Social Media is a great tool for content marketing, but there are some rules to the game. Check out these 10 suggestions for effective posting that gets engagement.

1. Use a great visuals.

The visual content is what will stop people from scrolling through the endless parade of their feed and checking out your post. If you don’t have an image directly related to your business, use some stock imagery from a free site like Pixabay or Unsplash.

2. Write good copy.

While the picture gets them to stop, the words get them to click. Use good grammar, flawless spelling, and appropriate punctuation with adequate spacing.

3. Don’t be self centered.

Don’t promote your business and products directly every time. Post about topics in your industry, or repost items from other people to build your credibility and engagement with a wider audience.

4. Use hashtags.

For the majority of social media sites, your post might as well be invisible if you’re not using hashtags. Hashtags tell people what category your post falls into, and draws in more engagement from people checking out what’s new in that topic.

5. Be brief.

Don’t make your posts too long, because readers will get weary and move on. Use synonyms for longer words and keep your sentences short. Remember that your audience is very distracted.

6. Post at key times.

This varies by social media type, but your post will get in front of a large audience. You can do a quick Google search to see what days and times are best for the social media platforms you’re using.

7. Involve the readers.

Put engaging questions into your post that will elicit discussion and response. If people are building on the thread below you words, you know your post has been a success.

8. Be persistent.

In today’s socially connected world, it’s not overkill to post, post, and post again. People may need to see something at least a dozen times before even clicking on it, so don’t be afraid to keep trying, and don’t give up.

9. Consider the pros and cons of auto-posting.

You may think that auto-posting saves you time and energy, but an organic effort fueled by the inspiration of the moment might yield better results.

10. Remember the audience.

Different social media platforms are geared towards different users, so while you might be fine throwing up pictures of your weekend on Instagram, that tactic could backfire on LinkedIn.