What should I post on social media for my business? A guide on how to get more engagement on social media

Bry Bird, Creative Strategist

The short answer to both questions is the same: a mix of content types, each serving a specific purpose, backed up by a strategy that turns engagement on social media into actual clients. The long answer is this blog post.

Most small businesses either post randomly and hope something lands, or they post nothing because they can't figure out what to say. Neither works. What does work is understanding what each format is actually for and using them with intention. Here's how.

Carousels: your expertise on a plate

Think of a carousel like a mini book or a zine. It's the format for informative content, the kind that shows your audience you genuinely know what you're talking about.

The most important rule: one topic per carousel. Not a round-up of five loosely related ideas. One specific thing, explored properly across however many slides it takes. That specificity is what makes someone save it, share it, and come back to your profile for more.

Carousels are where you build authority. They show the depth behind your brand in a way that a single image or a short video can't. Use them for tips, processes, breakdowns, comparisons, anything that benefits from being explained in stages.

Reels and video: entertainment and finding new people

Reels have one job above all others: to reach people who don't already follow you.

The algorithm pushes video content to new audiences more aggressively than almost any other format. But the mistake most businesses make is using reels to sell. Nobody opens Instagram to be sold to. They're there to be entertained, distracted, or inspired.

Your reels should be personality-led or community-focused. Show who you are. Make people laugh. Share something relatable. Give someone a feeling before you give them a pitch.

A word on going viral, because I've done it a few times now and the pattern is always the same. My frog reel got 133,000 views and 17 followers. My whale shark video did similar numbers with similar results. Entertaining content almost never converts directly into clients. What it does is teach the algorithm that you're worth showing to other people, which matters, but it's a slow build. Don't mistake views for sales.

Stories: your most underrated channel

Stories are not for polished content. They're for being real.

Think of your stories as an exclusive channel for the people who already follow you. Updates, behind the scenes, helpful links to your latest blog or a resource you found useful. The kind of stuff that keeps your existing audience warm and feeling like they're getting something more personal than your grid.

Use the interactive elements properly too. Polls, question boxes, sliders. They tell the algorithm your audience is engaged and they give you real insight into what your followers actually want to see. Ask them what they're struggling with. The answers will write your next carousel for you.

Static posts: your face, your story, your proof

Static posts get written off a lot because the reach isn't as strong as reels or carousels. But they do something the other formats don't: they build real connection.

Put your face up there. Write a longer caption. Share something honest about what's going on in your business or your life. People buy from people they feel like they know, and a real photo with a genuine caption does more relationship-building than ten branded graphics.

Static posts are also the natural home for social proof. Award badges, testimonials, events you're attending, press features, client results. Keep it simple. A photo with the context in the caption is enough.

How it all works together to get you more engagement on social media

Carousels build your authority and expertise. Reels fuel the algorithm and find new audiences. Static posts and stories build connection and trust with the people already following you. Social proof content, woven through all of the above, is where the actual conversion happens.

Each format is doing a specific job. Together they build the kind of account where someone can land for the first time, understand what you do, feel like they know you, and feel confident enough to click through to your website or get in touch.

Tip: don't chase trends that don't suit you

Jumping on every trending audio or viral format because you think it'll get you reach is one of the fastest ways to make your brand look inconsistent. If a trend genuinely fits your brand and your audience, use it. If it doesn't, leave it alone.

Cringe is cringe regardless of how many views the original got. Stay in your lane, know what your brand sounds and looks like, and post from that place.

So, what happens after they find you?

Most people never think about this and it's where a lot of social media effort goes to waste.

Someone watches your reel, likes your carousel, follows you. Then what? Where do they go? What do you want them to do next?

If they just keep seeing your posts indefinitely with no clear next step, that's not a strategy. Every piece of content should have a direction. A blog post to read, a freebie to download, a newsletter to sign up to, a services page to visit. You need to be actively moving people from passive followers to engaged subscribers to actual clients.

Check your bio, your link in bio, your call to action in every caption. Make it easy for someone who's ready to take the next step to actually take it.

If all of this feels like a lot, here's where I come in

Social media strategy is genuinely time consuming to do well. The platforms change, the algorithms shift, and what worked a few months ago doesn't always work the same way now. Keeping up with all of that on top of running your actual business is a lot to ask.

That's exactly what my Monthly Strategist service is for.

For £250 a month, you get a dedicated hour with me each month where I've already done the research: what's working on the platforms right now, what trends are worth paying attention to in your industry, and exactly what you should be posting about. You also get a concise strategy document covering the research, your content plan, and post ideas to refer back to whenever you need them.

No more staring at a blank screen. No more recycling the same ideas. Every month starts with a clear, researched plan built around your business and what's actually happening in your space right now.

If you're running your own social media but it keeps falling to the bottom of the list and you want to show up consistently and post with actual purpose, have a look at the Monthly Strategist service or get in touch to arrange a free consultation call.

FAQs

How often should I post on social media to get more engagement? Consistently enough that your audience knows you're there, but not so often that quality drops. A mix of formats posted regularly across the week works better than daily posting of the same thing. Engagement matters more than frequency.

Which social media platform should I focus on? The one where your ideal clients actually spend time. One platform done well beats four done badly. If you're not sure which that is, that's worth working out before you spend months posting to the wrong audience.

Do I need to go viral to get more engagement on social media? No, and chasing it is usually a distraction. I've gone fairly viral several times now and the pattern is always the same: lots of views, not many new clients. Viral content teaches the algorithm you're worth showing to new people, which helps long term. But the content that actually converts is your authority, personality, and social proof posts, not the ones that rack up views.

Final thoughts...

Getting more engagement on social media and turning that engagement into clients are two different problems. This guide is about solving both at once.

Social media works when it's intentional. When every piece of content has a purpose, when the formats are being used properly, and when there's a clear path from finding you to trusting you to finally, working with you.

If you'd like help making social media less overwhelming and more strategic, have a look at Your Monthly Strategist or sign up to my newsletter for honest, practical social media advice.

Don't go without saying hi!

Hi, I'm Bry (pronounced Br-eye), an Essex and Suffolk based Creative Strategist and neurodivergent founder.

I help small businesses and founders show up with branding, websites, and content strategy that helps them become more visible to the right people.

My work has been recognised by the Small Business Awards (Best Creative Arts Business, UK top 100 and Best Business Branding, UK top 10), and I've been featured in Essex Life Magazine, the Harwich and Manningtree Standard, Business Wire, Greatest Hits Radio, and the 7th edition of Graphic Design School.

In 2026 I also won silver for Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the SME Awards and I was shortlisted for best digital business the East of England StartUp Awards.

When I'm not doing this, I'm probably reading about exotic fish or writing about nerdy marketing stuff. Sometimes both.

Learn more about me