Even if your business has a solid and consistent presence on social media, that doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement. Maybe your posts are feeling a bit stale, or you’re looking for an extra edge. Here are some quick fixes and small tweaks that can take your content from good to great, and really help you stand out.
Bonus: None of these suggestions require high-quality video footage, which can be challenging and expensive to capture.
Good: High quality product photo
Great: 3D photo or branded photo
The quality of your images is super important, no doubt about it. People want to see products that look good, and want to have a clear idea of what the product is from the photos they’re seeing. But sometimes, just a clear, well-taken product photo isn’t enough to really shine. Take your photos to the next level by adding some style to them. Try adding layers to turn a regular photo into a 3D photo with dimension. Or, add branding by including the product name or a short description layered on the image.
Here’s a fun example of a branded photo from Saigon Cafe.
Good: Photo album
Great: Carousel, with catchy text and a CTA button
When you have more than one image to share, the easy option is to post multiple images as an album. Your followers will be able to click through all the images in one post, and you can add descriptive text for extra clarity. A more exciting option, however, is to post those images as a carousel instead. Carousels allow you to not only include multiple images in one post, but also to include eye-catching headlines and a call to action button. This can encourage your followers to visit your website, purchase your product, or take some other action.
Here’s a neat carousel we put together for local restaurant Guido’s.
Good: Staged photo on plain background
Great: Edited photo with moving background elements as a GIF
You’re not always going to have a natural-looking, lifestyle photo on hand for all of your products. There’s nothing wrong with a staged photo, especially when it is professionally shot. And you don’t need to have crazy props or eccentric backdrops to take these types of photos from good to great. A staged product photo with a plain background is nice. A staged photo you’ve edited to add in colorful, moving background elements is better. You can turn your staged photos into fun and whimsical GIFs that will catch the eye of people who otherwise would have scrolled right past your content.
Here is an example of a simple photo we turned into a playful GIF for Pickles Deli:
Good: Generic text announcement
Great: Branded graphic sharing the announcement
When you want to get the word out quickly about a change in hours, limited-time special, or last-minute closure, it can be tempting to just type a quick message up in your stories, screenshot it, and post it. That is a quick and effective way to spread the word about time-sensitive announcements. However, taking just a few extra minutes to add your branding and create a more visually appealing announcement post can really elevate your content. It can help you maintain a consistent look and feel across your social media channels, and draw people’s attention to the post more than just some plain black text.
Here’s an example of a branded post we created for Vietnamese quick service restaurant DD Mau when they needed to announce a snow day:
We strive for perfection & ensure quality in every dish.You can see from the examples and suggestions above, that it doesn’t need to be extremely expensive or time consuming to take seemingly average content, and elevate it. With relatively small additions and adjustments, you can share content that really wows your followers, and keeps them coming back for more.
