A More Intentional Approach to Social Content

Social media content gives brands something most other marketing channels don’t: permission to loosen up, to feel authentic and to meet the consumer exactly where they are (as they scroll on their couch, or during a lunch break).

Think about the ways that you may utilize social media in your own everyday life. People open Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn and other platforms to find things that are interesting, useful, entertaining or worth sharing. Brands who show up in those feeds compete with everything from creators and coworkers to industry experts, memes and someone’s vacation photos. While social media users expect to encounter marketing from brands, the inherent purpose of social media is to interact with engaging posts. Social media scrollers rarely seek out content from brands; branded content, therefore, needs to contribute to a social media feed in a natural and authentic way.

That makes the social media landscape a unique creative space. The content that works on social media doesn’t always look or feel like traditional advertising. Sometimes a highly produced video is exactly right for the moment. Other times, the best answer is an organic video filmed with a phone, a knowledgeable person and 15-20 seconds of something genuinely worth watching.

There’s opportunity in thinking about social media as its own creative environment and building with social media in mind from the start.

Think Social-First

Too often, social enters the conversation after the main campaign assets are already finished. Teams get through pre-production, shoot the commercial, build out the campaign, create hero assets and then ask: Now that we’ve finished that, what do we need for social?

The truth is, as marketers we can make great use of existing assets while also looking for opportunities to build specifically for social.

Before production begins, consider how an idea could come to life specifically on social channels. Could you capture vertical footage alongside the core production shoot? Is there someone on set who could explain what’s happening directly to camera or would be comfortable doing a walkthrough on video in-between capturing the core assets? Could behind-the-scenes footage become its own piece of content? Are there stories happening around the larger production that people might find interesting?

Even simple intentional choices such as camera orientation, pacing, framing and how quickly you get to the point can change how naturally content fits into someone’s social feed.

Tip for the creative process: Bring social to the conversation early. Knowing where content will live before the shoot is scheduled and the camera starts rolling can create opportunities that are difficult to recreate after-the-fact. The sooner, the better!

Create for the Feed

One of the biggest opportunities on social is that production value and content value aren’t always the same thing. A polished brand film can be incredibly effective and is sometimes the best choice depending on the message being communicated. Other times, a quick demonstration filmed on a phone with a naturally engaging subject can move the needle on the algorithm.

The difference boils down to what the idea needs and not overthinking it. Social audiences are accustomed to hearing directly from people. Creators, employees, customers and subject matter experts can bring knowledge and personality that comes off more authentic than traditional brand messaging. That creates room for formats like POV videos, quick tips, demonstrations, Q&As, behind-the-scenes footage, reactions, interviews, skits and direct-to-camera explanations.

This also means brands can experiment with a wider range of production styles. Some ideas call for a full-fledged camera crew. Others might be better because someone pulled out a phone at exactly the right moment. Another could be a go-pro rigged to machinery, or a close-up on a piece of equipment along with sound effects for an ASMR feel.

Give People a Reason to Stick Around

The first few seconds of a social video carry a lot of weight in the world of social media. You have 2-5 seconds to capture someone’s attention before they scroll to the next video. With that in mind, you want to make the value clear from the start. In theory it’s a lot of pressure to put on a few seconds of a video, but worth it when it comes to engagement.

Lead with something that gives people a reason to stick around. Maybe it’s a question they want answered, a surprising fact, a problem they recognize or simply a machine in action with the gritty or satisfying sound to match. Whatever it is, get there quickly and give viewers just enough to make them want to keep watching.

The same process can be applied beyond video content. A strong first line, useful carousel or interesting image can give someone a reason to stop, engage or save something for later.

Let the Platform Influence the Idea

Good social content doesn’t have to look identical on every platform. In fact, content performs best when it’s built specifically for the channel it’s on. An Instagram reel or TikTok video, though both are vertical formats, have small nuances that separate the two. Facebook and Instagram are both Meta platforms, but a carousel works on Instagram but not Facebook. LinkedIn and Facebook both offer space to write longform content, but LinkedIn is tailored for an audience that values thought leadership and thus, offers more opportunity to be information-heavy in the content. Different platforms have different audiences, behaviors and expectations.

Rather than automatically publishing the same asset everywhere, think about what version makes sense for each destination. Sometimes that means changing the edit or opening hook. Sometimes it means changing the format entirely. And sometimes it means deciding a piece of content belongs on one platform and not another. Social-first thinking allows the platform to influence the creative rather than simply determining the final dimensions.

Use What You Already Have

Creating social-first content doesn’t always require creating something new. Brands we work with often have years of photography, video, interviews, product footage and campaign assets sitting in their libraries waiting to live a whole new life in the form of social assets. Social gives us an opportunity to look at those assets differently.

One long-form video could become several short clips. An old interview might contain a great 15-second answer that can be shared as a vertical shortform video. Existing photography could become a carousel. Behind-the-scenes footage that never made the original edit could become the most interesting part of a post by offering a new perspective. The question becomes less about whether an asset is “new” and more about whether it can be made useful, relevant or interesting in a new context.

Learn From What People Give You

One of the best things about social media is seeing how people respond in real time.

There’s a lot we can learn just by paying attention to how people interact with content. Questions and comments can spark ideas for future posts, while things like saves and watch time can help identify what people find useful, interesting or worth seeing more of. That feedback can help shape what comes next.

Over time, those signals can help brands understand not only what performs, but what their audiences actually care about.

Keep Looking for the Opportunity

Thinking outside the social box starts with intention. When social media content is part of the plan from the beginning, you start to see opportunities differently. You’re more tuned into how even small details can become worthwhile social media moments and carve more space to explore the ways an idea could come to life on social.

That might mean planning for specific social content ahead of a shoot, while also leaving room to recognize something great that could arise in the moment. The more tapped in you are to how people are using social and what feels natural on those platforms, the more intentional you can be about what you create.

Bonus Tip: Spend Some Time Scrolling, Too

You may not always be the exact target audience for your clients, but you’re probably a social media user. Pay attention to what makes you stop, what keeps you watching and what makes you scroll right past. A strong hook, an interesting visual, a natural delivery can all be instinctual. Staying tapped into your own behavior and what resonates for you helps you recognize those same qualities when creating content for others.

The goal is to keep social in mind, stay curious and pay attention to what’s happening. When you approach social media intentionally, you’re better equipped to spot opportunities and create work that exists naturally on a social feed. That means staying open to new formats, noticing how people are engaging and being willing to try something different when the opportunity is there.

The social media landscape will continue to evolve, and staying tapped in helps your brand evolve along with it. The more intentionally you approach social throughout the creative process, the more naturally those opportunities become part of the work.

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Written By

Cami Thomas