2024 Social Media Content Creation: Tips, Tools & Templates
Not you, of course. You stay up-to-date on the latest trends, tools and tips that top digital marketing blogs have to offer. And when it comes to building a brand, captivating an audience and setting yourself apart, you know that it’s all about strategy.
So the content of this post, then, is exactly what you need. You’re welcome.
Bonus: Download our free, customizable social media calendar template to easily plan and schedule all your content in advance.
What is content creation?
What is social media content creation?
Social media content creation is the process of producing written content, photography, videos, or graphics for various social media platforms (think Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, X, and more).
When you scroll through social media, the content is what you see and hear. It’s what users like, comment on and send to each other.
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A post shared by Charlie Ralph Clinic (@charlieralphclinic)
Yup, even this “not content” Reel, is content.
Content creation is really at the core of all social platforms, but each platform requires different content styles, character counts, image sizes and video lengths.
The main kinds of social media content are:
* Photos: Apps like Instagram and Pinterest are very image-forward, and all social media platforms use some kind of photography or visual element.
* Videos: Videos capture attention, and often, keep it: platforms old and new (we’re looking at you, Youtube and TikTok) champion videos as their main form of content.
* Graphics: Not all visuals are created using a camera, and graphics are an excellent tool to communicate information that is clear and engaging. If you’re not an expert graphic designer, no sweat—there are lots of apps that can help you.
* Text: Don’t forget about the power of the written word. Many of the posts on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram Threads are text-based, and the copy written for the captions on your photos and videos counts as content, too.
* Audio: Like text, audio is sometimes left out of the content creation conversation, but it should never be underestimated: platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels are built, in part, on sound.
* Carousels: A carousel is technically just a collection of two or more photos, but in 2024, it has become a form of content in its own right (don’t even get us started on the art of the photo dump). Carousels are best known as a feature of Instagram, but every app is getting in on the scrollable action (even Linkedin).
Who does social media content creation?
Social media managers
Social media managers are hired by businesses and brands to plan, create and post content for them.
Well-resourced brands who make social presence a priority often have social media teams, with many people working together to reach the company’s digital and content marketing goals. Smaller brands may have just one (usually very caffeinated) individual handling all social media duties.
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A post shared by gateau ghost (@gateau_ghost)
Content creators
In general, the term content creator applies to anyone who creates a piece of content—yes, that includes influencers— but in this case, we mean individuals who put serious strategy behind their social media
Many influential social users prefer “content creator” or “creator” over influencer, as the title of influencer doesn’t have a great reputation.
But make no mistake, it isn’t an easy gig: content creators are a powerful presence on the internet, with a knack for selling a product or service. And many turn their aptitude for marketing and ability to build an audience into a career.
Freelancers
Brands may choose to outsource their social media content creation; they’ll hire an individual to handle their social content. Freelancers are usually contractors, working on specific projects for specific time frames.
A freelance content creator generally has more than one client at a time, so they’ll make effective content for multiple brands on a day-to-day basis.
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A post shared by Paragon Living (@paragon.living)
Agencies
Agencies also generate content, sometimes collaborating with influencers or content creators. A business might outsource its social media to an agency if it doesn’t have an internal marketing team or have the capacity for a high volume of deliverables.
Agencies are generally made up of industry experts who keep up with current social media trends and technology. Plus, they can also help connect brands to creators and facilitate the content creation process when it comes to partnerships.
13 tips for a smart content creation strategy
1. Start with audience research
Who are you creating your content for? Knowing your target market is the first step to any great social media strategy. At a minimum, audience research will tell you which social platforms to focus on.
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A post shared by Hootsuite (@hootsuite)
If your target audience is American women in their 20s, for example, Pinterest may be the way to go. If your customer base is made up of teenagers, do some digging on Tiktok and Youtube.
Psstt: For all the deep data on social media demographics, look over these 109 stats.
2. Determine your content mix
There may be a finite number of types of content—photo, text, video, audio—but the potential for your brand’s content is only limited by your imagination.
It’s easy to get bogged down in the possibilities, and determining what kinds of content you want to focus on will help you stay on track.
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A post shared by DAVIDsTEA (@davidstea)
Take Instagram, for example. You can post Reels, giveaways, a case study , long form tutorials, behind-the-scenes content, and so much more. Deciding which sorts of content are best for your brand’s needs is essential.
3. Set goals
Some content can be made just for fun, but most of your brand’s social media presence should be geared towards engaging an audience, building community, or making money.
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A post shared by ᴘᴇᴛɪᴛ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ. (@petit.moments)
If your goal is to increase your follower count, try hosting a contest or giveaway. If you want to expand your TikTok reach, maybe it’s time to hop on a trend.
Once you’ve determined the goals for your content, you’ll have a central idea to create around.
4. Choose your aesthetic
This one’s fun. Your company may already have a standard brand colour palette, font, and general vibe, but if not, now is the time to make some artistic decisions.
Furniture and home decor company West Elm has a really beautiful (and consistent!) social media aesthetic.
Source: Instagram
A consistent aesthetic isn’t essential, but it makes the content you create look more visually pleasing and professional. It signals to your audience that you know your niche, and helps with brand recognition.
5. See what the competition is doing
You don’t have to start with a blank slate—no matter your industry or what social media platform you’re using; there are brands with kickass strategies that you can learn from.
Completing a competitor analysis (finding your competitors through search engines and gathering intel on their success) is an inspiration hack.
You don’t want to copy other brands, of course, but you can use their content to guide your content creation.
If you use Facebook, Instagram, or X, Hootsuite can do a competitor analysis for you. Keep your friends close, and your competitors close.
6. Work with influencers and content creators
Why not partner with the pros? Influencers and content creators know what it takes to build engaged, active social followings, and working with them can help bring your online presence to the next level.
When collaborating with an influencer or a content creator, it’s important to choose wisely and make sure their goals and values align with yours. Take this example from clothing brand Marimekko and a pair of stylish senior creators.
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A post shared by Marimekko (@marimekko)
Or check out this collab between Olympian Suni Lee and a dry shampoo brand.
@sunisalee_
#ad It’s been a blast partnering with @Batiste as their 2024 Ambassador! Check out this behind the scenes look from our recent photoshoot for the NEW Sweat & Touch dry shampoos! #BatistePartner #Batiste ♬ original sound – suni
Pro tip: For more follow-worthy advice on working with influencers, read our step-by-step guide.
7. Use photo and video editing apps
Almost all social platforms have native photo and video editing tools… but that doesn’t mean you need to use them.
The editing ability within the apps themselves is usually limited, and it’s often hard to save your work (and losing a video you’ve been painstakingly captioning is heartbreaking, we’ve all been there).
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A post shared by PERIAULT Leonie (@leonieperio)
If your content requires more complicated editing than filters or cropping (like the cool video above from triathlete, Leoni Perio), you’ll likely want to use a photo or video editing app to get the job done.
8. Experiment with AI
Artificial intelligence is a handy tool for brainstorming content ideas, generating text and coming up with hashtags. If you’re feeling stuck, use AI tools like Hootsuite’s Owlywriter to combat the creator’s block.
Keep in mind, robots haven’t fully taken over the world (yet) and can’t be relied upon to create flawlessly. So make sure you give anything AI-generated a good read, a good edit and then another good read… you don’t want a social media crisis on your hands.
Ready to take Hootsuite’s Owlywriter out for a spin?
Craft perfect posts in seconds
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