social platform, or asking an open-ended query, posing inquiries to your viewers could be a easy approach to drive engagement and gather useful information.
Questions can cowl issues corresponding to your model, your product/s, business developments, and even what sort of content material your viewers want to see from you.
The Best Social Media Channels For Polls & Questions
Here are the most effective platforms in relation to ballot and query content material:
Instagram – You can use Instagram Stories to create each polls and questions, because it has separate instruments for every. You may create a picture asking your viewers a query and add that to your grid, after which individuals can reply within the feedback part.
LinkedIn – LinkedIn additionally has a devoted ballot function and lends itself effectively to posing questions the place your viewers would possibly wish to share their expertise or opinion in a remark.
Twitter – Another platform with a ballot function, Twitter is a superb place for any form of question-related content material as a consequence of its text-based nature.
Facebook – You can ballot individuals in Facebook Groups or pose questions in any of your Facebook content material.
Reddit – If your model is energetic on Reddit, it is best to think about using the platform’s ballot perform or asking your viewers questions.
Brand Example: Polls & Questions
Fortune is one instance of a model that continuously makes use of polls to interact its viewers.
On LinkedIn, the corporate usually leverages ballot content material to quiz followers on a particular matter earlier than linking out to a associated article for them to be taught extra.
(*11*) from LinkedIn, April 2024
6. Influencer Collaborations
By now, I’d guess there’s an honest probability that whenever you hear the phrases “social media,” you consider influencers.
Influencers actually have “taken over” social media by constructing loyal communities that look to them for leisure and inspiration, in addition to suggestions and recommendation.
Partnering with influencers can increase your model’s attain and provides it publicity in entrance of an engaged viewers.
Influencer collaborations can take many varieties, however the important thing to doing it proper is to seek out an genuine and pure connection between the influencer and your model.
The Best Social Media Channels For Influencer Partnerships
If you’re seeking to associate with an influencer, think about one in all these channels:
Instagram – Given how related Instagram creators are to their followers, it’s a best choice for influencer collaborations. It additionally gives totally different potentialities for the way your partnership will come to life, e.g., an Instagram Live interview, a Stories function, a carousel that includes a creator’s prime 5 merchandise out of your model, and so on.
TikTook – As manufacturers begin to catch as much as the TikTook hype, an increasing number of are partnering with trending creators to get their firm in entrance of the Gen Z client.
YouTube – Home to among the world’s most beloved video creators and deeply engaged customers, it’s no shock that YouTube is a well-liked avenue for influencer partnerships.
Twitch – If your model has any connection to gaming or needs to attach with that viewers, Twitch is your platform. Twitch creators are amassing enormous fanbases, and their reside streams permit you to attain streamers on the proper second.
Brand Example: Influencer Collaborations
Dunkin’ is a model well-known for its influencer partnerships.
Perhaps one in all its extra well-known collaborations was with TikTook creator Charli D’Amelio – not simply one of many platform’s most adopted influencers however a recognized Dunkin’ fan.
@charlidamelio
the most effective a part of any day @Dunkin’ dunkinpartner
♬ authentic sound – charli d’amelio
7. Infographics And Charts
The greatest social media content material can inform a narrative utilizing solely visuals.
Infographics and charts are nice examples of this, which is maybe why they’ve turn out to be a go-to content material kind for each people and types alike.
These photos permit you to synthesize info in a method that’s optimized for social audiences (that means it’s digestible and clear).
The Best Social Media Channels For Infographics And Charts
If you’ve received an infographic, a chart, or an information visualization that you just wish to share, I like to recommend testing it out on any of the next channels:
Facebook.
Twitter.
Instagram.
Pinterest.
LinkedIn.
Brand Example: Infographics & Charts
Here is an instance of an informative Instagram chart produced by HubSpot.
8. Memes
What would social media be if not for memes?
These entertaining and relatable photos, movies, and textual content catchphrases that iterate on a trending thought or matter are the “bread and butter” of social media content material.
While manufacturers ought to be aware of which memes they use (ask your self you probably have one thing so as to add to the dialog), when leveraged appropriately, memes can obtain a home-run advertising and marketing second for you.
The Best Social Media Channels For Memes
Instagram and Twitter are the go-to spots for all of your memes, although LinkedIn is quick on its heels with some extra skilled/work-related meme content material.
For video memes, look to Instagram Reel and TikTook.
Brand Example: Memes
If you’re searching for a model that is aware of learn how to use memes, look no additional than Netflix.
The model’s Instagram account usually creates memes utilizing clips from common Netflix reveals and films, like this instance.
9. GIFs
Graphics Interchange Format, extra generally generally known as GIFs, are small, soundless video or animation clips which might be common with social media customers.
GIFs are usually used to symbolize how one feels or depict a selected scenario and are sometimes shared as a response to a bit of social content material.
For manufacturers, GIFs could be a enjoyable and relatable instrument when talking on to members of your social group.
The Best Social Media Channels For GIFs
Want to work GIFs into your social technique? Twitter and Facebook have lengthy been the place for that, although Instagram not too long ago launched GIFs in feedback.
If you wish to create customized GIFs on your model, think about making a profile on GIPHY. Here, you possibly can create a profile on your firm that homes all of your uploaded GIFs.
This will enable customers everywhere in the web to make use of your GIFs by varied GIPHY integrations with different platforms.
Brand Example: GIFs
Here is an attention-grabbing instance of Salesforce leveraging a GIF to create a social-friendly meme.
10. Webinars & Events
Connecting together with your viewers on social media is all about offering them with beneficial content material. And what’s extra beneficial than an academic webinar or digital occasion?
These varieties of content material permit you to interact on a deeper stage together with your viewers and attain a world consumer base.
While webinars are usually displays that go deep on a particular matter – and infrequently function key audio system from exterior organizations – different occasions can cowl something from a digital convention to a workshop.
And these can all be reside or pre-recorded.
The Best Social Media Channels For Webinars & Events
LinkedIn is the most effective platform for selling and internet hosting your webinars and occasions.
Aside from providing all of the performance you want, it additionally has an viewers that’s extra prone to be searching for academic {and professional} content material.
Facebook and YouTube are additionally useful platforms for internet hosting reside video occasions.
Brand Example: Webinars & Events
Bizzabo is a model that involves thoughts once I consider webinars.
It usually promotes and hosts informative digital occasions for its followers on LinkedIn – which makes good sense, provided that Bizzabo is an occasions firm.
(*11*) from LinkedIn, April 2024
11. Contests And Giveaways
If you’re seeking to get your followers excited and engaged, think about making an attempt a contest or giveaway on social media.
This entails providing a particular prize – whether or not that be a free product, cash, or a visit – in trade for particular interactions out of your customers (e.g., remark beneath, tag a good friend, observe this account, like and share this publish, and so on.)
The Best Social Media Channels For Contests & Giveaways
Instagram might be essentially the most generally used social channel for contests and giveaways.
However, you too can run them on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and even TikTook.
Brand Example: Contests & Giveaways
Plenty of manufacturers execute contests and giveaways, particularly across the holidays. Here is a current instance of a giveaway hosted by Escape Brooklyn.
In Summary
These are simply among the many social media content material sorts to select from. And with so many choices, there are additionally a number of methods to strategy social media advertising and marketing.
Understanding which codecs work greatest on your model – and resonate most together with your viewers – normally takes experimentation.
I like to recommend beginning with just a few of the content material sorts we explored above based mostly in your overarching content material technique, goal platforms, and the assets obtainable to you.
Then begin posting and see what occurs!
More assets:
Featured Image: Black Salmon/Shutterstock
FAQ
How does short-form video content material impression social media advertising and marketing methods?
Short-form video content material has turn out to be a pivotal ingredient of social media advertising and marketing owing to its excessive consumption charges and potential for widespread attain. This content material kind caters to customers with restricted time and a spotlight spans, packaging narratives into simply digestible, partaking codecs. Marketers leverage short-form movies to showcase merchandise, share buyer testimonials, and show model persona. The nature of the content material aligns completely with the trajectory of client preferences in the direction of visually wealthy, concise, and interactive media—all important for a robust social media presence.
What are the most effective practices for using User-Generated Content (UGC) on Instagram?
To take advantage of UGC on Instagram, manufacturers ought to:
Encourage and actively solicit content material from their consumer base by campaigns or incentives.
Ensure that shared UGC aligns with model values and aesthetics for consistency.
Credit authentic creators correctly to keep up authenticity and construct group belief.
Incorporate UGC into varied codecs corresponding to posts, Stories, or Reels to maximise publicity.
Use UGC for storytelling, permitting customers to visualise themselves utilizing the services or products.
Such practices not solely faucet into genuine buyer voice but in addition improve content material selection and foster a way of brand-community collaboration.
What position do influencers play in extending model attain on social media platforms?
Influencers are instrumental in amplifying model messaging on social media as a consequence of their established belief with their followers. By collaborating with influencers whose viewers demographics align with the model’s goal market, corporations can acquire publicity to new potential clients. Their content material tends to be seen as extra credible than direct model communications. A well-executed influencer collaboration can drive model consciousness, client engagement, and conversions when built-in seamlessly with the model’s narrative and values.
How can manufacturers leverage polls and questions to boost engagement on social media channels?
Brands can improve engagement on social media by incorporating polls and questions which invite audiences to work together. This might be achieved by:
Using platform-specific instruments for fast and visible polls to encourage consumer participation.
Asking open-ended inquiries to spark dialog and acquire insights into client preferences.
Segmenting viewers queries to drive deeper, extra significant interactions.
Collating ballot information for content material personalization and bettering buyer expertise.
Creating a suggestions loop, the place viewers responses affect subsequent content material creation.
This strategy not solely fosters a group but in addition gives beneficial client information for focused advertising and marketing efforts.
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media-content/492311/
