We’ve all been in the place of struggling with what to post on social media. You know it’s an important marketing tool for your business and you understand the benefits of using it, but when it comes down to clicking the “Publish” button, you’re having a complete mind blank.

If this sounds like you, we're here to offer a simple piece of advice: Put yourself in the customer's shoes.

It’s not an impossible task because we’re all consumers. Think back to the last time you clicked over to a business’s social media feed. What caught your attention? What made you leave?

In the end, consumers are just looking for value. Luckily, you can provide that in a myriad of ways on social media. Here are just a few examples:

Inform and Educate
You are an expert in your industry. Guaranteed, there are things about your industry that seem small to you, but are mind-blowing to consumers. This type of content can bring value to consumers by providing them with information that they otherwise wouldn’t have access to. It also reinforces your role as a trusted source in the industry and keeps them coming back for more.

Example Posts that Inform and Educate:

• Infographics
• How-to Videos
• FAQs
• Tutorials

Entertain
While it’s true that social media can be used to sell products and services, no one wants to be sold to all the time. Think of social media as a casual backyard get-together. You and your friends are socializing, sharing some funny stories, and having an all-around good time. Suddenly, a salesman in a business suit starts preaching the benefits of his product, pushing it in your face, and trying to sell to everyone at the party. So much for a fun time. It’s okay (and recommended) to keep things professional on social media, but don’t bring down the party by selling constantly. A good rule of thumb is the 80/20 rule. 80% of your social media posts should inform, educate, and entertain and only 20% should directly promote your business.

Example Posts that Entertain:

• Fun or silly holidays
• Giveaways and contests
• GIFs
• News articles

Share Your Personality
When I want to get to know a company and what they stand for, I check out two things: their website and their social media platforms. While their website is usually a more buttoned-up version of the company, I know (or hope) I’ll be able to see a peak into their company culture and personality on social media.

Example Posts that Show Brand Personality:

• Behind-the-scenes of your business
• Employee features
• Company events
• Consumer engagement

Now that we’ve covered the 80% (informing, educating and entertaining), let’s not forget about the 20% (selling and promoting). After all, it would seem a bit odd if you never mentioned your business at all. The trick is to do it in a way that offers value. You could do this through exclusive sales, discount codes, giveaways, product information, or sneak peeks. This way you’re offering the customer something they couldn’t find anywhere else. The appeal of exclusivity is a great way to bring value to your social media followers.

Successful social media content doesn’t have to be intimidating or time-consuming. The next time you’re feeling stuck as to what to post, consider your customer and what would be of most value to them. As long as you have your customers are in mind, you’ll be headed in the right direction.