• Your text should grab the reader’s attention. Try to strike a balance between being clear and intriguing. Effective headlines do any the following:
  • Promise a benefit or result
  • Incorporate numbers, such as percentages or a "top 10"-style list
  • Convey a sense of urgency, such as a need to beat the competition
  • Ask a question
  • Spark curiosity, such as offering new or surprising information
• Brainstorm a few options and test them out before publishing. Make sure you know how your text and graphics will look on each social network you plan to publish to, and create variations optimized for each.
• Aim for headlines or captions between 10 and 20 words (or 138-150 characters) in length for the most best engagement. For length recommendations specific to each social network, see Know your networks.

• Always make sure you know the meaning behind your chosen emoji, and use them correctly. Unintentional associations can cause embarrassment for your brand, or worse. Check Emojipedia for a comprehensive list of emoji and their definitions.
• Keep them simple. Different operating systems have their own set of emoji designs. Although they’re all based on the same Unicode standards, their appearance can differ among platforms and cause confusion.
• Use emoji that align with your brand. Always try to maintain a consistent brand voice, even when your social media posts have their own tone.
• Be inclusive. You have a wide range of emoji at your disposal, so make sure to use variety to represent everyone in your potential audience. Variation options include skin tone, couple types, and family types.

• Only mention those you believe will appreciate the mention and are relevant to your post. Over-mentioning or mentioning without clear purpose can be perceived as spam.
• Target non-competitor brands, products, or people with whom you share common themes, purposes, or audiences.
• To build new social alliances, search for social network bios that contain keywords related to your post, and mention those accounts.

• If you use a trending hashtag, make sure you know why it’s trending to avoid unintentionally associating your brand with something inappropriate.
• Don’t use hashtags that are more enticing than the content you’re sharing, or you’ll risk losing your audience with a single click.
• Don’t use hashtags to express a complete thought or point, as you would a sentence. Keep them brief and catchy.
• Recommendations for the best number of hashtags vary among social networks. For hashtag recommendations for each social network, see Know your networks.
• You can use more hashtags with Instagram, because Instagram posts often don't include links. This means that hashtags don’t compete with links against the character count.

For more great hashtag tips, see How to Use Hashtags: A Quick and Simple Guide for Every Network.

• Some visual elements that attract attention are people and faces, colorful, sharp, high-contrast graphics, and video.
• Try overlaying your headline on top of your image for more visibility and interest.
• If you have your own designers and photographers, use custom art rather than stock images, which tend to be generic and don’t represent your brand. If you don't have your own resources, check out our list of Best Free Stock Photo Websites.
• To ensure a professional look and avoid technical hassles, make sure your images and videos meet the requirements of the social network you’re publishing to. For more information, see Image file requirements and Video file requirements.
• If you do use text with images, keep it simple and easy to read. Consider including important text in your caption as well, for accessibility. For more guidelines, see Facebook’s About Text in Ad Images.
• For accessibility, add alt text (a short description of your image). Hootsuite supports image alt text in Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Just point to an image thumbnail and then select Alt when composing a post.
• Test your images and videos on mobile devices to ensure that your visuals are clear and oriented properly.

• Make sure you know your target audience and the type of content that resonates with them. Adapt future content shares accordingly as you learn more about your followers.
• Show your audience that you respect their time by ensuring that the content you’re sharing provides real value. Only provide useful, quality information and resources.
• Make sure your viewpoint on the content you share is clear. Add an introductory sentence or two, and demonstrate your expertise in your industry by offering your unique perspective.
• Build your network and your reputation by letting others know when you share their content and why you found it valuable. This is a simple way to build relationships that can benefit your organization in the future.
• Protect your brand by fact-checking content before sharing it.
• ALWAYS link to the original content source and tag their social accounts.
• For detailed information and examples about these best practices, see Content Curation: How to Do It the Right Way.

Facebook users are the largest and most diverse social media audience. In addition to personal connections, the platform offers access to a wide range of news, entertainment, and special-interest information.

Because of the vast amount of content exposed on Facebook, users spend considerable time scrolling, but only a few seconds or less viewing each post. Facebook’s algorithms also have a large influence on who even sees your posts. In the brief moments you may have to capture the attention of a user, your content must create an emotional connection or sense of intrigue.

Attention-grabbing tactics include sharing high-quality, eye-catching graphics or video, making your posts actionable (asking a question or sharing a link), and keeping content concise. Facebook is an excellent medium for referring users to your website.

Video content is becoming increasingly effective with Facebook users, leading to higher engagement than posts using photos or graphics. Facebook Live videos are even more effective at engaging audiences, and Facebook prioritizes this content type in user feeds. To ensure accessibility (and capture the attention of people who browse Facebook without sound), add captions to your video. To learn more, see How do I add captions to my Page’s video on Facebook?

Learn how to publish to Facebook using Hootsuite in Create a Facebook post.

Instagram is a highly visual platform, so any content you share should have a strong visual element. Bold and colorful photos, high-quality graphics, and short videos are effective at gaining audience attention.

Because Instagram posts don’t include links, they’re not as effective as Facebook for driving website traffic. However, incorporating branded hashtags in Instagram posts can encourage users to adopt them and help you grow your following organically.

Make regular searches for your hashtag to find user-created content that mentions your brand, learn about your audience and your business niche, and grow your network. Learn more about who uses Instagram to drive more meaningful engagement with your brand.

You might use hashtags to let users know your geographic location, join trending themes, or add personality to your brand. Instagram allows 30 hashtags per post, but maxing them out can actually hurt your reach. We recommend using only 3-5 hashtags per post.

Because of an algorithm that exposes rotating images in multi-image posts, carousel posts can be especially effective at driving engagement. If a user doesn’t engage with a carousel post the first time they see it, Instagram shows them a different image from that post the next time.

Instagram stories are a great way to share a lot of content at once, or alert users to new posts on your newsfeed, without flooding users’ feeds. And if you’re verified on Instagram or your account has more than 10,000 followers, Instagram allows you to include links within stories, so you can drive more traffic to your website or other content pages.

Learn how to publish to Instagram using Hootsuite.

X’s audience is accustomed to short, sharp, informative messaging, with relatively equal focus on news and social content. X posts are limited to 280 characters, ensuring that your content is appropriately concise. However, you’ll also want to ensure that your message is clear, and that you balance clarity with a tone that represents your brand’s personality.

Posts that include video are fast becoming the best-performing X content. As with other social networks, keep your X videos short, simple, and clear. X recommends including products and people in video content, and being strategic with logo placement. For more tips from X, see Data-driven best practices for X Video Ads.

As with Instagram, branded hashtags can be an effective means of increasing visibility. Unlike Instagram, however, keep hashtags to a minimum (1-2 per post), as they can distract from your main message and count against your character limit; only use hashtags that are truly relevant to your brand or message.

In addition to publishing your own content, you can also increase brand awareness and grow your audience by participating in trending conversations. Sharing ideas, opinions, and insight into your industry can help you establish yourself as a thought leader. Try the rule of thirds for posting: 1/3 promoting your business, 1/3 sharing personal stories, and 1/3 sharing insights from experts or influencers.

Learn how to publish to X using Hootsuite in Create an X (formerly Twitter) post.

LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that should reflect your brand from a business perspective. This is the platform where you can identify yourself as a thought leader, contribute to more substantive industry-related conversations, or share content that is meaningful or motivational on a professional level. It’s also where you can grow followers who may become future partners or employees. Learn more about LinkedIn demographics and statistics.

As with other social media platforms, LinkedIn posts with visual elements have the highest engagement levels, with video content performing best. Videos hosted directly on LinkedIn, rather than on an external site, are prioritized above other content types by LinkedIn’s algorithms.

The content you share on LinkedIn should be carefully reviewed to make sure it adheres to your brand standards. Keep post copy brief, and use formatting options to add bulleted lists and line breaks, making captions and content easy to read. Consider sharing links to your own research articles and industry-related blog posts, as well as company-specific news. To solidify your own reputation as an industry leader, share relevant content published by respected partners or experts whom you hold in high esteem, or use LinkedIn’s Content Suggestion feature to find content to share.

Target your audience by using LinkedIn’s audience targeting tool. You can select individuals to target based on language, location, company size, industry, job function, and more. You can also target specific audiences more casually by naming them at the beginning of a post, as if you’re talking directly to them.

Learn how to publish to LinkedIn using Hootsuite in Create a LinkedIn post.

TikTok is all about short-form video and having fun. It’s the platform to use for experimenting, taking risks, trying new types of content, and joining the latest trends. The sky’s the limit when creating your own TikTok videos. TikTok's editing tools offer a variety of effects to enhance your content and make it pop. Try the latest effects, and experiment with the ones that drive the most engagement for your brand.

Select TikTok’s Search bar to see trending topics, and follow the hashtag #TrendAlert to jump in early on trends that fit your brand strategy. Stay relevant—don’t join a trend after it peaks!

Tip: Intimidated by TikTok? Not to worry! We can help you make sense of it all with our TikTok Culture Guide.

Influencers are huge on TikTok. They can help expand the reach of your marketing efforts and give your brand a major bump, so look for ways to incorporate or connect with them. You don’t need a high-profile influencer for successful marketing. Rising stars and micro-influencers (those with a following of less than 10k) still have dedicated followers, are more affordable to contract with, and can share your product or services with the right audiences.

Want a free TikTok content strategy? Try user-generated content (UGC), which is video created by TikTok users. Prioritizing UGC is a great way to quickly build audience loyalty by bringing authenticity to your brand, because users tend to put more trust in brands that feature real people. Generate UGC by encouraging followers to tag you in their posts and use your hashtags. If real people love your brand and are willing to promote it without compensation, you’ve won the Internet. Always give credit for any user-created content that you repost or respond to using duets or stitching.

Finally, don’t forget to tune in to audio, which is critical to your success on TikTok. According to TikTok, “When brands feature songs that TikTokers like in their videos, 68% of users say they remember the brand better” and “58% say they feel a stronger connection to the brand.”

Tip: Hashtags have a major impact on the success of TikTok campaigns, so make sure you have a solid hashtag strategy. Incorporate your own branded hashtags, as well as any trending hashtags that fit your brand, but be sure to keep them up to date. TikTok recommends 2-3 hashtags per post.

Learn how to publish to TikTok using Hootsuite in Create a TikTok video.

For more TikTok content guidance, check out How to Create a Successful TikTok Marketing Strategy.

If your company has a great blog that’s regularly updated, re-purposing posts for social media is an easy way to drive traffic to your brand and keep your audience engaged and informed.

Social media is a great place to promote your company’s events, like workshops, webinars, and online chats. Sharing events can be an effective way to generate excitement, engage with your audience, extend reach, and increase turnout.

Share exciting news, such as an industry award, a milestone number of customers, or an important hire. Make sure to keep it fun and engaging with a GIF, video, or graphic.

If your company gathers original data about your industry, like Hootsuite’s Digital Reports, share it on social media to reinforce your leadership and competitive advantage. You can also share relevant news, articles, statistics, and research from other industry leaders.

Showcasing real people who work at your company and spotlighting your company culture can help you build trust and a personal connection with your audience. Highlight employees through interviews or guest posts, or showcase workplace attributes that reveal the human side of your company with “behind-the-scenes” looks.

Try getting creative with fun and new ways to photograph your product. Show products or services being used, play with backgrounds, or group them in a new way. Use visuals that stand out while still blending with your brand.

Take advantage of this very effective medium by sharing videos about your product or service. For example, show how something works, highlight a new or soon-to-be-released feature, or create an animated reel of tips and tricks.

Video posts are great, but live videos can result in even higher user engagement. Consider hosting live videos on Facebook Live or Twitter Live for launch events, product previews, and demonstrations.

Get your followers talking and engaging with you and each other by asking a question—one that can’t be answered with a yes or no. These could be just for fun, related to current events in your industry, or used to gather opinions about new products or features. Share some of the responses in subsequent posts!

Infographics are excellent attention grabbers that can serve a variety of purposes; you might create them as step-by-step guides, to illustrate market research, or to highlight sales results. Or, perhaps you have website or blog graphics that are perfect for the post you’re planning. For vertical graphics like infographics, try Pinterest for its vertical-friendly format, or divide infographics into multiple images and publish them in an Instagram carousel post.

If your company or team has job openings, let your social followers know! People who are already interested in your brand might be interested in working for your company or know someone who is.

Hosting contests and giveaways on social media is great for promoting new products or services, rewarding followers, and gaining new followers. Encourage engagement with your brand and expand your reach by requiring a comment or share to participate. Here are some ideas! Be sure to keep it simple, have clearly defined rules, and follow legal requirements. Learn more by reading How to Run a Successful Facebook Contest: Ideas, Tips, and Examples.

If you have fans or customers who’ve shared reviews or kind words on social media, you can strengthen loyalty and grow your audience by asking them if you can re-publish it (with credit) to your own social accounts. On X, simply repost to share posts that discuss your company in a positive light. On Facebook, you can share any public posts on your Page with a link.

If you identify a social media influencer whose brand aligns well with yours, look into developing a partnership with them. They can produce content that is shared on their social accounts as well as yours, creating the potential to significantly expand your audience reach.

Build relationships and expand your network and audience by sharing a shout-out about a partner you work with. Chances are, they’ll reciprocate.

Consider converting some of your best product advice, common FAQs, or top-performing content into a short list of tips. You could publish a tip per day, a top 10–style list in article form, video tips, or perhaps a weekly feature with its own branded name. Short videos are also a great format for tips and tricks.

If your post links to external content that includes a compelling or inspiring quote, use the quote as the body of your post to entice the reader to read more, and perhaps even format the quote as a graphic. Quotes can be especially powerful when they come from a known expert, celebrity, or industry leader.