The 5 Types of Posts Every Brand Should Be Making
November 6, 2025
With over 5.4 billion social media users worldwide (according to Backlinko), standing out in crowded feeds has never been more challenging. Your social media strategy is only as strong as the variety of content you create, and most brands make the critical mistake of relying too heavily on one or two content types. Capturing your audience’s attention requires engaging storytelling and compelling visuals that are specifically designed to capture and retain the audience’s attention, keeping viewers interested and boosting social media engagement.
The most successful brands understand that different audiences consume content differently. Some prefer quick tips, others want behind-the-scenes glimpses, and many seek social proof before making purchase decisions. By diversifying your content approach with different content formats tailored to each platform, you’ll boost engagement and keep your audience engaged while maximizing your reach across multiple platforms. Consistently posting content across channels also helps reinforce your brand’s identity and recognition, such as weaving your brand’s core themes or story into your messaging, making your brand more familiar and memorable to your audience.
The key lies in following the proven 80/20 rule: 80% of your social media content should provide value, entertain, or educate your audience, while only 20% should be directly promotional. This balance prevents follower fatigue and maintains the trust that’s essential for long-term success. Content marketing as a strategic approach ensures you deliver a mix of value-driven and promotional posts to build authority and engagement.
Let’s explore the five essential content types that every brand should incorporate into their social media marketing strategy. Posting content in various formats, such as visuals, testimonials, and infographics, helps maintain engagement and supports your content marketing goals.
Get a behind-the-scenes look as the Backflip crew fine-tunes Noble Elk’s product shots in the studio, making sure everything looks sharp from the start. That means less editing later and more scroll-stopping content when it hits the web.
Why Content Variety Matters for Brand Success
Social media platforms reward accounts that consistently post diverse content types. Platform algorithms are designed to detect and promote accounts that keep users engaged through varied, high-quality content. When you rely on just one content format, you’re essentially limiting your reach and missing opportunities to connect with different audience segments.
Different content formats appeal to various consumption preferences. Visual learners gravitate toward infographics and short form videos, while others prefer detailed text posts or live video sessions. Certain content formats are well suited for specific audience preferences and platform algorithms, making them more effective for engagement. By creating content across multiple formats, you ensure no one feels left out of your brand conversation.
A balanced content strategy also prevents the dreaded “unfollow” that happens when audiences grow tired of repetitive posting patterns. When your content calendar includes educational posts, behind-the-scenes glimpses, user generated content, video content, and strategic promotional material, you maintain audience interest while building brand authority.
This strategic content mix serves another crucial purpose: it guides potential customers through different stages of the buyer’s journey. Educational content builds awareness and trust, behind-the-scenes posts create emotional connections, user-generated content provides social proof, video content captures attention and explains complex concepts, and promotional content drives conversions when the timing is right.
The 80/20 rule isn’t just a suggestion; it’s based on extensive data showing that audiences engage more with brands that provide consistent value. When you follow this principle, your promotional content becomes more effective because you’ve already established credibility and trust with your target audience.
1. Educational Content That Adds Value
Educational content forms the foundation of any successful social media strategy. This content type positions your brand as an industry leader while providing genuine value to your audience. The most effective educational posts solve specific customer pain points through actionable advice and expert insights.
How-to tutorials and step-by-step guides perform exceptionally well across social media platforms. These posts address common questions your customers ask and demonstrate your expertise without being overly promotional. For example, a financial software company might create carousel posts explaining tax preparation tips, or a fitness brand could share proper exercise form through short instructional videos. Other effective examples include video series breaking down complex processes, or before-and-after posts that showcase client success stories.
We partnered up with Gilson to produce a series of comedic How-Tos, turning an entire manual about pipetting into a series of videos. Check them out!
Quick tips and industry insights work perfectly for busy social media users who want valuable information in easily digestible formats. Multi image posts showcasing “5 Quick Tips for Better Sleep” or “3 Signs Your Business Needs a New Strategy” generate high engagement because they provide immediate value. These posts are also highly shareable, extending your reach beyond your immediate followers. Infographics and visual content are effective tools to convey information at a glance, making complex topics more accessible. Using a simple message in these posts makes the content more accessible and increases the likelihood that followers will share it.
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We created this infographic for Our Lady of Hope Clinic to catch attention quickly and deliver instant value to scrollers.
Mini-guides and educational video series under 60 seconds cater to audiences who prefer visual learning. Instagram reels and YouTube shorts are perfect platforms for this content type. You can break down complex topics into bite-sized pieces that educate while entertaining.
Industry trends and data-driven content establish your brand as a thought leader. Sharing relevant statistics, market insights, or predictions about your industry helps position your business as a go-to resource. However, always ensure your data comes from credible sources and add your own analysis to provide unique value.
Content creation becomes more efficient when you master repurposing strategies. A single blog post can become multiple social media posts: pull out key statistics for text posts, create infographics from main points, record short videos explaining concepts, and use quotes for Instagram stories. This approach maximizes your content investment while maintaining consistency across platforms.
FreshBooks exemplifies this approach by regularly sharing expert financial tips across their social media channels, often linking back to detailed blog content for users who want deeper information. Their posts educate small business owners about invoicing, expense tracking, and tax preparation, directly related to their services but valuable regardless of whether someone uses their product.
When creating educational content, focus on addressing real problems your audience faces. Monitor comments, direct messages, and customer support inquiries to identify trending questions or pain points. This ensures your content stays relevant and valuable to your followers.
2. Behind-the-Scenes Content That Humanizes Your Brand
Behind-the-scenes content creates authentic connections between your brand and your audience by showing the human side of your business. In an era where consumers crave authenticity, this content type helps build trust and emotional attachment that purely promotional content cannot achieve.
Check out this recent BTS shot in Ryan’s home gym, complete with a fog machine, for his company called FORTUS.
Team member spotlights and employee story features are powerful ways to put faces to your brand name. Share stories about team members’ expertise, hobbies, or career journeys. These posts help your audience see your company as more than just a business; they see it as a group of real people working toward common goals. This personal connection often translates to stronger brand loyalty.
Office culture moments and day-in-the-life content provide glimpses into your authentic workplace environment and reflect your brand’s values and mission. Show morning coffee routines, team meetings, collaborative brainstorming sessions, or celebration moments. Sharing snippets of daily life helps audiences relate to your brand on a personal level, making your brand feel more approachable and connected to their everyday experiences. This content works particularly well on Instagram stories and LinkedIn, where professional audiences appreciate seeing company culture in action.
Product creation process reveals and “how it’s made” style content satisfy curiosity while demonstrating quality and care. Whether you’re showing the design process for a new app feature, the ingredients going into a food product, or the craftsmanship behind handmade items, these posts build appreciation for your work.
Company milestone celebrations and volunteer work demonstrate your brand values in action. Share anniversaries, growth achievements, community involvement, or charitable initiatives. This content shows that your brand cares about more than profits, which resonates strongly with modern consumers who want to support purpose-driven companies.
Creative process reveals work especially well for service-based businesses. Show client strategy sessions (with permission), the brainstorming process for campaigns, or the research that goes into your recommendations. This content educates your audience about your expertise while building trust in your methods.
Pictured is a Backflip Brandstorming session, which partners are led through to brainstorm possibilities for their new brand or re-brand.
Sprout Social excels at this content type by regularly introducing team members and highlighting their humanitarian efforts. They share employee volunteer work, office culture moments, and insights into their company values. This approach has helped them build a strong community of followers who feel connected to the brand beyond just their social media management tools.
When creating behind-the-scenes content, prioritize authenticity over polished perfection. Audiences can spot overly staged content immediately, and it often backfires by seeming inauthentic. Instead, focus on genuine moments that showcase your company’s personality and values.
Instagram stories, reels, and LinkedIn are particularly effective platforms for this content type. The temporary nature of Stories encourages more casual, authentic sharing, while LinkedIn’s professional focus makes it ideal for company culture content that attracts potential employees and business partners.
3. User-Generated Content for Social Proof
User generated content represents one of the most powerful forms of social proof available to modern brands. When real customers share their experiences with your products or services, it carries far more weight than any branded message you could create.
Customer testimonials and success stories showcase real results from real people. Sharing these can help attract and convert more customers by demonstrating your credibility and the tangible value your business provides, while letting satisfied customers do the selling for you. Video testimonials are particularly effective, as they allow potential customers to see and hear authentic experiences.
Here is an example of a video testimonial; Backflip partnered up with Howard Gripp to film a music video for his track “Hello it’s Me.” Listen to him speak about his experience while we filmed it!
Product reviews and unboxing videos from satisfied customers provide authentic perspectives that influence purchase decisions. According to Nielsen research, 92% of consumers trust peer recommendations over brand advertising. When customers voluntarily share their unboxing experiences or product reviews, they’re providing valuable social proof that money can’t buy.
Contest entries and branded hashtag campaigns encourage user participation while generating valuable content. Create campaigns that ask customers to share photos using your products, stories about how your service helped them, or creative uses for your offerings. This approach generates content while building community engagement.
Customer photos featuring your products in real-life settings provide authentic context that staged product photos cannot match. These images show how your products fit into customers’ actual lives, making them more relatable and trustworthy than professional product shots.
Case studies highlighting client achievements and transformations work particularly well for service-based businesses. Share before-and-after stories, growth metrics, or problem-solving successes (with client permission). These posts demonstrate your capability while celebrating customer success.
Check out our Case Studies!
The power of user generated content is supported by compelling data. Sprout Social’s 2025 Index reveals that 66% of social media users report that UGC is the leading content type that makes brands stand out. Additionally, consumers are 2.4 times more likely to view UGC as authentic compared to brand-created content.
A perfect example of leveraging user-generated content for brand growth is Trello. Trello demonstrates this strategy effectively by regularly reposting positive customer testimonials across their social media platforms. They share stories about how teams use their project management tool to improve productivity, complete major projects, or streamline workflows. These authentic stories resonate with potential customers facing similar challenges.
When implementing UGC strategies, always obtain proper permission before reposting customer content. Create clear guidelines for user-generated campaigns and consider offering incentives for participation. However, ensure that incentivized content still feels authentic and genuine.
Monitor social media platforms regularly for organic mentions of your brand, and don’t hesitate to reach out to customers who share positive experiences. Many customers are happy to have their content featured by brands they love, especially when you give proper credit and thanks.
Need more ideas on how to craft a social media strategy? Check out our Complete guide to Creating a Catholic Social Media Strategy!
4. Video Content for Maximum Engagement
Video content consistently outperforms other content types across all social media platforms. With users increasingly preferring visual content over text, incorporating various video formats into your social media strategy is essential for maintaining competitive engagement rates.
Short form video content under 60 seconds is perfect for addressing frequently asked questions, sharing quick tips, or providing bite-sized educational content. These short form videos work exceptionally well on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. The key is delivering value quickly while maintaining high production quality even in brief formats. This form video is highly effective for capturing attention and driving engagement, especially when contrasted with long form video content.
Live streaming creates real-time connections with your audience through Q&A sessions, product launches, behind-the-scenes tours, or educational workshops. Live videos often receive higher organic reach because social media platforms prioritize real-time content. Instagram Live, Facebook Live, and LinkedIn Live all offer excellent opportunities for direct audience interaction.
One great example is the UW Now Livestream, produced by the Wisconsin Alumni Association in partnership with Backflip. Designed to engage viewers through timely conversations and expert insights, it demonstrates how live video can build meaningful, real-time connections with a broad audience.
Long form videos serve different purposes, typically focusing on in-depth tutorials, thought leadership presentations, or detailed product demonstrations. While these require more time investment from viewers, they’re excellent for building authority and providing comprehensive value. YouTube remains the primary platform for long form content, though IGTV and LinkedIn also support longer video formats.
Video series with consistent themes create anticipation among followers and encourage return engagement. Consider weekly tips series, monthly industry updates, or seasonal content themes. This approach helps build anticipation and encourages followers to regularly check your content.
Product demonstration videos excel at showing features and benefits clearly. Rather than describing how something works, show it in action. These videos are particularly effective for e-commerce brands, software companies, and service providers who can demonstrate their processes.
The impact of video content is undeniable. Multiple industry sources claim that video posts are shared up to 12‑times more (≈1,200%) than text and image posts combined—though the precise research foundation is not publicly disclosed. This sharing potential dramatically extends your reach beyond your immediate followers, making video content one of the most cost-effective ways to grow your audience.
Hootsuite demonstrates video content mastery by creating educational Instagram videos that explain social media platform features, share marketing tips, and provide tutorials for their tools. Their videos combine entertainment with education, making complex topics accessible and engaging.
When creating video content, consider platform-specific requirements and audience expectations. TikTok favors creative, entertaining content with trending audio, while LinkedIn users prefer professional, educational videos. Instagram users engage with both polished and authentic content, depending on the format (Reels vs. Stories).
Consistency in video content requires planning and batching. Consider dedicating specific days to video recording, creating multiple pieces of content in single sessions. This approach ensures steady content flow while maximizing production efficiency.
5. Strategic Promotional Content
Strategic promotional content requires finesse to be effective without alienating your audience. The key lies in focusing on value proposition and storytelling rather than hard selling tactics. When done correctly, promotional posts feel helpful rather than pushy. Incorporating original content into your promotional posts can make them more engaging and trustworthy, helping to establish your brand’s authority and credibility.
Product launches and feature announcements should emphasize benefits and solutions rather than just features. Tell stories about how new products solve customer problems or improve their lives. Use customer success stories or case studies to demonstrate real-world applications rather than simply listing product specifications.
Customer success stories naturally showcase product benefits while celebrating client achievements. These posts serve dual purposes: they promote your offerings while providing social proof. Share metrics, transformations, or positive outcomes that clients have experienced, always with their permission and proper attribution.
Limited-time offers and exclusive discounts for social media followers create urgency while rewarding engagement. However, use these sparingly to maintain their effectiveness. Frequent sales promotions can devalue your brand and train customers to wait for discounts rather than purchasing at full price.
Partnership announcements and collaboration highlights can promote your brand while adding credibility through association. When you partner with respected brands or individuals, sharing these relationships enhances your reputation while introducing you to new audiences.
Company milestones and achievement celebrations provide natural opportunities for soft promotion. Share growth metrics, awards, client testimonials, or team expansions. These posts promote your success while building credibility and social proof.
When planning promotional campaigns, it’s important to start with a clear idea that guides the structure and messaging of your content. The focus should always remain on value proposition rather than hard selling. Ask yourself what benefit the customer receives rather than what features your product includes. This customer-centric approach makes promotional content more palatable and effective.
H&M exemplifies strategic promotional content by sharing styling inspiration that subtly promotes their varsity jackets and other products. Instead of simply showcasing items with prices, they create lifestyle content showing how pieces can be styled for different occasions. This approach provides fashion inspiration while naturally promoting their products.
When creating promotional content, ensure it aligns with the 80/20 rule. For every promotional post, you should have four pieces of value-driven content. This balance maintains audience trust while providing opportunities for conversion.
Consider the timing and context of promotional posts. Major sales announcements might work well standalone, but subtle product integrations often work better when woven into educational or entertainment content. Test different approaches and monitor engagement metrics to find what resonates with your specific audience.
Building Community Through Your Content
Look, in today’s crazy crowded digital world, building a real community around your brand is not just nice to have; it’s one of the most powerful things you can actually do with social media marketing. A community that’s actually thriving? It does not just bump up your engagement numbers. It turns your audience from people who scroll past into folks who actually give a damn and become your biggest cheerleaders. When your content consistently hits the mark with your people, you’re not just posting; you’re building the foundation for lasting brand recognition and growth that does not cost you a fortune in ads.
Creating content with community in mind means ditching the whole “broadcast and pray” approach. It’s about starting real conversations, asking for feedback, and making your audience feel like they’re part of something that actually matters. Start by really understanding what your audience cares about, what keeps them up at night, and what they’re trying to achieve. Then tailor your content to address those real needs, celebrate their wins, and encourage them to share their own stories and experiences. Because here’s the thing; people don’t want to be talked at. They want to be part of the conversation.
One of the smartest ways to build community? Create content that basically begs for interaction. Ask questions that don’t have yes-or-no answers, run polls or quizzes that people actually want to participate in, and invite your audience to share their opinions or personal experiences in the comments. These tactics do not just boost your engagement metrics; they give you invaluable insights into what really matters to your followers. And trust me, that intel is worth its weight in gold.
Spotlighting your audience is another community-building move that actually works. Feature customer stories, highlight user-generated content, or create regular “fan of the week” posts. When people see themselves reflected in your content, they feel seen and valued; they are way more likely to stick around and tell their friends about you. It’s not rocket science, but it’s surprisingly effective.
Recurring content themes like weekly challenges, live Q&A sessions, and monthly discussion threads give your audience something to actually look forward to and keep them coming back for more. These initiatives help establish your brand as the go-to hub for connection and conversation in your space. And honestly? Consistency beats perfection every single time.
Don’t underestimate the power of just showing up and actually engaging with your people. Respond to comments, acknowledge feedback, and jump into conversations that your posts spark. This two-way interaction shows that your brand genuinely cares about its community, not just about pushing products or services. Because people can smell fake from a mile away, and authenticity is what builds real relationships.
Brands like Glossier and Peloton are perfect examples of companies that get this community thing right. They regularly engage with their followers, share real user stories, and create content that feels personal and inclusive, turning customers into passionate brand ambassadors who do the marketing for them. That’s not luck. That’s strategy.
At the end of the day, building community through your content is about creating a space where your audience feels seen, heard, and genuinely connected. When you prioritize real engagement and authentic interaction, you’re not just boosting your social media metrics; you’re laying the groundwork for long-term brand loyalty and growth that actually lasts. Make community-building a core part of how you create content, and watch your brand’s influence expand way beyond your own channels. Because the best marketing does not feel like marketing at all.
Measuring Performance: Tracking What Works
Here’s the thing about measuring your social media performance: it’s not just nice to have; it’s absolutely essential if you want to figure out what actually works with your audience. We’re way past the days of posting random content and hoping for the best. With every brand fighting for attention across platforms, guesswork is not going to cut it anymore. Data-driven decisions? That’s where the magic happens for sustained growth and real engagement.
You’ve got to start tracking the metrics that actually matter: likes, comments, shares, saves, reach, impressions, and click-through rates. These are not just vanity numbers. They tell you which posts are sparking real conversations, driving traffic, and keeping people genuinely engaged. When you see a spike in shares or saves, it means your content is doing its job. It’s providing real value that’s worth promoting again or repurposing into something even better.
The good news is that most major platforms have already done the heavy lifting for you. Instagram Insights, Facebook Analytics, Twitter Analytics, LinkedIn Analytics, they’re all right there, ready to show you what’s happening in real time. These tools break down everything: who your audience actually is, when they’re most likely to engage, and which content types are absolutely crushing it. It’s like having a roadmap to what’s working and what needs to be thrown in the digital trash.
Use those insights to build your content calendar the smart way. Notice that short-form videos consistently outperform your text posts? Time to lean into more video content. User-generated content driving crazy engagement? Make it a regular thing in your mix. This isn’t rocket science; it’s about paying attention to what your audience is telling you through their behavior.
The real power comes from making analytics review a regular habit. Experiment with new ideas, test different posting times, fine-tune your messaging until it really connects with your target audience. Over time, this approach does not just improve your numbers; it builds stronger relationships, boosts engagement, and delivers results that actually matter to your business goals.
By making performance tracking central to your social media strategy, every single post serves a purpose and contributes to what you’re trying to achieve. Stay flexible, keep learning from your data, and let your audience’s preferences drive your content creation. Because when it comes to social media success, the numbers don’t lie; neither should your strategy.
Creating Your Content Mix Strategy
Developing a sustainable content mix requires systematic planning and consistent execution. A well-structured approach ensures you maintain variety while meeting business objectives and audience expectations across all social media platforms.
Weekly content calendar templates should incorporate all five content types in balanced proportions. Consider dedicating specific days to different content types: Mondays for educational content, Wednesdays for behind-the-scenes posts, Fridays for user generated content features. This consistency helps audiences know what to expect while simplifying your content creation process.
Platform-specific adaptation strategies are crucial because each social media platform has unique audience expectations and algorithm preferences. Instagram favors visual content and stories, LinkedIn prioritizes professional insights and industry news, TikTok rewards creative and entertaining short videos, and Facebook supports longer form content and community building. To maximize reach, optimize your LinkedIn profile with relevant content and ensure your brand is active on other social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. Adapt your content to match platform culture while maintaining your brand voice.
Content batching and scheduling techniques maximize efficiency while ensuring consistent posting. Dedicate specific days to content creation, producing multiple pieces in single sessions. Use scheduling tools to maintain regular posting frequency across multiple platforms without requiring daily manual posting. Plan ahead to regularly share content across all your channels for maximum engagement.
Performance tracking metrics for each content type help optimize your strategy over time. Monitor engagement rates, reach, shares, and conversions for different content categories. This data reveals which types resonate most with your audience and deserve increased focus in your content calendar. Additionally, track the effectiveness of your link building efforts as part of your overall content strategy to boost credibility and attract new clients.
Seasonal content planning and trend integration methods keep your content fresh and relevant. Plan major campaigns around holidays, industry events, or seasonal trends while maintaining flexibility to capitalize on unexpected viral moments or trending topics. Stay alert to new platforms and experiment with them to ensure your brand remains relevant as the social media landscape evolves.
Team collaboration frameworks streamline content creation and approval processes. Establish clear roles for content ideation, creation, approval, and posting. Create templates and guidelines that maintain consistency while allowing for creativity and spontaneity.
Start by auditing your current content to identify gaps in your content mix. Analyze your recent posts to determine which content types you’re over- or under-utilizing. This assessment provides a baseline for improving your strategy moving forward.
Create content themes that support your business objectives and speak to what your audience cares about. These themes provide structure for your content calendar while ensuring every post serves a strategic purpose.
For example, a fitness brand might focus on workout education, nutrition tips, member success stories, exercise demonstrations, and class promotions.
Test different content ratios to find what works best for your specific audience and industry. While the 80/20 rule provides a good starting point, your optimal mix might differ based on your business model, audience preferences, and platform focus.
When planning content types, don’t overlook text only posts. These simple formats, especially on LinkedIn and Twitter, can foster genuine engagement and quickly share tips or insights without relying on visuals.
Remember that creating a successful content mix is an iterative process. Regularly review performance data, gather audience feedback, and adjust your strategy accordingly. The most successful brands treat their social media strategy as a living document that evolves with their business and audience needs.
By implementing these five essential content types and following a strategic content mix approach, you’ll build stronger audience relationships, increase engagement rates, and drive better business results from your social media marketing efforts. Start by identifying which content types you’re currently missing, then gradually incorporate them into your posting schedule to create a more balanced and effective social media presence.
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