What should you post on Instagram? Here are my top 20 social media post ideas for Instagram that increase engagement and likes.
Continuously creating NEW engaging content for Social Media and Instagram is the biggest challenge as a social media marketing professional. In addition, having multiple accounts to manage substantially increases the number of unique posts created. Having created 50-60 posts per week, I am sharing with you my own post ideas.
1. National or Universally Celebrated Days
There are many calendars available online with some being industry. This calendar will focuses on healthcare such as Breast Cancer Awareness Day and Kidney Cancer. Be sure to add these days to your content calendar. Know your industry. One of the resources I use is the National Day Calendar. This calendar is broad so it’s a great place to curate new ideas.
For Monthly Post Ideas Follow our Instagram.
2. Before and After Pictures
(Instagram Only – Not on Facebook)
Before and After pictures are essential to aesthetics, plastic surgeons, cosmetic surgery, anti-aging procedures, beauty experts, and more. Whether it’s “before and after” new hair styles or bedroom makeovers, people want to see it. According to Realself.com representatives, the before and after pictures result in more views and business than anything else. To learn more check out “Social Media Tips for Cosmetic Surgeons“.
Post before and after pictures on Instagram. Note: Before and After images are not allowed on Facebook.
TIP: When taking before and after pictures use the same positioning, background, lighting, settings and templates for each and every picture.
3. Behind the Scenes
One of my favorite Instagram posts are behind the scenes. As a marketing business the challenge is visualizing what that looks like and getting images. How many times can we post an image of a laptop and cup of coffee? However, getting clients to take pictures is a challenge. Aesthetics has many opportunities to get excellent “behind the scenes” images. Before and After pictures are just one of them.
Listed below are some examples of behind the scenes social media posts:
- Workplace tours
- Action shots of employees and their client’s (with permission of course)
- Demonstrations such as laser treatments and Botox
- Events
- Office pet
- Featured client – example: if you design websites you could feature a new website you just launched.
4. Feature Your Products on Social Media
Weekly or monthly, depending how may products you have and what kind of business you own, do a promotion or featured product on social media. In addition this can be applied to services. For example: some clients will feature one skincare product each month along with a service such as IPL Laser Facial and/or Chemical Peels.
Other ideas:
- Product of the month
- Promotions
- New products
- Product endorsements
- Staff Picks
- Product demonstration
- Video
5. Lifestyle Posts
Lifestyle pictures are engaging and effective social media posts – especially on Instagram. Take pictures of satisfied or happy clients or people after they were treated or used one of your products or services. For example: an image of clients or people on the beach after body treatments such as CoolSculpting is an excellent way to communicate who you are and the benefits of the products and services you provide.
6. Quotes, Thoughts, Inspiration
One of the most popular and engaging social media posts is quotes, thoughts and inspiration. Use phrases and quotes that are related to your business.
- Quotes from prominent figures and celebrities who appeal to your target audience.
- Thought-for-the-day. Example: “Beauty might bring happiness, but happiness always brings beauty.”
7. Client Reviews
I love these! If you have lots of great reviews, you have user generated content to post on social media. Share these on Instagram by postings excerpts from a review using a beautiful related image. For example, part of the review said “professional, caring staff” you could include these words over the image. The description might say “New Review from Yelp – Beauty Besties created a customized new look for me that I love, I am always greeted by the professional and caring staff by: Lisa Beauty Junkie”.
TIP: Use a template for sharing all your reviews.
8. Events for your Business
Events are strategic opportunities to create NEW and interesting content to promote your business without the appearance of advertising. Tips for a successful event:
- Invite your current contacts with an email campaign.
- Use posters, signs and flyers clients can easily see when visiting your business.
- Mail invitations to current contacts and target audiences in your region.
- Advertise on social media.
- Share the event before, during and after on social media.
Host an event for one of these:
- Holiday Party
- Anniversary sales
- Staff get together
- Birthday’s
- Open House
- Speaking event
- New Location
- Grand Opening
- Product Launch
9. Business Hours
- Extended hours
- Open on weekends
- Holiday’s you are open
- New location
10. Featured Staff
Feature members of your staff or team. If you don’t have staff feature a business or person you network or collaborate with. Example: If you are a photographer feature a make-up artist you work with. Below are some topics to use to feature your staff member.
- New baby
- Promotion
- New hire
- Credentialing
- Birthday
- Work anniversary
- Recognition
- Review specific to that staff member
11. Local Events
Each month follow upcoming trending events. As I am writing this it is Coachella Festival in Palm Desert, one of the biggest concerts in the Country. The image is from “The Circle of Light” an art installation for the annual Desert X art exhibition that coincides with Coachella, is a popular place for Instagrammers to go for pictures.
Seattle: Bumper Shoot, Taste of Seattle, SeaFair, Taste of Main, Snowflake Lane
12. Weekends on Social Media
Post images of things to do or better yet things you are actually doing on your day off like sleeping in, working out, going for a run, beach time, swimming, shopping, celebrating, cooking or golfing. The list is endless.
13. Promotions
If you do promotions this is a great place to promote them without being too salesey. An image of beautiful eyes and a smooth forehead could have a description such as “Now through July 31st, Botox for eye wrinkles ONLY $350. Call Susy at 206.xxx-xxxx to schedule your appointment”
14. What are your most “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)”?
Why not post one of those questions and answer it in the description?
15. Holidays
Holiday posts create a sense of community, are emotionally appealing, and are easy to plan for and create. If you are a retail business Holiday posts are huge opportunities for promotions. A marketing consultant could tie in Holiday posts to things like “How to Market your Aesthetics Clinic during the Holidays.”
16. Awards
Does your industry give out awards? One example is: Seattle’s Metropolitan Magazine Best Doctors List, which is annual edition of the monthly magazine in which top doctors are chosen from each specialty.
17. Facts
Industry-related statistics, facts, press releases and more provide authoritative and interesting posts for social media.
18. Location pics for Social Media Posts
Since my business is online I could work from anywhere. The reality is I work from a home office in either – Seattle, WA and Palm Desert, CA. I have clients from both areas and am posting things related to each location.
19. Seasons
Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer – I think this is fairly obvious but tying it to your business or services may not be quite as intuitive. For an anesthetics business posting about laser services in the Spring is good as it isn’t recommended that laser be performed on tan skin.
20. Videos for Social Media
Videos are the most engaging posts you can create. This topic is so important a new blog post will be dedicated to videos.
21. Coffee
Bonus – I know I said 20. Just seeing if you’re paying attention. Anything to do with coffee! Just don’t overdo it. Many of my posts involve coffee. After all, when you work from a laptop what can you possibly post for behind the scenes images?
I covered a lot of things to post on Instagram in this blog and you should have lots of ideas of your own. Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments. I’d love to hear from you. If there are blog topics you’d like me to cover leave that information too.
