What do you do when your social media feed starts to look like a seller’s product catalogue?

You UNFOLLOW the culprits, right? Oh, don’t worry, it doesn’t make you a bad person.

We don't want your users doing the same for your social media page.

Keep reading and you’ll have not 10, not 20, but 47 great post ideas to choose from. Oh and if you feel that finding these will take up all your time, sign up for Q-rator. With Q-rator, you’ll be able to find, schedule and post content from around the web in just few clicks. Learn more about Q-rator here .

Let’s get started -

1. Contests

Contests appeal to our competitive nature. They are useful not just for increasing engagement, but also for collecting email leads. You can then use these leads for your email marketing campaigns.

Don’t forget to -

• Create a unique hashtag for your contest.
• Outline the rules of your contest clearly.
• Halfway through the contest, remind users to participate.
• Announce the winner and reward on time. Wherever possible, tag the winner.

E.g. Take a look at how RomeoShop ran her #PLUSHMYSKETCH contest.

1st post - Announcement

2nd post - Reminder

3rd post - Winners

BEST FOR: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

2. Teasers

It’s not possible to launch products every day, week, or even month. You have to design and create, deliver orders, respond to customer queries, etc. But in all this, don’t let your users forget you. Give them a sneak peek of what you’re working on. Keep them hooked!

Don’t forget to -

• Give a proper launch date.
• Include product information.
  
• Let users place orders in advance.

E.g. Check out I Sassi Dell'Adriatico by Sehnaz Bac’s teaser post.    

BEST FOR: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

3. Story of your product

Blake Mycoskie very aptly says - ‘The story is what’s going to get people excited’. And who has better stories than small businesses? Use your story.

E.g. Steph reveals the story behind her Etsy shop - Juniper & Grace and you wouldn’t want to leave it mid-way.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram

4. Candid shots

Candid is genuine - not posed, photoshopped or planned. And customers LOVE genuine. Use the happy / spontaneous / quirky moments to connect with your users.

E.g. Chelsea_knitz does it with style.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram

5. Behind the scenes

Humanize your brand. Show your followers who makes the products, delivers, or writes back to them. This is your chance to show who you really are.

E.g. From shop cleaning to lunch, KERF Design pins photos of random activities to its board - ‘Shop Shenanigans’.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram

6. Additions to the team

Remember the tip ‘Humanize your brand’? This is an extension of that. Introduce new members on social media - even if they are there just for a day. Their photo and a little about what they’ve done and will be doing should be enough.

E.g. So what if Stella was in just for a day, she still gets a proper introduction by DistinctlyIvy.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

7. Product tips

‘Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality’. Too preachy? Your target audience wants to know more about your industry. And you have the know-how. Create bite sized tips and post them as part of a series.

E.g. Skincare brand, Burst of Happyness, ran a month long 30 tip health series on skincare.  

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

8. Customer testimonial

Testimonials validate your marketing pitch. It’s an online equivalent of my friend coming and telling me that she loved a product, and I HAVE to go try it.

Don't forget to -

• Tag the customer. This will encourage her to engage (share, like, comment) with your post.

E.g. It seems @good_karmal has a devoted customer.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

9. User generated content

Here’s where you benefit from someone else’s hard work. All you have to do is ask your users to include your hashtag when they post about you. Hashtags will make it easy to find posts.

Don't forget to -

• Create a unique hashtag that your customers can use while sharing posts about you.
• Tag your customer. Tagging gives the customer a nudge to engage (like, share, comment).

E.g. Whatvalliloves just went shopping and she is flaunting it on Instagram. But she doesn’t forget to mention the seller, MoodyJude.

Whatvalliloves post

MoodyJude’s post

We, at OrangeTwig, constantly retweet posts that our users have generated via the OrangeTwig app.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

10. Product videos

If a picture is worth a thousand words, just imagine the worth of a video. You don’t need to post long, professionally made videos. Home made videos shot on your phone are great too. Rather than writing long posts about your products, create a short video showing your technique, how to use your product or simply announcing a new launch.

E.g. Take a look at how WhimsyWhimsical shows her technique.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

11. FAQs

Every now and then, post the link to one of your FAQs. If you’ve seen a question come up repeatedly or if there is something you want to tell your users, it’s worth posting it on your social channels.

If you don’t have FAQs, find time to work on them. They can be a lifesaver during heavy rush hours. Needless to say, they are helpful at other times too.

E.g. Made With a Twist Crochet doesn’t want her users to feel left out during her rush time. So she directs them to her Facebook community. This is a great alternative to FAQs.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

12. Top lists

Do you have products / blogs that you swear by? Do a ‘I Recommend’ or ‘My Favorite’ post. This post will add variety to your page and your post types won’t be centered around your shop only.

Don't forget to -

• Tag the sellers whose products you're sharing.
• Include correct links to the blog / product.

E.g. Here, Ciudoodles Handcraft is endorsing OrangeTwig’s Etsy SEO article -

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

13. Brand themed images

You’ll have to be on a constant lookout for this one.

Every brand has a theme - Nike focusses on Heroism, Dove focuses on Real Beauty, etc. Identify the theme central to your brand and find images that resonate with it. Pick attractive images, write good captions and use relevant hashtags for this post.

E.g: Dove regularly posts photos of women from all walks of life. These women aren't models, just women who have a story.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

14. A day in the life

This is a fun one! What does a typical day at your work look like? Post images, captions, videos, articles that best describe what’s been happening. Make your users a part of your culture.

E.g. Holidays are fun and frolic for all of us, but for Etsy sellers, it’s serious business time. Angieshandmade is up at 5 am and sewing.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

15. Name your superstar

Having a favorite product is almost like having a favorite child (you never say it out loud). But it does make for one more post type. Run a series - favorite product of the week / month.

Don't forget to -

• Revise this. You don't want the same product to be stuck on your page.
• Make sure you have this item in stock. Even if it sells like hotcakes, you should be able to ship it out when someone places an order.  
  

E.g. I almost asked Made with a Twist Crochet to send me that Ear Warmer - I am cold too.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

16. Recommend a Business

Do you constantly quote an awesome shop / supplier? What makes it special for you? Why not recommend it to your follower.

Don't forget to -

• Tag that business.
• Include some details about what you purchased from them and why you loved it.

E.g. Jolie Handmade Jewellery loves YummyTreasures’s glass cabochons.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

17. Little known facts

Everything about your products is already on your website. But what about those little interesting things about you and your shop that you missed out on? Think hard and post those tit-bits of information.

E.g. Here’s something we didn’t know about Jolie Handmade Jewellery.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

18. In trend

Everyone is already talking about these. All you need to do is stay updated and add something relevant. You can sneak in your product. But be careful - it should be relevant.

E.g. It seems Sons of Liberty Tees has a very strong stand on Mr. Trump's presidency.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

19. Upcoming events

Keep a tab on upcoming events. These could be about your product, seminars, trade fairs, conferences, etc. Anything that can be of potential interest to your users is good to go. Set up a Google Alert, if needed.

E.g. Here’s an announcement of the ‘Etsy Up Conference’ by Nathalie-Rose F.  

BEST FOR: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

20. Industry research

Get this right and you’ll be on your way to becoming a thought leader in your industry. However, be careful, pick only credible sources.

E.g. Shopify regularly publishes its blog posts. If you don't have time, you can always curate content.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

21. Recycled posts

Reuse posts that have gotten good engagement or seem well suited for your target audience.

Don't forget to -

• The time after which you repeat the post should depend on the social channel. You can post the same content once every two days on Twitter. But on Facebook, wait for a month before you post the same content again.
  - Facebook: Once every month
  - Twitter: Once every two days
  - Pinterest: Once every month
  - Instagram: Once every month

• Write a different copy each time.

E.g. Buffer recycles its posts every 4-5 days on Twitter.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

22. Books

This is my favorite one (the reader in me wouldn’t let go of it). Tell your users what you’re reading and why they should pick it up too. Make sure you're in-line with your brand personality.  

E.g. Art Witch’s excitement about this book is palpable. You could also do something like this.

BEST FOR: Facebook and Twitter

23. Events

Do you have a craft fair or a conference coming up? Share it. You can make it interesting by doing a countdown.  

E.g. True Buffalo tweeted twice about the Holiday Bazaar Craft Show - few days before and on the day of the event -

Few days before

On the day

Here's how you can do it on Instagram. Coastalcreationsnj does a three-part announcement for Holiday Bazaar. You can also give a sneak-peek of the items that'll be on display.

Announcement

Sneak-peek

Final day

BEST FOR: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

24. Myth busts

There are so many myths circling the internet. Pick any and explain why you feel it’s incorrect. If you make a series out of it, you’re set for months.

E.g. Meloniedodaro posts about an extremely common social media myth - you need to be on all social channels.

My Sassy Business did one on 9 Social Media Myths.

Etsy seller and business coach, Lisa Jacob, has a board where she pins articles on selling online.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

25. Infographics

Did you know that the attention span of an online surfer is 8 seconds. That's less than that of a Goldfish. Sad, isn’t it? It affects marketing the most. Infographics can be of great help here. They are stickier than an average text or a photo-text combination and convey the information efficiently.

E.g. Here’s one on Pinterest -

BEST FOR: Facebook and Pinterest

26. Product Ideas

Wondering what to make next? Who better to ask than your buyers? This post will address two issues for you - (a) engagement and (b) new products.

E.g. Tulip Square has done a great job of announcing her new product line and asking her users what she should create next.  

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram

27. Name this product

Post photos of upcoming products and ask users to suggest names. It’s an interesting way to find out which product names resonates with your users.

E.g. life.and.lush got some pretty interesting responses to her question.  

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram

28. This or that

Give your users two options and ask them to choose. It’ll give you a clear idea of what works.

E.g. In this post, ValleyStreamAtelier asks her users to choose between two products. You can give a choice between colors, materials, names etc.  

(Designed and posted using OrangeTwig)

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram

29. Fill in the blanks

Spice it up a little! Pick an interesting quote, leave out a part of it and ask your users to fill it out. To spike engagement, you can also offer incentives.

E.g. Here's a great example by Clinique.

BEST FOR: Facebook and Instagram

30. GIFs

Even if it doesn’t appeal to your aesthetic sense, don’t ignore the loops of video that give you the feel of dial-up modem era. They are extremely engaging and convey the point bang on.

E.g. I’d have to agree with Aline, we wait for feedback with bated breath too.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram

31. Tag a friend

Ask your users to 'tag a friend who loves - '.Use your imagination for the tagging. It can be almost anything. These posts are fantastic for engagement.

E.g. Here's how Becsport goes about it -

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

32. Polls

Another post type is ‘Polls’. Pose a question to find out what your what’s popular, what works better, what should be avoided, etc.

E.g. The verdict is out! Kaitlin should probably stock her shop with Christmas Shirts.

BEST FOR: Facebook and Twitter

33. Feedback

How about asking your users - ‘Are you happy with us? If not, what can we do to make your experience better?’. You will come across as a brand that truly cares and customers adore that.

E.g. Now here's a shop that cares. Great going - The Giving Life Candles.

BEST FOR: Facebook and Instagram

34. Quotes

Social media is quote crazy. And there’s one for almost every occasion. At one point, we, at OrangeTwig, were sharing quotes daily. We found industry specific quotes and posted them with relevant hashtags. And it seemed to work really well for us :)

E.g. Check out how Metalicious gives it an interesting spin.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram

35. Daily Deals

Put one item from your shop on sale everyday. This is super effective if you want to offer some discount to your user on a daily basis, but at the same time don’t want to discount your entire store.

E.g. BeesBotanics uses the OrangeTwig app to promote her Daily Deals on social media.

(Designed and posted using OrangeTwig)

BEST FOR: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Have you tried OrangeTwig for Daily Deals? Get started here.

36. Flash sales

Do you run flash sales? If you’re planning to run one, announce it a few weeks in advance and then regularly post about it. This will help build momentum for it.

E.g. You could take ideas from Cinnamon Sticks Jewelry for a flash sale.  

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

37. Shop sales

Tell your users about the latest offers running in your store. But don’t overdo it. Also, make sure that the links and images in the posts are correct. Your post shouldn't have details of a product not on sale.

E.g. Check out Terrifaye’s Christmas sale. Rather than a simple text announcement, he uses OrangeTwig to promote his sale in professionally designed layouts.

(Designed and posted using OrangeTwig)

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram

38. Giveaways

Giveaways are a sure hit! Why won’t they be? They’re free! Avoid any ambiguity regarding the offer. You don’t want users complaining about not getting their gift.

Don't forget to -

• Explain the giveaway clearly.
• Give a clear timeline of the announcement of winners.
• Tag the winners.

E.g. I wish I hadn’t missed out on this giveaway by Vintage Lee Crafted by Amanda.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

39. Coupons

Of course your customers can find your coupons from your online store. But, that's possible only if they visit your website. Promote coupons on your social channels as well. This'll encourage them to check out your products.

E.g. MyBeachStore has pinned her Coupon Promotion tweet to the top.

(Designed and posted using OrangeTwig)

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

40. Ecards

Your social media calendar should definitely include Ecards. They appeal to our emotional side. Post a good Ecard and engagement is guaranteed. You can search for them online or create your own. Here's a super easy tool - someecards.

E.g. I totally relate to this.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter

41. Memes

A good meme can be internet pot of gold. It has the potential to drive your engagement through the roof. And they are easy to find. You can also be creative and make them.

E.g. Look at this post’s engagement. And it just took a meme!

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

42. Holiday posts

An insider tip - create a calendar of holidays that you find interesting or inspiring. This will help you plan the graphics and the text of the post. You can post a holiday quote, photo, or a video.

E.g. Christmas, Halloween, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, etc - are all good days to wish your fans and users.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

43. Throw Back Thursday (TBT)

Throw Back posts are great for engagement. Post a memory you care about. Hashtag TBT is active on almost every social channel. Don’t limit yourself to your shop. It can be about an event, a milestone, an ad, absolutely anything that seems like a throwback moment.

E.g. Here's a TBT post by OrangeTwig. We featured iconic ads.  

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram

44. 'Ask anything'

Your customers know that they can reach out to you at any time. However, every now and then, it’s good to remind them that you’d love to hear from them.

E.g. This is a good way of going about this post - team photo and a simple question. Rotor Riot did get a lot a questions.  

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram

45. Social causes

Does your shop, or do you personally, support any cause? Post about these causes, why you support them and how you support them.

E.g. Goood Pet Collars likes to help the less fortunate animals.

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram

46. Products

Last, but, in no way the least, Product Photos. We’ve kept this last, not because it’s unimportant,  but because it’s one of the usual suspects.

Don't forget to -

• Keep a check on the frequency
  - Facebook: Once every week
  - Pinterest: Daily
  - Twitter: Once every two days
  - Instagram: Once every week
• Post high quality photos
• Include relevant product information

E.g. LayeredandLong, one of the top Etsy sellers, does a great job with the photo and product information.

You can get innovative and use layouts to post your products. Check out Schmucktruhe's Twitter post.

(Designed and posted using OrangeTwig)

BEST FOR: Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram

Bonus tip

DO NOT ignore Facebook live videos. After a recent update in Facebook’s news feed algorithm, live videos have a higher reach value than any other type of content. Since you don’t have to produce them beforehand, these videos should take less time and effort.

You could do a video on - new launches, how to use your product, upcoming product, technique, etc.

E.g. Hootsuite goes live from 'TheOwlys'

Conclusion

Now you have 47 ideas to choose from. Tap into your creativity. But at the same time, don’t forget about your target audience. This question -  ‘What would my users love to see?’ - should decide what finally goes in your social media calendar.

Happy posting :)

I hope this post was helpful.

What have you been posting till now? And how will it change, now? Let us know in the comments.

If you liked the post, please spread the word by sharing this post. A great way of showing your love is to like and comment.  

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