Are you looking for post inspiration to get your brand out of a social media slump? Look no further, I’ve come up with 10 fun, and (hopefully) inspiring story-based post ideas for you to riff off. Enjoy!
1. Ten
Tell a story with ten pictures. This could be a behind-the-scenes story of your process, an employee story, highlights from an event, a customer journey, etc. The only limit is choosing just 10 photos to convey one story.
Example: 10 Frames: What Bumbershoot 2015 Looked Like
2. Values in Action
Collect stories that display your company’s values in action and tell them with a simple portrait. Think Humans of New York for your business. Was there an instance when an employee went the extra mile for a customer in need? Can you recall moments feeling as if you really acted according to your core values? Find or create photos that tell the human side to your story, and then tell it!
Example: Humans of New York
3. Teach with story
Many times selling your product/business/company can mean teaching customers and moving them along the customer journey. The problem is that educational content can be boring and dry. A great way to teach is to teach through storytelling. Try explaining an important lesson through the window of a great story.
Example: Moz Whiteboard Fridays always start with a clever hook, story or anecdote to pull the viewer in.
4. Overcoming the Monster.
Everyone is dealing with a scary monster in one way or another. Whether it be public speaking, asking someone out on a date, or the first day of a new job, monsters are very real and very sucky. Does your product help people overcome their monster? Show the sweet moment of triumph. Everyone loves a good underdog story.
Example: This Girl Can offers different ways of seeing women beyond conventional representations of the female body as an object of beauty rather than something that is athletic, strong, and sweaty. The “monster” here is society’s notion of what a girl is “supposed” to look like.
5. Get Silly
People need a break from the ordinary. This may explain why cute animal and kid videos are so wildly successful online. Sometimes silliness, cuteness, parody and satire need to rule the day. Why not shake things up a bit and turn an ordinary event or a serious idea into something fun? Turn it on it’s head and get silly with it.
Example: #MariachiMyTweet
6. Serialize your story
Do you have the makings of a good story? Can you think of a:
- Hero
- Dilemma/Problem
- Villain
- Struggle/Tension
- Resolution
- Lesson
If you said yes to the above, then you’ve probably got the makings of a story. The thing is, you don’t have to give away the whole thing away in one go. Try building dramatic tension by slicing your story into juicy pieces (despite your desire to tell, tell, tell!).
Next, arrange your story in an interesting or compelling way. You can tell it chronologically, start with the answer, or start with your hero…. just make sure excitement builds towards your resolution as the story goes on.
Example: Serial Podcast
7. Do your homework
Research something that causes you pain or annoys/bothers your prospective customers/clients. Go digging for knowledge. Don’t just Google it. Take one question personally and tackle it with a vengeance. Interview people, read books, ask questions and regularly share what you discover. Illustrate your new-found knowledge with infographics, video, text and show the benefits of your product when it comes to handling your prospect’s pain.
Example: My Fitness Pal
8. GIF it. GIF it good.
If you have video, you can use free resources such as makeagif, GIFmaker, and imgflip, to create your own GIFs. This is a fun (and easy) way to capitalize on your existing content, plus soon you might be able post GIFs on Facebook (this feature is rolling out to brands too).
Example: Wendy’s Salad
9. Share a moment.
Our lives are made up of tiny moments that matter over time. Don’t forget that your product or service fits into real people’s lives whether that happens multiple times a day, once a day, once a week, once a month, seasonally or only once a year (or lifetime!). Capture those moments and share them.
Example: Shinola
10. Reinvent a classic.
This summer, instagram sponsored a contest encouraging people to reinvent classic, iconic photographs. From John Lennon’s iconic NYC portrait, to the Beatles on Abbey Road, Marilyn Monroe’s flying skirt, Rosie the Riveter and more, people from all walks of life joined in the fun.
Although the contest is now over, you still can leverage iconic images and memorable moments of the past to create an image that sparks something deep within your audiences’ collective memory. Bring a little joy to their day.
Example: Oreo Horror Stories!
Shelli Martineau | Digital Marketing 