Social media has been on the forefront of digital advertising and marketing for fairly a while, and it’s unlikely this can 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 text will cowl the highest social media content material sorts and which channels they’re greatest suited to.
We can even spotlight a few of our favourite examples of how manufacturers have excelled in every sort of content material.
Let’s dive in.
1. Brief-Type Video
For those who’ve spent any time on social media previously few years, you recognize that short-form video has change into one of the vital widespread – and standard – forms of social content material.
Brief-form video may very well be outlined as any piece of video content material that’s below 10 minutes lengthy, however sometimes, the shorter, the higher. After I consider short-form video, I consider video content material round 0-3 minutes lengthy.
From Reels to TikTok to YouTube Shorts, short-form video has confirmed to be an extremely efficient format for reaching audiences on social media.
Why? As a result of, when performed proper, it packages compelling visible storytelling right into a bite-sized, digestible piece of content material – which is strictly what as we speak’s more and more distracted and busy customers are in search of.
Brief-form video can also be versatile. You should use it to realize completely different targets, whether or not showcasing inner thought management, highlighting a buyer case examine, or that includes your product.
The Greatest Social Media Channels For Brief-Type Video
Given the demand for short-form video, it really works properly throughout most social media platforms, from TikTok to LinkedIn. Nevertheless, the next stand out as one of the best match:
- TikTok – This one ought to be apparent. Because the hottest social media platform worldwide, TikTok is the chief in short-form video.
- Instagram – With the introduction of Instagram Reels in 2020, the platform has leaned into short-form movies. For those who create brief movies on Instagram, the algorithm will doubtless reward you.
- YouTube – Whereas YouTube is best 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. However don’t be fooled; it has over 530 million month-to-month lively customers.
Model Instance: Brief-Type Video
Mediterranean quick informal meals model, CAVA, is a good instance of an organization that leverages short-form video on social media.
The model has amassed over 87,000 TikTok followers by making enjoyable, snappy video content material that options CAVA’s merchandise and infrequently employs trending TikTok sounds or codecs.
Right 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
2. Lengthy-Type Video
Lengthy-form video is video content material that’s 10 minutes lengthy or longer.
And when you could not see as a lot of it in your day-to-day social media actions, it positively performs an necessary function in model advertising and marketing.
Lengthy-form video could be a highly effective device for extra in-depth model storytelling and content material.
Some examples of long-form video content material it’s possible you’ll wish to leverage for advertising and marketing functions are documentaries, branded collection, video profiles, interviews, and extra.
The Greatest Social Media Channels For Lengthy-Type Video
For those who’re involved in distributing long-form video content material on social media, YouTube is the place you wish to be.
YouTube is the chief in the case of long-form movies, and also you’re most definitely to search out your viewers there.
When you can – and will – share shorter clips and cutdowns out of your video on apps like Instagram, Twitter, Fb, LinkedIn, and TikTok, many of those platforms gained’t even mean you can add longer movies.
Model Instance: Lengthy-Type Video
The workforce 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 dinner” – an episode of which is featured beneath.
3. Consumer-Generated Content material (UGC)
Consumer-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 change into one of the vital pervasive forms 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. It’s because persons are extra more likely to belief a advice from their friends than consider in advertising and marketing instantly from a model.
UGC can are available in many types, from picture or carousel posts to brief movies, Instagram Tales, and so forth.
The Greatest Social Media Channels For UGC
Instagram is the plain selection for sharing UGC.
It’s visible by nature, has a hyper-engaged person base, and offers completely different avenues and codecs relying on the content material itself – from Tales to Reels or posts in your grid.
X (beforehand referred to as Twitter) can be an excellent platform for sharing UGC, relying in your business and the viewers you’re attempting to succeed in.
Model Instance: UGC
Adobe options loads of UGC made by prospects on its numerous merchandise. Right here’s an instance from the Adobe Inventive Cloud Instagram account.
4. Stay Streams
Stay streaming has been on the rise in recent times, and types are more and more getting concerned.
It’s change into so standard that platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and even TikTok now have devoted stay video merchandise.
Past this, new platforms constructed completely round stay streaming have popped as much as cater to followers of this content material format.
For manufacturers, stay streams present a possibility 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 Greatest Social Media Channels For Stay Streaming
As talked about above, Instagram Stay, YouTube Stay, and TikTok Stay are all nice avenues on your live-stream content material.
The place you select to play will rely upon the place your target market spends essentially the most time and what type your content material will take.
Relying on this, Twitch is one other highly effective platform for stay streaming.
This stay streaming service was initially constructed round video gaming content material however now homes quite a lot of stay content material – and may very well be one of the best place to host your subsequent stay stream!
5. Polls & Questions
The very best form of social media content material engages your viewers and encourages them to work together with you.
Enter: viewers polls and questions.
Whether or not you’re utilizing a ballot function in a selected social platform, or asking an open-ended query, posing inquiries to your viewers could be a easy technique to drive engagement and gather useful information.
Questions can cowl issues equivalent to your model, your product/s, business traits, and even what sort of content material your viewers wish to see from you.
The Greatest Social Media Channels For Polls & Questions
Listed here are one of the best platforms in the case of ballot and query content material:
- Instagram – You should use Instagram Tales to create each polls and questions, because it has separate instruments for every. You can even create a picture asking your viewers a query and add that to your grid, after which folks can reply within the feedback part.
- LinkedIn – LinkedIn additionally has a devoted ballot function and lends itself properly to posing questions the place your viewers would possibly wish to share their expertise or opinion in a remark.
- Twitter – One other platform with a ballot function, Twitter is a good place for any form of question-related content material on account of its text-based nature.
- Fb – You may ballot folks in Fb Teams or pose questions in any of your Fb content material.
- Reddit – In case your model is lively on Reddit, you must think about using the platform’s ballot operate or asking your viewers questions.
Model Instance: Polls & Questions
Fortune is one instance of a model that regularly makes use of polls to interact its viewers.
On LinkedIn, the corporate usually leverages ballot content material to quiz followers on a selected matter earlier than linking out to a associated article for them to study extra.
Screenshot from LinkedIn, April 20246. Influencer Collaborations
By now, I’d guess there’s an honest likelihood that while 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 enhance your model’s attain and provides it publicity in entrance of an engaged viewers.
Influencer collaborations can take many types, however the important thing to doing it proper is to search out an genuine and pure connection between the influencer and your model.
The Greatest Social Media Channels For Influencer Partnerships
For those who’re trying to associate with an influencer, contemplate certainly one of these channels:
- Instagram – Given how linked Instagram creators are to their followers, it’s a best choice for influencer collaborations. It additionally offers completely different prospects for a way your partnership will come to life, e.g., an Instagram Stay interview, a Tales function, a carousel that includes a creator’s high 5 merchandise out of your model, and so forth.
- TikTok – As manufacturers begin to catch as much as the TikTok hype, increasingly are partnering with trending creators to get their firm in entrance of the Gen Z client.
- YouTube – Dwelling to a few of 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 – In case your model has any connection to gaming or desires to attach with that viewers, Twitch is your platform. Twitch creators are amassing enormous fanbases, and their stay streams mean you can attain streamers on the proper second.
Model Instance: Influencer Collaborations
Dunkin’ is a model well-known for its influencer partnerships.
Maybe certainly one of its extra well-known collaborations was with TikTok creator Charli D’Amelio – not simply one of many platform’s most adopted influencers however a recognized Dunkin’ fan.
@charlidamelio one of the best a part of any day @Dunkin’ dunkinpartner
7. Infographics And Charts
The very best social media content material can inform a narrative utilizing solely visuals.
Infographics and charts are nice examples of this, which is probably why they’ve change into a go-to content material sort for each people and types alike.
These photos mean you can synthesize data in a approach that’s optimized for social audiences (that means it’s digestible and clear).
The Greatest Social Media Channels For Infographics And Charts
For those who’ve received an infographic, a chart, or a information visualization that you just wish to share, I like to recommend testing it out on any of the next channels:
- Fb.
- Twitter.
- Instagram.
- Pinterest.
- LinkedIn.
Model Instance: Infographics & Charts
Right 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 concept or matter are the “bread and butter” of social media content material.
Whereas manufacturers ought to be conscious of which memes they use (ask your self if in case you have one thing so as to add to the dialog), when leveraged accurately, memes can obtain a home-run advertising and marketing second for you.
The Greatest 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 TikTok.
Model Instance: Memes
For those who’re in search of a model that is aware of the way to use memes, look no additional than Netflix.
The model’s Instagram account usually creates memes utilizing clips from standard Netflix exhibits and flicks, like this instance.
9. GIFs
Graphics Interchange Format, extra generally referred to as GIFs, are small, soundless video or animation clips which are standard with social media customers.
GIFs are sometimes used to symbolize how one feels or depict a specific scenario and are sometimes shared as a response to a chunk of social content material.
For manufacturers, GIFs could be a enjoyable and relatable device when talking on to members of your social group.
The Greatest Social Media Channels For GIFs
Need to work GIFs into your social technique? Twitter and Fb have lengthy been the place for that, although Instagram just lately launched GIFs in feedback.
If you wish to create customized GIFs on your model, contemplate making a profile on GIPHY. Right here, you’ll be able to create a profile on your firm that homes all of your uploaded GIFs.
It will permit customers everywhere in the web to make use of your GIFs via numerous GIPHY integrations with different platforms.
Model Instance: GIFs
Right here is an fascinating instance of Salesforce leveraging a GIF to create a social-friendly meme.
10. Webinars & Occasions
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 kind of content material mean you can interact on a deeper degree together with your viewers and attain a world person base.
Whereas webinars are sometimes displays that go deep on a selected 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 stay or pre-recorded.
The Greatest Social Media Channels For Webinars & Occasions
LinkedIn is one of the best platform for selling and internet hosting your webinars and occasions.
Other than providing all of the performance you want, it additionally has an viewers that’s extra more likely to be in search of academic {and professional} content material.
Fb and YouTube are additionally useful platforms for internet hosting stay video occasions.
Model Instance: Webinars & Occasions
Bizzabo is a model that involves thoughts after 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.
Screenshot from LinkedIn, April 202411. Contests And Giveaways
For those who’re trying to get your followers excited and engaged, contemplate attempting a contest or giveaway on social media.
This includes providing a particular prize – whether or not that be a free product, cash, or a visit – in change for particular interactions out of your customers (e.g., remark beneath, tag a pal, observe this account, like and share this publish, and so forth.)
The Greatest Social Media Channels For Contests & Giveaways
Instagram might be essentially the most generally used social channel for contests and giveaways.
Nevertheless, you may as well run them on Twitter, Fb, Pinterest, and even TikTok.
Model Instance: Contests & Giveaways
Loads of manufacturers execute contests and giveaways, particularly across the holidays. Here’s a current instance of a giveaway hosted by Escape Brooklyn.
In Abstract
These are simply a few of the many social media content material sorts to select from. And with so many choices, there are additionally a number of methods to method social media advertising and marketing.
Understanding which codecs work greatest on your model – and resonate most together with your viewers – often takes experimentation.
I like to recommend beginning with a number of of the content material sorts we explored above primarily based in your overarching content material technique, goal platforms, and the assets accessible to you.
Then begin posting and see what occurs!
Extra assets:
Featured Picture: Black Salmon/Shutterstock
FAQ
How does short-form video content material influence social media advertising and marketing methods?
Brief-form video content material has change into a pivotal component of social media advertising and marketing owing to its excessive consumption charges and potential for widespread attain. This content material sort caters to customers with restricted time and a focus spans, packaging narratives into simply digestible, partaking codecs. Entrepreneurs leverage short-form movies to showcase merchandise, share buyer testimonials, and show model character. The character of the content material aligns completely with the trajectory of client preferences in direction of visually wealthy, concise, and interactive media—all important for a powerful social media presence.
What are one of the best practices for using Consumer-Generated Content material (UGC) on Instagram?
To benefit from UGC on Instagram, manufacturers ought to:
- Encourage and actively solicit content material from their person base via campaigns or incentives.
- Be sure that shared UGC aligns with model values and aesthetics for consistency.
- Credit score unique creators correctly to keep up authenticity and construct group belief.
- Incorporate UGC into numerous codecs equivalent to posts, Tales, 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 function do influencers play in extending model attain on social media platforms?
Influencers are instrumental in amplifying model messaging on social media on account of their established belief with their followers. By collaborating with influencers whose viewers demographics align with the model’s goal market, firms can achieve publicity to new potential prospects. Their content material tends to be considered 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 reinforce engagement on social media channels?
Manufacturers can improve engagement on social media by incorporating polls and questions which invite audiences to work together. This may be achieved via:
- Utilizing platform-specific instruments for fast and visible polls to encourage person participation.
- Asking open-ended inquiries to spark dialog and achieve insights into client preferences.
- Segmenting viewers queries to drive deeper, extra significant interactions.
- Collating ballot information for content material personalization and enhancing buyer expertise.
- Making a suggestions loop, the place viewers responses affect subsequent content material creation.
This method not solely fosters a group but in addition offers beneficial client information for focused advertising and marketing efforts.