according to our 2023 Marketing Strategy Trends Report, 42% of marketers take advantage of social media, and its ROI is the highest of any channel. With this in mind, sharing content on social media is a no brainer.
Whether you’re looking to refresh a strategy or are taking advantage of the channel for the first time, this post is your guide to the different types of social media content and the benefits it can bring to your business.
Different Types of Social Media Content
1. Videos (short forms, especially)
Short-Form Video Is the Top Trend Marketers Will Take Advantage of in 2023 and HubSpot 2023 Social Media Trends Report Found this to be the highest ROI format for social media marketing.
With this in mind, creating short-form videos is a worthwhile investment, and some common examples are TikTok videos, Instagram reels, and YouTube shorts. Below is a video from TikTok skincare company, Topicals, that talks about the different uses of one of their products.
Long-form video is also popular, but it doesn’t come close to the ROI of short-form. Live video gained steam during the pandemic, allowing people to participate in events remotely. Twitch is a popular live-streaming platform where people can interact with their favorite creators in real time.
2. Audio Chat and Live Rooms.
Audio chat is another type of social media content, and many platforms have native features like Twitter Spaces, LinkedIn Live or Facebook Live Audio. It is planned to take advantage of the top content type marketers for the first time in 2023.
This makes sense, as audio chat rooms let brands communicate directly with audiences and develop closer relationships than simply watching billboards or YouTube videos. And, at a time when customers value connection with brands more than ever, audio chat rooms are a valuable tool.
Audio chat rooms are trendy among Gen Z. A spotify study Found that 80% of Gen Z enjoy audio content because it allows them to express themselves and explore different sides of their personality.
3. Content that represents brand values.
Content that represents brand values is anything your company stands for in and outside of the products you sell, such as commitment to sustainable production practices, treatment of employees, or any cause you support. shares.
consumers care more than ever What brands do they buy from and what are the prices they have. They want to know the causes that businesses support and the commitments they make to bettering the world.
The image below is a tweet from Ben & Jerry’s that expressed its commitment to environmentalism and combating climate change, which aligns with stated core values of environmental protection.
Brand value content helps you attract people whose values align with yours, and marketers also say that it has 5th highest ROI of any trend, 44% of marketers are already posting this type of social media content.
4. User-Generated Content.
User-Generated Content (UGC) is content created by your audience that showcases your business/brand that is not paid for by your business. For example, someone shares a non-sponsored TikTok saying how much they love your product or posts a picture wearing your clothes and tags your business.
This type of content is great to share on social media because it helps your audience see that people use and love your products, vouching for you in real life.
UGC pays off, as customers trust reviews from friends and family more than they trust branded ads, and 79% People say that UGC heavily influences their buying decisions, much more so than branded content and influencer content.
When you use UGC, the platforms on which it performs best are Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
5. Funny, trendy and relatable content.
Funny, trendy, and relatable content on social media can stop on viral memes, relate them to your business, and use trending hashtags or sounds. This type of content requires awareness of what is happening on social media, cultural moments and current events and creating buzzy content related to it.
36% of marketers already share fun, trendy and relatable content on social media, and 66% say that fun content is most effective, followed by relevant, trendy content. Consumers say that fun content is most memorable.
6. Purchasable Content.
Shoppable social media content allows consumers to browse through products on your accounts, discover what they like, and even make purchases without leaving the app. The image below is an Instagram storefront for Ink Meets Paper, where a person can browse its products, find what interests them, and make a purchase.
This is a valuable content type because social shopping is currently on the rise, and consumers are discovering new products and purchasing products on social media apps more than ever before.
In fact, social media is the most popular way for Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X to discover new products, and 1 in 5 have made an in-app purchase in the last three months. If you share shoppable content, the most effective platforms for in-app sales are Instagram and Facebook.
7. Educational material.
Educational content shares useful information with viewers that helps them reach their goals and meet their needs. Educational content can come in infographics, videos, text-based posts, images – just about any type of content we’ve discussed in this post.
HubSpot often shares educational content through YouTube videos, where viewers can learn more about concepts of interest. The video below is a recent video that educates viewers on how to create a brand style guide.
8. High Quality Images
Photos are essential on social media platforms, attracting attention and engaging people. Images can be things like high quality product photos or even a trending meme that is related to your business.
Our recent Marketing Strategy report found that 47% of marketers leverage images as a media format and work well across all social media platforms.
9. Text-Based Content
We see text-based content on social media every day, like Tweets or thought-leadership posts on LinkedIn. The primary goal of text-based content is to share insights through text rather than images or videos. For example, you can associate a Tweet with an eye-catching image, but the essence of the post is in the text.
Blogs are popular text-based content where people read long posts and search for useful information. Some popular types of blog posts are:
- How to do Posts that present a problem, provide a solution, and discuss the steps to reach the desired result.
- lists Posts that focus on a particular topic, offer multiple points of view, and provide a concise conclusion.
- what-post Which provide more information on a specific topic, consisting of several articles comparing one item with another.
- why-post They usually provide readers with a reason or purpose and provide details that support a focused conclusion.
10. Infographics
Infographics are a content type with the shareability and visual appeal of photographs but filled with useful data and information. It is an influential form of social media content and educational material.
The image below is a post from HubSpot’s Instagram account with an infographic that informs viewers about the most effective qualities of a sales leader.
Infographics are also effective, with 56% of marketers who regularly use them saying it is their most effective content type.
11. Ephemeral/Vanishing Content.
Ephemeral/vanishing content is content that only lasts for a certain amount of time, such as Instagram Stories that disappear after 24 hours. Users only have a set amount of time to engage, so they may be more eager to return to keep an eye on your profile and experience what you share.
Creating quizzes and polls in your Stories is a great way to take advantage of this type of content. People only have a certain amount of time to respond, creating excitement and immediate action and motivating respondents to come back and see the results.
Content repurposing is still a valuable strategy
Social media marketers say they use an average of four platforms, each with their own best practices and norms to follow. Creating different pieces of content for each platform can be challenging, so many marketers share the same content on each platform, but repurpose it to suit the tone and needs of each one.
However, the key to success is repurposing content, not resharing. People don’t look down fondly on brands that share the same thing on every platform. 48% of marketers already share similar content across platforms to make it more relevant to the platform’s demands.
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