What to Share on Social Media

If you struggle with what to share on social media, this article will help you find and create content, to keep you consistently engaging with your audience. When you think about a year’s worth of content, it can certainly feel overwhelming. But, when you break that down into a handful of content ideas, and draw from both created and found or curated content, the task becomes much more achievable.

Types of content you can find or create, to share on social media..

1. Feature Your Products
2. Behind the Scenes
3. Share Your Photographs
4. Blog Articles
5. Curated & Found Content
6. Inspirational Quotes

This is by no means a definitive list. In fact, I recommend you grab pen and paper to jot down any of your own ideas which pop up as your read this article!

BUT FIRST.. SCHEDULING YOUR CONTENT

Have you seen my “Finding Social Media Content” video on my YouTube channel? In this video, I discuss how creating a schedule can make the process of gathering content, much more efficient. You can rewatch this video at any time.

I highly recommend grabbing a set of social media planners to help you set a schedule for sharing content, and plan the gathering and creation of that content into your work timetable. With a system in place, what can feel like a large task, becomes significantly more manageable!

Below, I’m sharing suggestions for types of content you can share with your target audience via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and so on. I recommended that you allocate one type of content to each day of the week, and repeat that schedule continually. A structured schedule will help you pre-plan and have content ready to share in advance.

1. FEATURE YOUR PRODUCTS

Think of the many different ways you can share news and information about the products and services you offer.

• Show off your existing products, and announce any new additions to your line.
• Added a new range of colours, frames, finishes? Share the news!
• Photograph each product in a style which matches your brand. Have these images on hand in your Media Library, ready to share.
• Don’t forget to take close up detail photos. Talk about the materials in your products.
  • Show the range of colours and materials.
  • Discuss the manufacture process.
  • Highlight the longevity and quality of the professional products.
  • Talk about the difference between custom, professional photographic products and department store options.
• Photograph your client orders prior to delivery. Package them beautifully, reflecting your brand and the precious memories they represent for your clients. (Share them after your clients have collected so as not to spoil the wow factor for them!)
• Don’t forget about user-generated content! Ask your clients to send a photograph of their products displayed in their home so you can show, with their approval, how your products suit different lifestyles or decor.
• If you offer digital collections, discuss the importance of print.
• And don’t forget to remind your audience that backups are essential, and other tips on caring for products.

2. BEHIND THE SCENES

Inviting your audience into your work space, or showing them how you work in client homes, is a fabulous way to help build brand trust. Use images or video to share snippets of information about you, your style, your way of working.

• Use an assistant or set up a time-lapse camera to capture behind the scenes of you working with clients.
• Photograph your space to give your audience an idea of where they will be coming to for their session. This helps them to know what to expect and get them excited about their session.
• Updated your display prints or studio decor? Photograph them in-situ and show them off. Do you have a story behind the updates that you can share?
• Spend some time laying out styling ideas. In the same way you you see fashion guides in magazines, you can style your throws, wraps, props, outfits and accessories into pleasing combinations, and photograph those. Don’t forget to watermark your behind the scenes images when you share them on social media.
• Use opportunities to share seasonal colour palettes, show off newly acquired props, display your own handmade creations, and so on. For example, “I can’t wait to have my first Christmas baby into the studio so I can use these rich, festive colours in their session!”

Note, it’s important to respect your clients’ privacy. If capturing BTS in their private home, be mindful of what is shown in the shot, and seek their approval as necessary, prior to sharing on social media.

3. SHARE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS

You’re a photographer! Do your thing! Share your beautiful imagery with your audience.

• Share images from your folio – client or model call sessions. Make sure you have a model release signed, permitting you to share your subjects’ image online.
• Share images of your own family which also reflect your style, quality and professionalism.
• Have you received any awards? Are you working on a personal project or exhibition? Share these on your social media channels!
• Don’t forget about throwback and seasonal opportunities to share favourite images from eg. last year’s Easter sessions, to build engagement for the next year.
• Share single still images, or create animated slideshows to add some variety!

STORYTELLING

People love, relate to, and remember, stories. If you can incorporate an element of visual or written storytelling, you’ll create greater impact on your audience. People are more inclined to share content which has touched them, with their own social media connections.

If you’re an established photographer, it’s likely you’ll have a large pool of photographs to draw from to show your work, and strengthen your brand. Therefore, I’d recommend scheduling photographs on 2 days of each week.

4. BLOG POSTS

If you haven’t yet read our previous posts about blogging, we strongly encourage you to do so. There are many advantages to blogging, such as increasing your opportunities to be found in online searches and creating genuine content to attract the right audience.

Obviously, once you’ve created your blog posts, they become another source of content you can share to your other social media channels.

Remember, most of us mix with friends and colleagues with similar interests and experiences of life to our own. So does our audience. As such, it’s common practice that we share things we find that we feel will interest others too. By creating articles about topics of interest to your audience, you’ll find them sharing with their own circles also. If you’ve created valuable content, don’t be too shy to invite them to share it with their friends who might also find it of interest.

• Use a social media planner to plan your blog topics well in advance to give yourself time to research, write and create any visual elements for your posts.
• Choose specific subjects rather than broad topics for your blog posts as often as possible. This will give you more opportunity to return to a different area or angle of the same subject again in the future, and reduce the fear of running out of post ideas!
  • For example, you could write 3 articles such as “Why albums are better than photobooks”, “How to display canvas prints in your home” and “The benefits of ordering professional quality products from your photographer” vs one article about “How to display your images from your portrait session”.

5. FINDING CURATED CONTENT

While it’s important that a large percentage of the content you share is uniquely your own, your audience will also enjoy curated content – that is, content you’ve sourced elsewhere to share with your own audience.

Pinterest is overflowing with a great volume of articles and infographics you can share with your own audience. Remember to credit and link to the author of the content, of course.

• When searching for content created by others, remember who your audience is, and where their interests lie. Don’t just share content for the sake of it, at the risk of diluting your own brand.
• For example, if you’re a newborn photographer, a large part of your audience will be expecting mothers or new parents. What are they interested in? What questions are they asking throughout their pregnancy? You might share anything from nursery decor which appeals to your own style to baby milestones, and so on.
• If the content you’re sharing also relates back to your own services, mention that too. For example, if you share an article on “Your baby at 6 months”, also remind your audience that babies are usually starting to sit around this age. Let them know that you offer sitter sessions, and invite them to enquire with you.

When collecting content to share, it’s essential to focus on content which your audience will find value in. Curated content often provides opportunities for engagement through questions. For example, “I found these gorgeous illustrations by Jane Smith. Do you have wall art in your child’s nursery? Show me what you chose!”

6. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

While quotes generally attract high engagement on social media, don’t just share anything and everything to your business channels. Find quotes which are relevant to what you do and to your audience.

For example, you might focus on sharing quotes which expecting and new parents can relate to.

Keep both your message and visuals on brand. Create a style for your quotes. Base this on your brand style guide, using your brand’s fonts, colours, and logo. Be sure to credit the author of the quote, and if the author isn’t known, state “author unknown”.

As a photographer, it’s nice to incorporate your own photography with your quote graphics. Capture textures, surfaces, landscapes whenever you have the opportunity and consider using these as backgrounds to your quote text.

Throughout this process, keep in mind that the content you find and create needs to be useful to your audience if you expect them to engage with it. Appeal to their interests and needs. As with any marketing activity, it’s vital that you have a clear understanding of who your audience is, and what their needs are, to get the best results.

Ask questions or invite your audience to share something. Create the opportunity for them to engage with you or each other. “Who has tried… ?”, “What do you think of…?”, “Which do you prefer…?”, “Share your own…”

Still struggling? Reflect on the channels and brands you follow regularly. What content do you enjoy? Why do you enjoy it? How do you use it? Is it practical information? Or does it just make you feel good? Think about how you can build a similar relationship between your own brand and your audience, through the content you share on social media.

Create genuine content. The more you share content which is of genuine interest or need, the stronger the relationship and brand trust you will build.