We taught some business owners how to use social media for their business, and they loved it. However, they all had one challenge — they didn’t know how to come up with content ideas to post. So, if you are a business owner in the same shoes, then this article is for you.

Here, we’ll discuss 14 content ideas to market your business on any social media platform — from Facebook, Instagram, and X to TikTok, LinkedIn, and Threads, etc. Let’s get into it.

14 Simple Content Ideas to Market Your Business on Social Media

These content ideas will make you go from being confused about what to post to becoming consistent with posting good content all the time. The best part is, you can reuse each idea, and your audience will still love them.

1. Answer your customers’ questions

Your customers have certain questions about what you sell, whether about how to maintain it, how to detect a real one from a fake one, how to use it, etc. So, think of the top 5–10 questions that customers ask you the most, and turn each of those questions into a content piece.

For example, for a question on how to use the product, you can create a quick tutorial. For questions on what to look out for to distinguish between real and fake products, you can do a live illustration with the real product, telling them what to look out for, etc.

This kind of content positions you as an authority in your field and makes people trust your brand and products. It is also a way to answer the frequently asked questions that potential customers may ask, to reduce the questions you have to answer every time someone wants to buy from you.

2. Behind-the-Scenes (BTS) content

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Imagine if your favourite food vendor invites you to his/her kitchen to see how they make the food you buy, would you like to go? Of course, most people would be excited about the idea. That is what behind-the-scenes content helps you achieve.

People love to see how things are made, it makes them feel like a part of the process. This is why an entrepreneur like Veekee James creates content on how she makes her pieces, the thought process behind it, sketches made, client fittings, etc. Examples of these BTS include example, process videos on how you produce what you sell, videos of packing a customer’s order, your journey to the market to get raw materials for your product, etc.

3. Before and After Content

If you can show how people’s lives changed by using your product/service, then you have solved a large percentage of your sales problem. People want to see what they will gain from using your product, and before-and-after posts can help you achieve that.

For example, if you sell skincare, you can show the before and after of a customer’s skin to highlight the transformative effects of your product. This can also be done for any kind of product, such as hairdressing, makeup, photography, event planning, fitness, etc.

It is best to use pictures and videos, so people can see the transformation. You can also get video testimonials where clients talk about the transformation they experienced if your kind of product cannot be showcased in pictures or videos.

You should also read: 10 Ways to Market Your Business on a Budget

4. Turn Testimonials into Content

Testimonials are another kind of content that builds trust with your customers and shows them what is possible if they buy from you. When posting a testimonial on your page, don’t just screenshot the text; instead, put it into a Canva design to make it look professional and presentable.

You can also make a short case study on the testimonial, talking about how the customer got to know about you, what they bought, the experience you had with them, and then you place the testimonial they shared at the end. This makes it more interesting and compelling.

For example, start a case study video with a statement like “Meet Deborah. She started buying from us in March and hasn’t stopped. Here’s what she said about our product…” This will command more attention than just a screenshot.

5. “Why I Started This Business” Story

I posted on our business community and asked why and how people started their businesses, and got really interesting responses. Some people started because they saw a need in their community that nobody was filling, someone started a bookstore because of her child’s love for books, etc.

Your story is a part of your journey as a business owner; by telling it, you can build your community. Share things like your challenges when starting, the people you want to help with your product/service, etc.

Related: How to launch the right business idea in Nigeria

6. Your experience as a business owner

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Beyond telling the story of how you started your business, you can also talk about your experience running a business, mistakes made, experience with suppliers, delivery men, customers, etc. This can be a way to show customers what you go through to satisfy them.

So, stories about how you resolved issues like customers getting their products late, sending the wrong product/size to customers, and the lessons you learned from them. This content helps you to be vulnerable with your audience and show your human side.

You can also talk about personal struggles you face while running your business, for example, not having light to work, spending your night working to meet customers’ orders due to one reason or another, etc. These kinds of posts are very relatable and help build trust.

7. Throwback Content

Post throwback content to show how far you’ve come in your journey as a business owner. For example, you can post how your product looked when you started versus now, the first time you made a particular amount, or sold many products, etc.

This kind of post helps you reflect on how far you’ve come and shows the growth that your business has experienced over time. It can also serve as a way to inspire or motivate your customers to keep pushing their work, too.

8. Product of the Week Spotlight

If you sell multiple products, start a content series with a product of the week spotlight. So, each week, you simply pick one of your products and talk about it; what it does, how it works, who it is best for, why it is special, how it is made/sourced, etc.

This can help you push products/services that are not selling fast to the forefront for people to see. It can also help you get more sales for best-selling products that people already love, and to promote seasonal products that are very useful in particular seasons or times of the year.

9. Customer Lifestyle Content

Creating lifestyle content with customers using your product in their day-to-day life is another way to show your product in action. For example, if you sell bags, shoes, clothes, accessories, etc, you can ask your customers to send pictures of using these products or tag you in their posts on social media.

This helps you showcase your product while serving as a form of approval and testimonial from the customer. Other examples include a customer sipping your smoothie at home, a mom using your product to feed her child, a groom wearing your handmade beads at his wedding, a bride with your makeup on her wedding day, etc.

Also Read: How to run black friday sales and not run into debt

10. Highlight Suppliers or Collaborators

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Shine the light on the people who make your business work behind the scenes. This could be your employees, suppliers, delivery men, your spouse, friends who support your business, etc. This is another way to show appreciation to them and get them to continually support what you do.

11. Quick Challenges or Giveaways

Host challenges or giveaways that make people use your product and win something in exchange. This will increase brand awareness and help you gain new customers.

For example, you can start a challenge for people to use your product, take a photo of the empty bottle, and tag three friends to win a gift. For this, you don’t need to give big prizes. You simply need to reward loyalty and, in turn, gain brand awareness and more sales.

12. Formula-based content

Formula-based content follows a particular template, such as this or that, question of the day, myth versus fact, problem-agitation-solution, customer of the week, etc. They can be repeated week on week, with different questions and posts to keep your users engaged. This kind of content is best for Instagram stories, WhatsApp statuses, etc.

13. Repurposed content

Repurposing is the best way to make your content live different lives. Video content can be turned into a carousel and a Twitter thread; a customer testimonial can be turned into a quote; a long video into short reels, etc. It’s all about repurposing content that performs well into various formats to reach your customer wherever they are.

So, don’t let that viral video live just one life; turn it into a Twitter thread to reach more people. Don’t let that valuable blog post die on your blog; turn it into a carousel to help more people.

Related: 10 Business ideas to start with 50k in Nigeria

14. Memes

Memes are one of the best ways to balance the kind of content you post. People don’t want to be educated or sold to every time, they also want to laugh, “catch cruise,” and see things they can relate to.

So, post relatable memes related to what you do or regarding things that your target audience can relate to. For example, as a fashion designer, you can post memes about how some customers want a 500,000 dress with a 50,000 budget. As an event planner, you can post about how some couples want a small wedding, but their parents refuse, etc. This kind of content gets more shares and can help you grow faster on social media.

Posting on Social Media is not hard

Content ideas are everywhere, from the questions your customers ask to your experience as a business owner and your competitors’ content. The best way to start is by identifying your ideal customers and the kind of content they want to see that will also bring sales to you.

If you can find a balance between these two, you will have no problem coming up with good social media content that grows your business, increases your sales, and satisfies your customers.

At Triift Africa, we help small business owners get the money, resources, and community to grow. Join our business community where we share opportunities, tips, and tools to grow your business faster.

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