What Makes A Good Social Media Post (6 Important Elements)

Creating engaging social media posts is a challenge. Sometimes, it feels like there’s no rhyme or reason to what resonates with your audience. One day, a silly meme generates thousands of likes and shares, while the next, a thoughtful post with valuable insights barely registers a blip.

What gives? Tools like Crayo's clip creator tool can help you craft more consistent, scroll-stopping content, but strategy still matters. This guide will explore what makes a good social media post, content ideas for social media, and provide actionable tips to help you create content your audience will love, from viral videos to heartwarming stories.

What Makes A Good Social Media Post
8 Tips to Make Good Social Media Posts
9 Viral Social Media Post Ideas
How to Increase Social Media Engagement in 10 Steps
Create Viral Shorts In Seconds With Crayo

What Makes A Good Social Media Post

1. Headlines That Demand Attention

The traffic your post generates hinges on the caliber of your headline. Without an enticing and engaging headline, all your marketing efforts are in vain, as users will simply skip your post. Headlines are crucial to social media success. They set expectations and capture attention. After all, the headline is the first thing users see.

2. Captions That Captivate

You have options when it comes to captions. You can opt for a brief headline, a more detailed caption, or both. Captions are ideal for providing extra context about your content in a limited space. Your caption text needs to engage your audience right away. Strive for a perfect balance of simplicity and captivation.

Compelling captions can do any of the following.

Feature numbers, such as percentages (e.g., “Top 11 Social Media Post Design Ideas”).
Create a sense of urgency (e.g., “Be ahead of the game”).
Ask a question.
Spark curiosity.

Brainstorm a variety of caption ideas and test them before publishing to ensure they are effective and engaging. Also, familiarize yourself with how your graphics and captions will display on each social platform before publishing and create optimized variations. For maximum impact and engagement, aim for headlines or captions of 10 to 20 words (or between 138 and 150 characters in length).

3. The Potential of Quotes

If your post includes external material featuring a thought-provoking or inspiring quote, incorporate it into the main body to encourage readers to continue. You can even design the quote as an eye-catching graphic. Quotes can have a significant impact, especially when they come from industry leaders, celebrities, or authoritative figures.

4. The Importance of Tagging and Mentions

Tagging and mentioning others in your posts is a highly effective tactic. It’s part networking, part marketing, and a way to show appreciation. Tagging someone is easy and essential on social media, so you’ve likely done it countless times already. Mentions are a key component of collaborative content marketing.

They can also attract the attention of prospective customers. When you tag someone in a social post, they receive a notification and can share your content with a single click. It’s best to spotlight active users on that social network who are likely to engage with your content.

5. Timing Matters

Timing is about knowing when your target audience wants to hear from you. Your posts are most effective when the correct information is presented at the right time.

6. Frequency Is Key

Frequency refers to how often your audience would like to hear from you. As a general rule, aim to post on each social media platform at least three times a week, ensuring that every post is of high quality and relevance. Infrequent posting can lead to disengagement and a loss of credibility. Plan your posts using your social media content calendar, and prioritize quality.

8 Tips to Make Good Social Media Posts

Man Working - What Makes A Good Social Media Post

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Crayo AI transforms the process of generating short videos for social media. With this tool, you can create an unlimited number of shorts simultaneously. Crayo AI streamlines your workflow by automatically generating captions, effects, background visuals, and music. This is a game-changer for anyone looking to tap into the TikTok Creator Fund program. The process is simple: start with an outline or prompt, customize the style with free templates, and export your video. With Crayo, you can turn ideas into viral shorts in minutes. Explore Crayo’s free clip creator tool today—there’s no account needed.

2. Craft Content That Resonates With Current Events

To maximize engagement on social media, create content that aligns with your audience’s interests and current events. This requires research into the types of events your audience follows, like sports, entertainment, or holidays. A calendar can help you keep track of special days and occasions throughout the year. For example, creating content around the Super Bowl or World Cup can help you reach new audiences. Timely content helps capture attention and drive traffic to your social media channels.

3. Offer Unique Insights and Perspectives

To stand out in a crowded digital landscape, prioritize original content that provides value to your audience. This includes unique insights, research, and perspectives that can’t be found elsewhere. Sharing original content will help establish your brand as a go-to resource and encourage more followers and engagement. Promote your unique content across your social media channels to drive traffic and increase visibility.

4. Utilize Popular Hashtags for Increased Reach

Hashtags are a powerful tool for increasing the reach of your social media posts. Research trending hashtags in your industry and use a mix of popular and niche tags to maximize visibility. Create branded hashtags to encourage user-generated content and build a community around your brand. Additionally, monitor hashtag performance to optimize your future content strategy.

5. Create Engaging Infographics to Share Valuable Data

Infographics are a highly shareable content format that combines visuals with data and insights. Use infographics to present complex information in a clear and easy-to-understand way for your audience. Sharing original infographics on social media can help drive traffic back to your website and establish your brand as an authority in your industry. If you don’t have the resources to create original infographics, consider curating existing visuals and adding your own perspective or insights.

6. Monitor Feedback and Adjust Your Strategy Accordingly

Social media is a two-way street, and brands need to listen as much as they talk. Monitor comments, mentions, and direct messages to gauge audience sentiment and identify areas for improvement. If negative feedback arises, address it quickly and transparently to maintain trust.

Use positive feedback to showcase testimonials and build credibility. Regularly assessing audience feedback will help you refine your social media strategy and better align with your community’s needs and preferences.

7. Show Appreciation for Your Followers

Taking the time to thank your followers for their support can go a long way in building loyalty and trust. Share posts that recognize your followers or feature their content to show you value their contributions. Additionally, consider hosting giveaways or contests as a fun way to engage your audience and show appreciation. Highlighting your followers will create a sense of community and encourage more active participation on your social media channels.

8. Experiment With Humor to Humanize Your Brand

Incorporating humor into your social media strategy can help humanize your brand and foster deeper connections with your audience. Lighthearted content, such as memes or playful videos, can drive high engagement and shares. However, it’s essential to ensure that your humor aligns with your brand's voice and values. Balancing fun with sensitivity will help you connect with your audience without crossing any lines. Regularly assess your content performance to identify opportunities for more humorous posts.

9 Viral Social Media Post Ideas

Person working on Phone - What Makes A Good Social Media Post

1. Equipping User-Generated Content (UGC) for Authentic Engagement

Encouraging your audience to create and share content related to your brand sparks engagement and generates a steady stream of authentic content. UGC campaigns transform customers into advocates, leveraging their genuine experiences to foster trust and build a community. Think of GoPro’s thrilling customer adventure videos or Starbucks' annual #RedCupContest, which generates millions of festive, user-submitted photos each year.

2. Behind-the-Scenes Content: Humanizing Your Brand

Offering your audience an exclusive glimpse into your brand’s inner workings fosters connection and engagement. Behind-the-scenes content humanizes your business, fostering a deeper and more authentic relationship with your followers. It stands out as one of the most compelling social media content ideas because it encourages transparency and trust, making your brand more relatable and memorable.

This method involves pulling back the curtain to show the real people, processes, and passion that drive your company. Instead of only showcasing polished final products, you reveal the journey. Think of how Ben & Jerry's gives factory tours showing how their famous ice cream is made, or how Patagonia highlights its commitment to sustainability by showing its material sourcing and repair workshops.

3. Educational How-To Content: Positioning Your Brand as an Expert

Focusing on teaching your audience a specific skill, process, or piece of knowledge related to your industry, this strategy positions your brand as a helpful expert and a go-to resource, building significant trust and authority. It is one of the most reliable social media content ideas because it provides genuine, tangible value that keeps your followers coming back for more.

This approach works by solving your audience's problems and directly addressing their questions. Instead of just promoting a product, you demonstrate its use or share expertise that makes their lives easier. Think of Tasty’s viral top-down recipe videos that simplify cooking, or Canva’s quick tutorials showing users how to create stunning designs. These brands attract loyal followers by educating them, not just selling to them.

4. Trending Challenges and Hashtag Participation: Capitalizing on Conversations

Participating in trending challenges and hashtags is a dynamic strategy that involves creating content aligned with popular social media movements, memes, or viral challenges. This approach allows your brand to tap into existing conversations, boosting visibility and relevance. It's one of the most effective social media content ideas for connecting with younger demographics and showcasing a more human, playful brand personality.

This method leverages the immense reach of viral content. Instead of trying to start a conversation from scratch, you join one that is already capturing millions of views. Brands like Duolingo excel at this, using quirky takes on trending audio clips on TikTok to build a unique brand voice. Similarly, Chipotle’s participation in dance challenges and Netflix's clever use of popular meme formats demonstrate how to authentically engage with trends.

5. Live Streaming and Real-Time Engagement: Fostering Community

Live streaming is a dynamic approach that involves broadcasting real-time video to your audience, creating an unedited and authentic channel for communication. This format enables immediate interaction through live comments, questions, and reactions, fostering a powerful sense of community and connection. It stands out among social media content ideas for its ability to foster genuine, two-way conversations that humanize your brand.

This method thrives on its immediacy and raw feel. Unlike polished, pre-recorded videos, live sessions offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into your brand's personality. Think of an influencer hosting a Q&A on Instagram Live, a tech company launching a new product via Facebook Live, or industry leaders holding a panel discussion on LinkedIn Live. Each format capitalises on real-time engagement to capture audience attention in a crowded digital space.

6. Storytelling Through Carousel Posts: Engaging Your Audience

This format allows you to tell a cohesive story, break down complex information into digestible chunks, or guide users through a step-by-step process. It's one of the most versatile social media content ideas because it boosts engagement by encouraging interaction (swiping) while providing more depth than a single image.

This method transforms a simple post into an interactive experience. Instead of just one static image, you can create a narrative that unfolds with each swipe. Think of Canva's popular design tip carousels, which teach a skill slide by slide, or National Geographic's powerful wildlife photography series, which tells a story through a sequence of stunning images. This format is perfect for educating, entertaining, and inspiring your audience in a single post.

7. Seasonal and Holiday-Themed Content: Connecting with Your Audience

Aligning your brand messaging with cultural celebrations, seasons, and special occasions throughout the year taps into the existing excitement and conversations happening online, making your brand feel timely, relevant, and relatable. It is one of the most reliable social media content ideas because it capitalises on periods of naturally high engagement, connecting your brand with the positive feelings associated with these events.

This approach works by integrating your products or services into the festive spirit. Instead of generic marketing messages, you create content that resonates with your audience. Think of Starbucks' famous seasonal drink launches and themed cups, which build immense anticipation, or Coca-Cola’s iconic Christmas campaigns that have become a cultural staple. These brands successfully weave their identities into the fabric of holidays, making them an integral part of the celebration.

8. Interactive Polls, Quizzes, and Q&A Sessions: Boosting Engagement

Interactive content, such as polls, quizzes, and Q&A sessions, is an outstanding social media content idea because it directly invites your audience to participate. This strategy transforms passive scrolling into an active experience, fostering a two-way conversation that builds a stronger community. It’s a direct line to your audience, allowing you to gather valuable feedback and insights while boosting engagement rates.

This method leverages native platform features that encourage interaction. Instead of just broadcasting a message, you ask a question and listen to the response. Think of BuzzFeed's viral personality quizzes that tell you which character you are, or a brand using Instagram Stories' question sticker to host a "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) with its founder. These formats are fun, low-effort for the user, and incredibly effective at capturing attention.

9. Influencer Collaborations and Partnerships: Expanding Your Reach

Influencer collaborations involve partnering with social media personalities who have established, engaged audiences to promote your brand, products, or services. This strategy leverages the influencer's credibility and reach, allowing you to connect with new potential customers through a trusted and authentic voice. It's a highly effective social media content idea because it leverages pre-existing communities and generates powerful social proof.

This method works by integrating your brand smoothly into an influencer's content, making the promotion feel more like a genuine recommendation than a traditional advertisement. Brands like Gymshark excel at this, building a roster of fitness athletes who organically feature their apparel in workout content. Similarly, Daniel Wellington's watch campaigns became iconic by partnering with fashion and lifestyle influencers worldwide, creating a sense of widespread desirability.

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How to Increase Social Media Engagement in 10 Steps

Lady Working - What Makes A Good Social Media Post

1. Establish Direct Engagement Objectives and Monitor Your Metrics

To enhance social media engagement, first identify your precise objectives and relevant metrics. These goals will guide your strategy and help you determine what’s working and what’s not.

For instance, you might aim to boost Instagram engagement by 15% in three months. Then, you can track your progress and refine your approach as needed.

2. Understand Your Audience to Create Engaging Content

Improving social media engagement starts with knowing your audience. This allows you to create content that resonates with them and encourages interaction.

Use surveys, social listening, and other methods to gather insights on your audience’s interests and preferences. Then, tailor your content to spark conversations and drive engagement.

3. Different Platforms, Different Engagement Strategies

Each social media platform has its own unique culture, norms, and features that influence engagement. To optimize your strategy, research and understand the platforms your audience uses.

For example, Instagram prioritizes visuals and Stories, while Twitter favors brevity and real-time conversation. Tailoring your approach to each platform will help you connect with your audience and boost engagement.

4. Prioritize Engagement in Your Social Media Strategy

Engagement is a key social media success metric, and boosting it requires intentionality and effort. Create a strategy that prioritizes engagement, from setting objectives to analyzing performance.

This will help you identify areas for improvement and optimize your approach over time. Regularly test and learn new tactics to drive engagement, such as interactive content or platform-specific features.

5. Consistency Helps Your Audience Trust You

When it comes to social media, consistency is key. Regular posting helps keep your brand top of mind for followers, while also signaling to algorithms that you’re active and engaged.

To maintain a consistent presence, create a content calendar that outlines your topics, formats, and posting schedule. This will help you plan, stay organized, and optimize your resources.

6. Create Social Content

Among this year's social media best practices for increasing engagement is striking a balance between business and social. What grabs your attention more on platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn? A constant sales pitch or something that makes you laugh, think, or nod in agreement? People generally dislike being sold things. They want to be entertained, educated, or amused — but not sold to. Sure, hitting business goals is crucial. But if every post screams "buy this," you will most likely turn people off.

Great social media engagement examples among brands are Monzo, HubSpot, and Semrush. They mix up their feeds by incorporating memes, GIFs, and fun social media engagement posts that feel personal, not just promotional. By focusing on creating posts that educate or entertain, you'll naturally draw your audience closer, making those business goals more achievable without overwhelming people with sales pitches.

7. Create Interactive Content

Encourage engagement not only through CTAs but also through various content formats. Think polls, quizzes, and trivia that spark curiosity and invite participation. Instagram has the most interactive tools for creating Stories. In addition to classic polls and action buttons, you can use “Add Yours” stickers to encourage story chains or design engaging templates that followers can fill out and repost. Polls are also available on LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter).

However, don’t limit yourself to polls only: experiment with different reactions as voting options on LinkedIn and Facebook, or utilize dueting to create more engaging content on TikTok. Example of an interactive poll as an idea to increase social media engagement. Such interactive elements help you increase engagement with your audience and include them in the conversation. This also enables you to gather insights about your audience's preferences, which can enhance your future content strategy.

8. Create Shareable Content

If there’s one kind of content that can truly amplify your engagement rates alongside your reach on social media sites, it’s the kind of content that people feel compelled to share. Shareable content not only boosts your engagement rates but also naturally attracts more eyes to your account. Think about what makes content worth sharing — it often provides value, entertains, or sparks emotion. One of the most effective content formats for boosting engagement is Reels. Instagram Reels are short, engaging videos that capture viewers' attention quickly and encourage interactions.

Due to their dynamic nature and prominent placement in social media algorithms, Reels often receive higher engagement rates compared to other content formats, as confirmed by our Instagram benchmarks study. You can also start creating Instagram carousels that lay out tips or ideas in a visually appealing way, videos that showcase your team or what goes on behind the scenes, or relatable memes that resonate within your industry. Such content invites viewers to engage by sharing your posts with their network, essentially doing the heavy lifting of spreading your message.

9. Comment Bump

The comment bump is an interesting technique to boost engagement on social media posts. Any post has a lifespan, and this lifespan is short in the sea of social media content. Posts quickly lose visibility as newer content floods in. The comment bump helps you fool the algorithm in a totally lawful way by timing your responses to comments strategically. After posting, it's crucial to let the post gather organic exposure. During the first critical 20 minutes, the algorithm assesses the post's engagement rate.

Most user interactions happen during this phase. However, instead of responding to comments immediately, hold off until the initial flurry subsides. Start engaging with the comments approximately 20–30 minutes after posting. This activity effectively "bumps" the post back into the news feed, triggering the algorithm to re-evaluate its engagement and potentially show it to a broader audience.

10. Use Stories, Short and Live Videos

Stories, short videos, and live videos are effective ways to increase engagement on social media. Short-form videos don’t need additional introduction. They continue to dominate as the most engaging type of content across social media platforms, allowing brands to capture attention quickly and convey their message before the viewer moves on. Stories allow for creative, fleeting interactions — think polls, quick tips, or flash sales — that keep your audience coming back for more. They are perfect for capturing quick, engaging content that doesn't clutter your main feed.

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What Makes A Good Social Media Post (6 Important Elements)

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