5 Social Media Idea Starters for the Next Time You’re Stuck


February 3, 2016

social media

Social media can be an exciting, creative way to promote your organization. These interactive platforms lend themselves to engaged customers and open dialogue. On the flip side, social media can be a burden on those tasked with generating content several times a week.

As some companies play catch-up in the realm of social media, individuals without a background or training in social media are often tasked with the responsibility of maintaining online content materials. This is a common issue for small, independent, and non-profit organizations where each employee wears numerous hats to ensure the company further enhances its brand and reputation while still protecting the bottom line.

The good news – many of these organizations are already doing a lot of things right. But what do you post when you are strapped for time and creative? Consider choosing from the following options to generate social media content when you need it most.

1. Profile or Interview Post

Do you have interesting, talented employees that work at your company? If you work for an association, do you have members that operate their own successful business? Just because you are posting the content on your social platforms doesn’t mean you have to be the voice each time. Complete a physician profile if you work for a hospital, interview a farmer if you’re employed by an agricultural association or feature fun facts about a teacher if you are posting for a school district. Focus on different team members so your audience can get to know who represents your company.

2. Photos and Videos

Social media has allowed us to become lazy when it comes to gathering information – from our friends and family to news and media. We are constantly scrolling, clicking, and viewing. Photos and videos are great ways to showcase products, while catching and maintaining the audience’s attention. Don’t have products to share? Post photos that highlight your brand. Do you shovel snow? Post photos of your company helping a client in need. Do you own a catering business? Share photos from a recent event you hosted.

3. Ask Questions

Give your work to your fans and followers by asking questions, just be sure to stay on-brand. Ask for product or service reviews, and then use them as customer testimonials. Ask true or false questions for small giveaways. Ask who is going to win the NCAA Basketball tournament this year or set up a tournament bracket for your followers. Ask customers what they would like to see more of or learn more about from your company. You may be surprised at the amount of helpful feedback you receive, and as an added bonus, can continue to build content for the upcoming weeks.

4. Educate and Inform

People follow brands online for a variety of reasons, but most importantly, customers must relate to your brand. We’re always looking for ways to be interesting online, but if you don’t have time to be creative, you can at least be informative. Share news, giveaways (even from a partner organization), blog content from others, relevant tips or upcoming events in the area. Remember, if you do this be sure to give credit where credit is due by citing sources and linking back.

5. Create a Series

Make your job easier and engage audience members with a series of related posts that build momentum. Walk customers through every step of your product process. If you’re a hospital this may mean the surgery process or a day in the life of several doctors. If you’re a farmer this may mean showcasing planting season all the way through to harvest. Once you build interest in your organization, it’s easier to maintain an open dialogue surrounding a topic you already know interests your community.

The next time you’re feeling stuck or having a difficult time coming up with content to fill your social media outlets, remember you probably aren’t alone. Take a few minutes to enlist the support of others and utilize these ideas to get your creative juices going.


Email Brand Driven Digital

is a strategist, speaker, educator, and author of Brand Now: How to Stand Out in a Crowded, Distracted World and Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. He is the Chief Brand Strategist at Brand Driven Digital, an educator at the University of Iowa, and host of the On Brand podcast. More about Nick.