How to Create Content for Social Media
7 Minute Read
Making social media content can’t be just a “post-and-hope” situation. This is your company’s online presence we’re talking about. Like any other aspect of business, your approach has to be strategic, polished, and planned.
Great content grabs attention, builds trust, and turns casual scrollers into loyal followers. If you want to dominate their feeds (and your competition), you need to know how to create social media content that captivates.
Don’t stress. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about making social media content—from what it means to why it matters, plus actionable tips to make it happen.
And hey, if this sounds like a lot of work—that’s because it is. You don’t get results if you don’t put in the effort.
If your time and energy have to be spent elsewhere, hire the social media experts at Twelve Three Media. We’ve got your back and the skills to get you where you need to be.
What Does ‘Social Media Content Creation’ Mean?
Social media content creation is the entire process of getting a post live on your social platforms. It’s a lot more than snapping a pic and typing a caption off the cuff. It includes everything from brainstorming ideas to organizing details, producing assets, and finally hitting “Post.”
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What the process looks like depends on the needs of your brand. Some brands will have a fairly simple workflow, while others are putting on a full-scale production. No matter the size of the operation, making social media content is about turning ideas into tangible, shareable posts that resonate with your audience…and kick ass.
Why Is Making Social Media Content So Important?
Just in case it was crooked, let’s get one thing straight: content is king, and social media is a 24/7/365 game. If your brand isn’t on social media, you’re definitely not in the competition…you may not even exist.
Here are the other numerous reasons that creating awesome content matters:
- Engages Your Audience: Social media is your direct line to your audience. Steady, engaging (dare we say charismatic?) content keeps your brand on everyone’s minds.
- Drives Brand Loyalty: As long as your product or service is legit, social media can solidify loyalty through consistent and creative content.
- Builds Trust: Strong content provides social proof. It legitimizes your brand and builds credibility with potential clients/customers.
- Showcases Your AMAZING Personality: If you feel the need to shine—this is where you’re gonna do it! Use your social platforms to make connections that go beyond transactional.
- Efficiency: Having a structured plan of attack ensures your process is streamlined and efficient for maximum impact!
Just remember: even the best social media content won’t save a bad product. But say both your product and your content are out of this world? Well, then, you’ll be unstoppable.
Making Social Media Content
At this point, your social media strategy and goals better already exist (if not, hit pause and check out that badass blog). Now, it’s time to bring those to life through content creation. Here’s how:
1. Brainstorm Ideas (or as We Like to Call It—Think, Damnit!)
Start with the research. Oh, you thought you knew it all. Wrong!
Dive into what’s trending in your industry right now. Identify content that’s performing well. Check your competitors, dig deep into relevant hashtags, and keep an eye on audience behaviors.
Consider what’s happening seasonally and culturally and pull inspiration from it. Now, take all of this and make it your own. How can you put the [your brand name here] spin on it?
2. Organize Your Thoughts
So, you did your “Think, Damnit” sesh. Now, it’s time to write it all down. Map out those details:
- Purpose of the post
- Audio or video inspiration
- Asset type (static image, video, text)
- Potential post copy
- Hashtags
- Tentative posting schedule
Having a clear outline further improves your efficiency and gets you rolling. (Pro tip: A social media content calendar will be your best friend…and wouldn’t you know it, we’ve got a blog on that, too!)
3. Produce Assets
It’s about that time—time to create the content! This could mean video or photo shoots, designing graphics, or sourcing images (think Shutterstock or Canva). It’s fun—sometimes it’s grueling—but this is where you get to make your vision a reality.
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Make sure that each asset aligns with your brand’s style and resonates with your audience. You don’t want to waste time, energy, and money on posts that will not benefit your clientele and, thus, your business.
4. Write Post Copy
Do you realize how much thought goes into even the shortest of captions? A lot. Trust us.
Craft post copy that is on-brand, engaging, and optimized for the platform. Make sure it aligns with the visual asset. Most importantly, does it convey the messaging you intended for this post?
Pro tip: Keep in mind character counts here. Yes, you can write a novel if you want, but if you don’t have enough “Read More” energy in those first few words, they’re not going to click to see the rest.
5. Review & Refine
Before you willy-nilly hit the “Schedule” or “Post” button, REVIEW YOUR CONTENT! Whew! Sorry for yelling.
You have to take a second look before you send this stuff out into the digital world because once it’s out there, it’s out there, no matter how quickly you hit delete.
Does it look good? Is the tone right? How does it sound and feel? Are there any typos, grammatical errors, missing elements, or SUPER embarrassing gaffes? This step ensures your content is polished, perfect, and ready to rock.
6. Schedule or Post
Finally, it’s time to upload your content. We highly recommend using a social media management tool to schedule posts at the primo time for maximum engagement.
Once your post is live, the work isn’t over. Monitor its performance to find out what’s working so you can adjust your strategy accordingly. And interact with your audience! This is the perfect time to form those unique and personal connections only social media can provide.
5 Tips for Killer Social Media Content
- Don’t Copy Your Competitors: Drawing inspiration is one thing. Outright copying your competitors is a no-go. Stand out by putting your own spin on trends and ideas.
- Know Your Audience: Don’t get confused—you’re not creating content for yourself. You’re making social media content for your audience! Understand their preferences, behaviors, and needs and craft content that speaks to them in a way only you can.
- Have Fun!: People can tell when you’re having fun, and it becomes contagious. Inject personality and joy into your content. It will elevate the quality and create authentic connections.
- Adapt Based on Performance: You need to experiment and grow, but you should also know what is working and what isn’t. Use analytics to optimize your posts and learn from their performance. Then, improve! In fact, always be improving!
- Quality Assurance: Double-check that your posts display correctly. There shouldn’t be blank thumbnails, broken links, or formatting fails. Everything should align with platform standards and have that pro finish.
Platform-Specific Content & Best Practices
Not all social media platforms are created equal. Each has its own personality, purpose, and set of best practices. To get the most out of your content, tailor it to each platform while identifying opportunities to repurpose it efficiently.
Here’s how to play it smart:
- Platform-Specific Strategies: Create content that matches the vibe and audience of each platform. TikTok thrives on authentic, vertical videos. Instagram is about polished aesthetics. LinkedIn is for professional, value-driven, long-form content.
- Best Practices: Follow all platform-specific rules for image dimensions, post types (video, static, carousel), character counts, and tone to keep your posts relevant.
- Cross-Platform Opportunities: While some content can be shared across platforms, it’s all about making the right tweaks. Evergreen content—like tips, advice, or FAQs—can be repurposed with minor adjustments. On the other hand, trend-driven or casual content might crush it on TikTok and bomb on LinkedIn.
- Be Efficient. B-E Efficient!: Making tailored content doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel for every post. Start with a TikTok-first approach—where short-form video thrives—and adapt it to other platforms when appropriate. Find the balance between efficiency and platform specificity.
Bottom line? Know your platforms. Play to their strengths. Respect their differences. Put your content where it matters most.
Are You Ready to Rock That Content?
Making social media content that rocks isn’t rocket science—but it does require clear intention and maximum effort. You’ll need to balance creativity, strategy, and practicality.
From brainstorming to posting, every step of the process is a chance to connect with your people, build trust, and showcase your brand’s unique personality. Show ‘em what you got, folks!
Okay, wait. Are you feeling overwhelmed? Don’t freak. Twelve Three Media has a team of social media experts who get paid to craft content that drives results. If you’d like, we can take over, and you can focus on what you do best. Contact us today, and let’s get you shining!