Posted 06.09.2020 by Meghan Crawford
31 Social Media Content Examples for 2020 (Paid & Organic)
Looking for social media content ideas? We’ve curated 31 examples of great social media content below.
The best place to get good social media content ideas is directly from the playbooks of the pros. That’s why we’ve put together some of the best posts, ads, and accounts for you to peruse. Bookmark this page or steal the examples you like the most for your swipe file.
Don’t have a swipe file? We’ve got you covered. You can grab our free template here or read our post about how to make your own. Like this post, it’s full of examples of B2C and B2B social media inspiration, so there’s something for everyone.
Here’s how we’re breaking up this post:
- Organic Social Media Content Examples
- Paid Social Media Content Examples
- Accounts to Follow for Content Ideas
Alright, now on to the #inspo.
Organic Social Media Examples
1. Later – Distilling Large Ideas for Social
Later breaks down social media trends, tools, and tactics in easy, bite-size lessons for their followers.
What we love about this post:
- Creative – The graphic makes the most of the carousel format, drawing the reader’s eye through the slides. It’s bright and fun (which is very on brand) but not overly crowded; the image text is easy to read and simple.
- Copy – Both caption and image copy illustrate the value of the feature.
- Content – This post provides educational value to the audience while still promoting Later’s new feature. In other words, it’s useful. It’s also easily digestible which makes it appropriate for social.
2. HubSpot – Timely, Relatable Content
HubSpot consistently nails timely content on their Instagram page.
What we love about this post:
- Creative – Colorful, on-brand, and most-importantly visually familiar, this graphic is an excellent example of how to use design as visual shorthand. Before even reading the caption or the image text, the audience knows this post is full of resources.
- Copy – The copy is compelling and relatable. It acknowledges the shared pain point, outlines their game plan for overcoming said pain point, and delivers on the initial promise of a helpful resource (implied through the graphic format) with a closing CTA.
- Content – Timely content still needs to be useful content. Instead of making a blanket statement about “unprecedented times” without providing any value, HubSpot took the time to listen to what their audience needed, develop resources, and deliver those resources in a helpful, human-focused way.
3. Shopify – Using Existing Assets
Like many companies, Shopify has had to pivot their content strategy in light of COVID-19 related changes. Take for instance this talent recruitment video:
We’re working towards a future that is digital by default to help Shopify’s merchants and partners.
Click the vid to learn more 👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/iAgPOL57ic
— Shopify (@Shopify) May 25, 2020
What we love about this post:
- Creative – Shooting new footage for social campaigns is difficult right now; Shopify exemplifies how to reuse existing assets without sacrificing quality. We’re also a fan of how they’ve synced the visuals and the beat for maximum impact.
- Copy – Both the post copy and the video text are simple, clean, and effective. The video text doesn’t distract from the visuals, is easy to read, and makes the voice over accessible for hearing impaired viewers or just people who don’t ever turn their sound on… like us. 😅
- Content – Shopify frames their search for remote talent in a refreshingly optimistic, forward-thinking light: this isn’t an unfortunate temporary solution; it’s an exciting step toward a better future. That tone shift is what makes the video so effective.
4. Taboola – Putting a New Spin on Slideshow Videos
Social video doesn’t have to be complicated to be inspo worthy, as Taboola demonstrates with this service promo.
What we love about this post:
- Creative – The video format doesn’t have to be anything ground-breaking or complicated if the quality is there. Stripped down, this is just a simple slide-show with overlay text but the graphics are creative, engaging, and just plain pretty. That’s enough to take this slide-show to the next level.
- Copy – You’ll see us mentioning this time and time again in this post, but it really is the hallmark of good social copy – simple, direct, and easy to read.
- Content – Taboola highlights the value of their service with both the copy and the creative. They tell the viewer that they can reach audiences on “the world’s top websites” while showing them what that could look like on those very websites.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars – Finding Creative Ways to Engage
We’ve talked about this before, but if you’re looking for creative, effective ways to engage on social, look to your favorite sports teams.
Like the Jacksonville Jaguars.
What we love about this post:
- Creative – The emoji slider against a graphic is a very simple but effective concept to drive engagement.
- Copy – “Be the Scout” is both the content series title and a CTA that sets the audience’s expectations for the following images in the Story. The subtitle fills in any blanks.
- Content – There are two things happening here that made this Story stand out to us. 1) The use of one of Instagram’s interactive Story features. They’re there for a reason – to drive higher engagement. And 2) a multi-part Story. Compel your audience to stick around and tap through for more content instead of scrolling on to the next Story in their feed.
6. Shipt – Highlighting Humans (Part 1): Team Member Spotlight
Behind-the-scenes style content humanizes a brand. Shipt does a good job of this with their employee highlights.
What we love about this post:
- Creative – The image quality is great and the subject stands alone, without products or props cluttering up the frame. While it seems almost too simple, it doesn’t need to be any more complex than that – posts with human faces in them do better on average than other photos.
- Copy – The copy tells a compelling story and encourages the audience to respond with a simple but effective CTA.
- Content – This post turns the spotlight on their employee’s accomplishments while also showcasing how Shipt is an integral part of her success.
7. HubSpot – Highlighting Humans (Part 2): Employee Takeover
HubSpot has made employee takeovers a regular part of the content on their employee life IG account.
What we love about this post:
- Creative – Do you know what performs almost as well as images with humans in them? Pet pics! This post features both. One gold star sticker for HubSpot.
- Copy – Because this is not just an employee spotlight but a takeover, writing the copy in first person makes it feel immediately casual and personal. This isn’t a post from a faceless brand logo; it’s from Mariel, the awesome developer with the cute cat.
- Content – Serializing employee takeovers or any behind-the-scenes content 1) fills up those frustrating, blank days in your social media content calendar. You know the ones. And 2) positions your employees as experts in their fields, elevating them and highlighting the awesome talents of your team.
8. Gary Vee – Using Image Text to Drive Traffic
One of the most important parts of publishing a LinkedIn article is the header image. It needs to grab attention and inform, since there’s no place to write description copy.
What we love about this post:
- Creative – The clean, eye-catching design doesn’t distract from the text but rather amplifies it. Everything about the graphic is designed to inform the reader at a glance what the article is about and who it was written by.
Note: Yes, there is a small typo in the headline. Perfection isn’t necessarily a determining factor in whether or not a post will perform well. Which is a relief, since no one’s perfect, not even Gary Vee.
9. Amgen Oncology – Engaging the Audience with Quizzes
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a person in possession of good WiFi must be in want of an Internet quiz.
Seriously, though.
Quizzes are fun and therefore engaging. You can use built in poll features or get a little more creative with the format like Amgen Oncology does here.
Which of the following are true about #MultipleMyeloma advocate @DaveWinfieldHOF? #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/vYGNwLcY0l
— Amgen Oncology (@AmgenOncology) February 24, 2020
What we love about this post:
- Content – The content format is the clear winner in this post. Reveal-image style posts still work as Twitter quizzes and they’re super-compelling.
10. Pantone – Leveraging User-Generated Content
Pantone excels at the strategic use of User-Generated Content to build a stunning feed.
What we love about this post:
- Creative – Pantone’s entire Instagram content strategy is built on choosing aesthetically pleasing, high-quality UGC like this. The bright colors grab audience attention in the feed.
- Copy – Short, punny copy doesn’t detract from the image, which is the star of the show here.
11. No Name – Relatable Humor
People go to social media to be educated, distracted, and entertained.
No Name entertains and provides value through humor.
for keeping track pic.twitter.com/XqjGyzMMRd
— no name (@NoNameBrands) April 14, 2020
What we love about this post:
- Creative – Like Pantone, the colorful graphic grabs attention in the feed, but for anyone familiar with the brand, it’s also immediately recognizable. Simple, clean black lines, bright yellow. 100% on brand.
- Copy – Both the post copy and image are text are minimal, but that’s part of what makes the post so funny. When it comes to humor, less is often more. Don’t explain your jokes. Please.
Paid Social Media Examples
12. Moz – Standing Out with Colorful Ad Creative
We mentioned using bright colors to stand out in your audience’s feed in the earlier section on organic social. The same holds true for paid media.
Moz does an excellent job of grabbing attention with bold color choices.
What this ad does well:
- Creative – This graphic hits several marks. 1) The color palette is bold, which will capture attention in the target audience’s feed, but it’s not so bright that it hurts the eyes or distracts from the message. 2) The lines and graphical elements draw the eye into the center of the image where 3) there’s a human face, an image which generally performs well.
- Copy – Strong, minimal copy studded with impressive, curiosity-raising stats gets the point across quickly and efficiently.
- Clever Targeting – This ad is targeted to people who like marketing and marketing agencies, so a case study link makes sense here. They’ve targeted for an audience that is more likely to be curious about this particular case study and also more likely to be interested in Moz’s services after reading said case study.
13. Airtable – Bringing Creative Flair to Ads
You’re more likely to reach prospects with paid social, so channel some of that creative energy usually reserved for organic social posts into your ads instead.
Airtable is a great example of a company that builds beautiful ads but doesn’t spend a lot of time on their organic presence – and that’s ok.
What this ad does well:
- Creative – The illustrations combine an eye-catching, graphic style with funny captions to both grab and hold attention in the feed. This same illustration style is present on the Instagram account, creating a cohesive, branded look.
- Copy – Ad copy doesn’t have be dry and boring. Airtable illustrates that with short, witty copy that still delivers an effective value prop.
- Landing Page – The idea of using your Instagram account as a landing page is both unique and aesthetically pleasing. It’s also a great move for brands who haven’t developed a consistent organic strategy yet but are starting to run ads.
14. Adwerx – Savvy Image Text Placement
Ad copy is definitely important but ad image copy is even more so. Check out how Adwerx uses image text to maximum advantage in this example:
What this ad does well:
- Creative – Overall, this is a very clean, seamless design. It pops against the white of the feed and the bar of white against the blue background draws the eye from the feed into the middle of the image.
- Copy – This ad recognizes that the image is read first, not the primary text. That’s why the main, impressive stat is introduced in the image text and then readdressed in the primary text.
15. MelodyVR – Keeping the Viewers’ Attention
When using video in your paid media, it should be able to grab and then hold the viewer’s attention. Like this ad by Melody VR.
Ready to go? Panic! At The Disco’s sold out O2 arena show is coming to MelodyVR for free on May 8th. Be part of the experience via the MelodyVR app – link in bio. pic.twitter.com/w3VCgQI72q
— MelodyVR (@melodyvirtual) May 5, 2020
What this ad does well:
- Creative – Bright colors (which work well on both dark and light mode) grab the viewer’s attention and then the ad border keeps their gaze contained within the video to hold their attention longer. Quick transitions and succinct text placement help the video feel fast-paced and easily-digestible.
16. Homesick Candles – Simple But Aesthetically Pleasing Video
Don’t underestimate the power of simple, pretty creative. Homesick Candles consistently nails that in their ads.
Watch the whole ad here to feel a little homesick.
What this ad does well:
- Creative – The simple direct messaging text and subtle cinemagraph of a flickering candle flame make for a minimalist but still aesthetically pleasing ad. It’s also a great example of a simple way to re-use and refresh product shots for your Shop Now ads.
17. Firstleaf – Casual but Compelling Copy
Do your ads sound stilted and salesy or do they sound like you? Like your brand voice?
Firstleaf approaches ad copy with a casual voice, which is fitting for a trendy, millenial brand.
What this ad does well:
- Creative – Humans trust other humans, remember? By including a human element in their product shot, Firstleaf is triggering that response in prospects viewing the ad.
- Copy – Great, casual copy makes this ad feel less salesy and more conversational – while still operating within the classic Problem, Agitate, Solve framework.
18. Kodiak Cakes – Leveraging Testimonials in Shop Now Ads
Testimonials are powerful tool for selling for a pretty simple reason: people trust other people’s recommendations. Even people they don’t know.
See how Kodiak Cakes uses a testimonial in their ad copy 👇
What this ad does well:
- Creative – The carousel of photos gives the feel of shopping an online catalog and the photos themselves are particularly compelling and aligned with the brand’s lifestyle positioning. Kodiak Cakes’ product isn’t pancake mix, it’s the idea of the outdoors and adventure.
- Copy – Using a glowing testimonial as the ad copy is a simple but effective tactic.
19. Calm – Adding Value with Their Ads
Can you create an ad that adds value to your prospects’ timelines… even if they don’t buy anything?
Yes, because value can mean different things – education, entertainment, or, in the case of Calm, mental wellness and self-care.
Take a 20 second meditation break and watch the full ad here.
What this ad does well:
- Creative – Apart from being colorful and eye-catching, the reason this video ad works so well is because it showcases a feature of the product right in the timeline, allowing prospects to experience the app without even having to download it. It’s also refreshing to come across an app that injects a little bit of zen into your scrolling.
- Copy – While the primary text copy is strong and addresses the pain point, the important copy in this ad is the video text. It guides viewers through a simple breathing exercise, proving value before asking for a sale with the end card CTA.
20. Coverage Book – Illustrating Product Benefits From a New Angle
Telling the same story (Before-After-Bridge) from a new angle can make it feel fresh again.
See how Coverage Book did it.
Anna joined your PR agency 6 months ago. Super smart, creative & full of ambition. Last week she spent 13hrs formatting lists of coverage into hyperlinks & manually collating screenshots & metrics. Enthusiasm is waning. Do your business & her a favour. Try https://t.co/mTeot4mqkS pic.twitter.com/P4DOHnjLks
— Gary Preston (@garydpreston) November 8, 2018
What this ad does well:
- Positioning – The copy here tells a story that positions the benefit of the product from an employee retention standpoint. This is a great tactic for B2B brands to use.
21. Carta – Reaching Ideal Users
How can you target your ideal user more effectively?
Get specific. Let them know that this ad is meant for them, like Carta does in this example.
What this ad does well:
- Copy – It’s clear to any CEOs reading this ad that the product was designed with their unique challenges in mind. By using exact match title and role in the copy, Carta is able drill down to reach their ideal user on a more personal level.
Social Media Accounts to Follow for Content Ideas
22. Aldi UK on Instagram
Aldi is an international grocery store chain with over 10,000 locations across Europe, Australia, China, and the U.S. They’re best known for their no frills stores and low prices, but their Instagram is also poppin’.
Why we follow:
- Never-Ending Feed – Aldi UK’s IG page is a masterful example of a seamless grid. Scrolling through their page is a visual buffet that feels like one cohesive, never-ending image.
- Link in Bio – The brand pairs their mouthwatering images with breezy, casual copy that gives you just enough of the recipe to want to actually click through to the link in bio and read the rest as well as shop the ingredients.
23. Arm on LinkedIn
Arm is a software company that designs and licenses processor chips, headquartered in Cambridge, UK with locations globally. Their LinkedIn account is regularly updated and while clearly targeted toward a software and technology audience, it’s still a great example of B2B social done well.
Why we follow:
- Balanced Feed – Arm posts a good mix of product focused content and HQ behind-the-scenes content to their LinkedIn page.
- Aesthetic B2B – In addition to being balanced, Arm’s feed is full of posts with cool, colorful graphics that make the subject matter feel less abstract.
24. HubSpot on Facebook
Most marketers are familiar with HubSpot. They’ve been around for nearly a decade and a half and their status as experts on inbound marketing is apparent in how they manage their social media accounts. They’re crushing it across all channels, but we particularly recommend checking out their Facebook presence.
Why we follow:
- Consistent Branding – Both HubSpot’s paid and organic content are beautifully and consistently branded for a flawless, unified, and aesthetically-pleasing brand experience.
- Education Done Well – Providing value and resources at no-cost to your customers is how to build strong customer relationships.
25. Later on Instagram
Social media planning and scheduling app by day and industry experts by… well, also day, Later is well-known in the social media scene. It should come as no surprise to find them on this list.
Why we follow:
- Organic Advertising – Later’s Instagram content is bright, colorful, fun, and really makes you want to start using Later if you don’t already. It’s a great example of how you can advertise your product in organic and owned media without coming across as pushy and salesy.
- Education Done Well – As industry experts, Later uses their platform to educate followers about all things social media – not just their own product features. Their account is a useful resource if you’re looking to learn about social media news, trends, or tools.
26. Pantone on Instagram
The Pantone Color Matching System is used across most industries as the standard for color classification and reproduction. On social, though, it’s easy to forget that Pantone is a B2B company, since their branding is so aesthetic.
Why we follow:
- Use of UGC – UGC is a valuable asset in the content calendar of any brand, but for Pantone it is the content calendar. Because they rely so heavily on UGC, they’re also extremely discerning when choosing which content to share. You’ll notice that their feed is consistent in terms of quality despite being aggregated from a variety of creators.
- Color Gradient Grid – We love a good grid and Pantone’s color gradient grid is on point. And since color inspiration is literally their whole deal, it’s also 100% on brand. So, start scrolling and get inspired.
27. Slack on Twitter
If your company functions anything like ours does, then you’re likely already familiar with Slack, especially in the era of working from home and social distancing. But you might not be familiar with their Twitter account… and you should be.
Why we follow:
- Community Management – Slack’s masterful community management is due to both their responsiveness and the voice they use. The funny, casual vibe that comes through in their posts is the same tone they use when responding to customer questions, concerns, and replies.
28. Square on Instagram
Square is a merchant services company based out of Silicone Valley. You’ve probably swiped your card with one of their card readers at your local coffee shop or small business. On social, that’s exactly who they’ve chosen to highlight – a strategy that other B2B brands in similar industries can learn from.
Why we follow:
- Customer Stories – Customer success stories are by extension your brand’s success stories. Square leverages the power of these testimonials regularly, turning their Instagram page into a mini case study library.
- Consistent Branding – Clean, minimal, black-and-white. Square’s posts are consistent and easily recognizable in the feed.
29. Steak-Umm on Twitter
Snarky, witty commentary from a food brand? We’ve seen it before, but not quite like this. Wendy’s social media manager crawled so that Steak-Umm’s social media manager (AKA Nathan Allebach) could run – and also dance on TikTok with a Steak-Umm box on his head. Twitter is where things really took off for Steak-Umm, though.
Why we follow:
- Brand Voice – Human, witty, self-aware, and slightly absurd, Steak-Umm’s Twitter voice is a persona unto itself. While it doesn’t have much to do with frozen steak, that’s kind of the point, as evidenced by the brand’s recent viral fame.
30. Tim Gray on Instagram
Tim Gray is a freelance motion graphics designer and co-founder of Breakout Clips, a video ad template service. His Instagram account features a lot of the animations he designs for the site.
Why we follow:
- Creative Inspiration – Tim Gray’s unique creative style is a great source of inspiration for how to use motion graphics in your future content. You can save examples to a dedicated video and graphic design swipe file to share with your design team or freelance designers you work with. Kind of like bringing a photo of the style you want when you go to get a haircut. Or you can get the design straight from Breakout Clips – all of Tim’s designs are available for download through their subscription service.
31. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream on Instagram
Founded in NYC, Van Leeuwen is an artisan ice creamery with an IG presence that is just as delicious as their product.
Why we follow:
- Colorful Feed – While most of their ice cream comes in yummy tones of brown, pink, and cream (you know, normal colors for ice cream that’s not full of food coloring), Van Leeuwen’s posts always incorporate fun pops of color – either in the background or the ice cream cartons themselves.
- Amateur and Professional Photography – Van Leeuwen manages their IG feed with a great mix of stunning, professional product shots and more casual, “iPhone photography” of relatable moments or just fans enjoying their ice cream. The result is both balanced and aesthetic.
Looking for More Social Media Inspiration?
If you’re interested in more examples of great social media content, check out the following resources:
- Best B2B Social Media Campaigns to Inspire Your Own in 2020
- 24 Best B2B Social Media Marketing Tips & Tactics
- How to Use the Facebook Ad Library to Your Competitive Advantage
Don’t forget to read our post about building a social media swipe file and grab our free template.
All the examples from this post are already in there to give you a head start. 😉
Meghan Crawford
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