How to Create Great Content for Each Social Media Platform

Snapchat, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Vine (R.I.P.)--there are countless social media platforms to keep up with, and, with each different platform, unique opportunities to seize. As a brand or as a blogger, it can be hard to keep up. 

There are variances in user-base on each platform, which means the chance to reach new people with your content increases exponentially if you have a presence across multiple platforms. However, knowing what type of content will succeed or fail is the key to being relevant on all channels, instead of just one. A post that does amazingly well on Facebook may fall flat on Instagram. Read on to understand a little bit more about each platform, and how you should be utilizing each one. 

Instagram

Having more than 400 million monthly active users, Instagram is a no-brainer for social mediaites today. The platform can often feel over-saturated, so the trick here is to find your niche. There are many mini-communities on Instagram, wherein growth, success, and notoriety are possible.

Focus on growing on a smaller scale before branching out. Did you know there was an entire Instagram community based off of pastel colors? You’ll be able to get a better idea of these communities by doing some exploring within the app to find hashtags. Who would have thought that the hashtag #tv_simplicity would be full of soft toned posts? Familiarize yourself with these tricks. 

From there, align your content with that of accounts you want to emulate. Often on Instagram, users are attracted to high contrast and interesting plays with color. If you need help with editing your photos to give them an “Instagram ready” look--check out our recent blog post on our top picks for editing apps. Don’t be fooled by the “effortless” look of the platform's top photos; most (if not all of them) take hours to create! So take your time getting the perfect shot and edit with care. Leave the unedited, unfiltered moments for Snapchat.

Keep in mind (stats found via Brandwatch):

  • Majority of Instagram users are outside of the United States.

  • Fitness, Fashion, and Food are the most popular communities within the app.

  • 50% of Instagram users follow brands.

  • "Engagement with brands on Instagram is 10 times higher than that of Facebook." (84 times higher than Twitter)

Snapchat

If Instagram is for magazine-esque, edited photos that users to flip through and admire, then Snapchat acts as the “behind the scenes look” into the backstage moments. With fun stickers, face-altering filters, and ten-second video limits, Snapchat encourages its users to be creative, yet raw.

The inability to create a permanent gallery makes Snapchat content a little more exclusive and a little more carefree. The 24-hour life of the content you create also gives viewers a deeper sense of things happening “live” in real time, even if they’re several hours late to your post. Make use of that to capture moments you don’t necessarily want in your permanent feed, whether they wouldn’t fit your aesthetic, or would be too spammy for your Instagram. Get those moments on Snapchat. And since the app allows you to geotag, add stickers, and choose between four color filters, utilize that! Your content will appear native and fitting to the app. 

Keep in mind:

  • Most users are under the age of 24 (via Mediakix).

  • Submit your snapchats to local stories for a chance at more exposure.

  • Snapchat ranks as the top app in terms of U.S. Millennial engagement (via Statista).

Twitter

On Twitter, hashtags don’t matter like they do on Instagram. Though trending topics may appear as channels with tags (like #WednesdayWisdom or #MakeMeHungryIn4Words), any of the words in your tweet are searchable. While original photo content will always do best on Instagram, memes and gifs have gained popularity on Twitter (especially with the addition of the GIF keyboard).

Being limited to 140 characters forces you to be creative and sharp with your word choice. Twitter is where “witty” sees success. Whereas on Instagram, a caption is secondary to the visual, Twitter is a platform that values your writing style. Play up your personality and don't be afraid to be funny, informative or wise. “Live tweeting” your thoughts and reactions to shows, news or concerts is another way to creatively use the platform. Again, give your audience the feeling that they are experiencing this moment with you. Seize opportunities to provide your commentary and insert yourself into conversations that are taking place within the app/site. 

Keep in mind:

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