Carousels, Reels, Stories, Oh My: What to Post When
By Bria Hutchinson
Social media is not for the faint of heart. It can be very intimidating to get started, let alone how to know what kind of post you should be posting and when.
The first thing to do is to determine which platform you want to be posting on. We went over that in a recent issue of the CCox Social newsletter, which you can view in our newsletter archive. if you haven’t signed up for newsletters yet, you can do so on our website so you don’t miss out on helpful social media tips.
Today, we’re going over the six different post formats and the functions they serve. So you can determine what to post when.
1. Videos/Reels
Videos are one of the best ways your audience can get to know you. Making your first video of yourself is scary, but it creates genuine connection. When your followers see your face and hear your voice, it builds trust – if only so they see that you’re an actual human being.
Videos and reels also stay on your feed forever (unless you decide to delete them, of course). So it’s a nice, evergreen way to build trust with new followers who come across your profile.
2. Live Videos
If videos stay on your profile forever, live videos are a great way to directly connect with your audience in a more exclusive way, creating a sense of community.
Of course, you can save your lives and post them on your feed if you need. But sometimes, going live and not saving it to your feed is the perfect way to build community for those who were there. It can also create FOMO for those who weren’t and entice them to join for the next live video.
3. Static Posts
Yes, static posts still have their place in the social media landscape. Since they’re just an image or block of text, they can be some of the quickest and easiest things to post. Yay for saving some of your time!
There are so many creative ways you can use the static post. You could:
- Simply post an image and use your caption to do all the talking
- Combine an image and a few words within the post
- Post a block of text, like a short testimonial
- Post a simple announcement or sneak peek at an upcoming one
The list goes on!
4. Stories
Stories are perfect for keeping up with current events, or for things that are temporary. Examples can include industry updates, flash sales, limited-time deals, etc.
They’re also a great way to get your audience’s attention that you have a timely, new post you want them to check out.
Many business owners use stories to allow their followers a bit of a behind-the-scenes look into their daily lives.
Polls are also a wonderful way to help increase engagement, and better understand your followers and what they want.
Keep in mind that stories are meant to be pretty short. Like 15-30 seconds max short. They’re a quick way to grab attention or connect.
5. Carousels
Carousels are a series of static and/or very short dynamic (i.e. GIFs) slides.
They’re the perfect way to give a quick overview of a process you have or provide tips you’d like to share. For example – you could have a cover slide stating, “5 top tips for engaging instagram posts”, then give each tip on its own slide.
Remember to have your CTA in the concluding slide, Something like, “If you found these tips helpful, subscribe to my newsletter for more! Link in bio/comments” helps viewers understand their next step.
Carousels give quick, digestible information to your audience. They show that your business is valuable, and establish your credibility.
6. User Generated Content (UGC)
User generated content is what it sounds like. Your audience creates posts about your business and you repost them (remembering to tag them and give them credit).
These are the best kinds of posts, because it’s a form of social proof. It shows that people other than yourself engage with and like your business!
User generated content shows your authenticity, authority, and that you’ve helped others achieve their goals.
That’s the brief overview of the 6 types of posts you can put on your socials. Having a variety of posts is best and keeps your audience interested in your feed.
For beginners: try doing at least 1 video, 1 static post, and 1 story per week.
For those who are looking to level up: add a carousel or increase to 2 of everything each week.
For experts: Increase to 3 of everything and repost UGC whenever possible.
The point is to be consistent however you post. Each social algorithm rewards consistency, and it builds trust and shows your reliability with your audience.
Key Takeaways
- Videos create authenticity and connection
- Live videos create a sense of exclusivity and community
- Static Posts are still relevant and are very versatile
- Stories are for temporary things, current events, and announcements
- Carousels are for bite-sized information, like “5 top tips to more engaging socials”
- User generated content builds trust and credibility like nothing else
- Posting something is better than posting nothing. Get started now and do what you can. Stay consistent with it, then level up.
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