3 Types of Content Marketing for Facebook

Are you treating Facebook like a selling tool? If your company only uses the platform to sell, sell, sell, you run the risk of alienating your customers. Before you ever post a promotion or deal, your followers have to care about what your brand is saying. The way you earn their trust and loyalty is to provide valuable and interesting content.

“There are three categories of social media platforms: trust, action, and awareness. Facebook is a trust platform,” says Sara Leisinger, owner and social media educator at Who's Lance? Digital Media. The problem with selling on Facebook is that you are asking customers to take an action when all they want to do is consume content.

Authentic content will entice people to listen to your brand. Most of your posts should satisfy one of the three Es – education, entertainment, or emotional. Once you have the attention of customers, then you can slip in a promotional message.  

Here are three types of content that any business can post on Facebook to engage their followers.

1) Curated Content

Who are the thought leaders in your industry? These are individuals or companies that you genuinely enjoy following. For example, I pay attention to Contently, the Chronicle of Higher Education, and a handful of credible news outlets. I focus on topics related to my professional interests: content marketing, writing, teaching, reading, and architecture.

Find the experts in your field and share their content. But don’t simply repost – add your two cents. Use the intro to share why you found the article or video interesting. Did you learn something? Can you briefly summarize why you agree or disagree? Can you quote a passage that resonated with you?

Curated content shows your followers that you are actively invested in your profession and paying attention to the latest trends and developments. It proves to customers that your brand is part of a larger conversation in your field of work.

2) User-Generated Content

We’ve all seen the “post the seventh photo on your phone” requests. User-generated content can be incredibly engaging when it’s relevant to your brand. But ask for photos, answers to questions, or story submissions only if the content will feed into a larger story about your company. User engagement should have a purpose beyond analytics.

A quick ideas list:

• Gym – share a workout selfie
• Business coach – post a recent success
• Makeup artist – tell me about the worst beauty trend you ever tried  
• Restaurant – share an ingredient you are scared to try
• Grocery store – post your favorite holiday cookie
• Yoga instruction – ask what pose is the most relaxing

Notice how each question has two things: it reflects the company’s mission or purpose + it is quick and easy for users to answer.

3) Branded Content

“Content is King,” wrote Bill Gates in 1996 – over twenty years later and it’s a truism that applies to every business sector. Your company needs to produce its own content. This is your opportunity to share your insights, provide advice, and earn the respect of your followers.  

Content marketing can take many forms: videos, blogs, live streams, infographics, resource downloads, case studies, and e-books. Even a short social media post with a valuable tip is a type of content marketing. And the article you are reading right now, this very second, is content marketing!

It’s up to you to determine what form of content marketing resonates with your audience. Some followers only want easy-to-digest material, such as social media posts and blogs around 300-400 words. Others want meaty resources to dig into, like whitepapers and guides that over 1,000 words. Pay attention to what your analytics show about reach, clicks, engagement, time on page, and bounces – visitor behavior will reveal what kind of content they prefer.

A Note About Ideal Post Length

Ready to post on Facebook but drawing a blank on the introduction text? Keep it short and sweet – 40 to 80 characters is a sweet spot for most businesses. Avoid having so much text that users have to click on “read more” – only brands that have a loyal, content-hungry following, like author Elizabeth Gilbert, can ignore text length.

Because those handful of words have mere seconds to catch someone’s attention, think back to the last writing class you took. You can use the same strategies to write a paper introduction for a social media introduction: facts, statistics, quotes, anecdotes, startling statements, candid observations, or humorous quips. You only have one or two sentences to make someone stop, read, and click – make it count!

Jennie Morton is the owner of Herringbone Freelance and has a Masters in English. She specializes in content marketing, particularly for industries with complex messaging. If producing your own content sounds overwhelming, message her about ghostwriting services.