Types of content on social media [New Data]

According to our 2023 Marketing Strategy Trends Report, 42% of marketers leverage social media and have the highest ROI of all channels. With this in mind, sharing content on social media is a no-brainer.

Whether you’re looking for a strategy update or taking advantage of the channel for the first time, this post is your guide to the different types of social media content and the benefits it will bring to your business.

Different Types of Social Media Content

1. Video (short form, specifically)

Short-form video is the top trend marketers will be tapping into in 2023, and HubSpot’s 2023 Social Media Trends Report found it to be the highest-ROI format for social media marketing.

With this in mind, creating short videos is a worthwhile investment, with common examples being TikTok videos, Instagram Reels, and YouTube shorts. The following TikTok is a video from Topicals, a skin care company, talking about the different uses for one of their products.

Long-form video is also popular, but it doesn’t come close to the ROI of short-form. Live video gained traction during the pandemic, allowing people to participate in events remotely. Twitch is a popular live streaming platform where people can interact with their favorite creators in real time.

2. Audio chat and live rooms.

Audio chat is another type of social media content, and many platforms have native features like Twitter Spaces, LinkedIn Live, or Facebook Live Audio. It’s also the top type of content marketers plan to tap into for the first time in 2023.

This makes sense, as audio chat rooms allow brands to communicate directly with audiences and develop closer relationships than watching a billboard or watching a YouTube video. And at a time when customers value brand connections more than ever, audio chat rooms are a valuable tool.

Audio chat rooms are all the rage among Gen Z. A Spotify study found that 80% of Gen Z enjoy audio content because it allows them to express their individuality and explore different aspects of their personality.

3. Content that represents the values ​​of the brand.

Content that represents brand values ​​is anything that shares what your company stands for in addition to the products you sell, such as commitments to sustainable production practices, treatment of employees, or any cause you support.

Consumers care more than ever about what the brands they buy represent and the values ​​they hold. They want to know the causes that companies support and the commitments made to improve the world.

The image below is a Tweet from Ben & Jerry’s that expressed its commitment to the environment and the fight against climate change, which aligns with its stated core values ​​of environmental protection.

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Brand equity content helps you attract people whose values ​​align with yours, and marketers also say it has the fifth-highest ROI of any trend. 44% of marketers are already posting this type of content on social media.

4. User Generated Content.

User-Generated Content (UGC) is content that is created by your audience that is featured by your business/brand that is not paid for by your business. For example, someone shares an unsponsored TikTok about how much they like your product or posts a photo wearing your clothes and tags your business.

This type of content is great for sharing on social media because it helps your audience see that people are using and liking your products, vouching for you in a real way.

UGC pays off as customers trust reviews from friends and family more than brand ads, and 79% of people say UGC has a big impact on their buying decisions, significantly more than content branding and influencer content.

When you use UGC, the platforms it works best on are Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

5. Fun, modern and relatable content.

Fun, trendy, and relatable content on social media can include viral memes, tie them back to your business, and use trending hashtags or sounds. This type of content requires knowledge of what is happening on social media, cultural moments and current events and the creation of interesting content related to that.

36% of marketers already share fun, modern and related content on social media, with 66% saying fun content is the most effective, followed by related and modern content. Consumers say that funny content is the most memorable.

6. Buyable content.

Shoppable social media content allows consumers to browse through the products in their accounts, discover things they like, and even make a purchase without leaving the app. The image below is an Instagram shop for Ink Meets Paper, where someone can browse their products, find what they’re interested in, and make a purchase.

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This is a valuable type of content as social shopping is currently on the rise and consumers are discovering new products and purchasing products on social media apps more than ever before.

In fact, social media is the most popular way for Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X to discover new products, with more than 1 in 5 making an in-app purchase in the last three months. If you share shoppable content, the most effective platforms for selling on the app are Instagram and Facebook.

7. Educational content.

Educational content shares useful information with the audience that helps them achieve their goals and meet their needs. Educational content can come in infographics, videos, text-based posts, images, any of the types of content we discuss in this post.

HubSpot often shares educational content through YouTube videos, where viewers can learn more about concepts of interest. The following video is a recent video that educates viewers on how to create a brand style guide.

8. High-quality images

Images are a must on social media platforms as they grab attention and engage people. Images can be things like high-quality product photos or even a trending meme related to your business.

Our recent Marketing Strategy Report found that 47% of marketers leverage images as a media format and it works well across all social media platforms.

9. Text-based content

We see text-based content on social media every day, like tweets or thought leadership posts on LinkedIn. The main goal of text-based content is to share information through text instead of an image or video. For example, you might pair a Tweet with a catchy image, but the point of the post is in the text.

Blogs are popular text-based content where people read longer posts and discover useful information. Some popular types of blog posts are:

• How-to posts that present a problem, offer a solution, and discuss the steps to achieve the desired result.
• List posts that focus on a particular topic, offer multiple points, and provide a brief conclusion.
• What-posts that provide more information on a specific topic, with many articles related to comparisons of one thing with another.
• Why: Posts that generally provide readers with a reason or purpose and provide details that support a focused conclusion.

10. Infographic

Infographics are a type of content with the shareability and visual appeal of photos, but are packed with useful data and information. It is an impactful form of social media content and educational content.

The image below is a post from HubSpot’s Instagram account that is an infographic that informs viewers about the most effective traits of a sales leader.

image source

Infographics are also effective, with 56% of marketers who use them regularly saying it’s their most effective type of content.

11. Ephemeral/Disappearing Content.

Disappearing/Ephemeral content is content that only stays active for a certain amount of time, like Instagram Stories that disappear after 24 hours. Users only have a set period to interact with you, so they may be more eager to keep track of your profiles and keep coming back to experience what you share.

Creating quizzes and polls in your Stories is a great way to take advantage of this type of content. People only have a certain amount of time to respond, generating excitement and immediate action, and inspiring respondents to come back and see results.

Content reuse remains a valuable strategy

Social media marketers say they use an average of four platforms, each with their own best practices and guidelines to follow. It can be challenging to create individual pieces of content for each platform, so many marketers share similar content on each platform, but repurpose it to fit each other’s tone and requirements.

However, the key to success is to reuse the content, not reshare it. People don’t look fondly on brands that share the exact same thing on every platform. 48% of marketers already share similar content across platforms with tweaks to make it more relevant to platform demands.

Do you want more information about social networks?

Learn more about the State of Social Media with more of these industry-exclusive facts, videos and tips in our State of Social Media Hub, which will come with a free downloadable resource.