Posted 05.11.2022 by Meghan Crawford
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:
Alright, now on to the #inspo.
Later breaks down social media trends, tools, and tactics in easy, bite-size lessons for their followers.
What we love about this post:
HubSpot consistently nails timely content on their Instagram page.
What we love about this post:
Like many companies, Shopify has had to pivot its content strategy for its business expansion. Take for instance this cross-border selling video:
We’re working towards a future that is digital by default to help Shopify’s merchants and partners in cross-border selling.
Click the vid to learn more 👇🏼
it’s international love baby
it’s Shopify Markets babycross-border selling just got a major glow up
merchants everywhere can now manage one global store to create localized storefronts in different countries.
ok but what does that mean?
IT'S THREAD TIME 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/1l0K0aYkZp
— Shopify (@Shopify) September 14, 2021
— Shopify (@Shopify) Sept, 14, 2021
What we love about this post:
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:
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:
Behind-the-scenes style content humanizes a brand. Shipt does a good job of this with their employee highlights as part of their employee advocacy program.
What we love about this post:
HubSpot has made employee takeovers a regular part of the content on their employee life IG account.
What we love about this post:
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:
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.
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:
Pantone excels at the strategic use of User-Generated Content to build a stunning feed.
What we love about this post:
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:
2020 threw a wrench in many of our content creation plans in more ways than one. But your continued commitment to a responsible remote work environment in 2021 doesn’t have to come at the expense of making great social content.
Check out how Canva repurposed a recorded video chat to create an entertaining series for their Instagram audience.
What we love about this post:
Trends aren’t new to social media, but TikTok exploding onto the scene has definitely changed the way we consume trending media. New trending formats are cropping up constantly which is actually great news if you’re a brand looking for some content ideas to improve your social media strategy. 👀 Of course, brands jumping on a trend can sometimes feel forced or cringey.
But with the right timing and a heavy dose of not taking yourself too seriously, it’s possible to get it right like Taco Bell did.
@tacobellAnd now, an announcement from our CEO. ##tacobell ##fyp♬ original sound – tacobell
What we love about this post:
You know we’re fans of making your content work smarter, not harder. For example, reformatting, repurposing, and reposting podcast content is a great way to fill out your content calendar and promote it on your other channels.
Dave Gerhardt does that with his marketing podcast.
Stop hiring because you THINK you need a certain role.
Hiring is like everything else in marketing. You need to test it out first.
At least in the early stages.
Do it yourself first. If it contributes to company goals… THEN go hire an expert to grow that playbook. pic.twitter.com/IbqEXkSkbh
— DGMG 📬 (@joindgmg) January 15, 2021
What we love about this post:
Showcasing product features on social is a great way to interest prospective customers and provide value to existing customers.
And yes, this does work for SaaS brands, too, as Zoom proves.
What we love about this post:
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:
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 to hit your social media KPI.
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.
read this next
What this ad does well:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
Account-based marketing is all about turning your dream clients into your actual clients.
Check out how Tealium tailors every part of their ads to stand out in the feeds of their target accounts.
What these ads do well:
You have approximately 1.7 seconds to grab a prospect’s attention with your Facebook ad — 2.5 if they’re viewing on desktop. It’s your job to make the action you want them to take clear and compelling.
Optimizely uses a pop of bright color in their ad creative to draw the eye down to the CTA button.
What this ad does well:
Part of paid social is getting your foot in the door with brand association. This Facebook ad by Q Spine Institute does a great job of keeping their logo at the forefront without detracting from the messaging or design.
What this ad does well:
When you’re trying to stop thumbs, your ad creative is one of your most powerful tools. You want something that helps stand out in your prospects’ endless, overcrowded feeds.
HubSpot knows that a little bit of movement is often enough to catch and hold users’ attention.
(View the full animation here)
What this ad does well:
Twitter and LinkedIn’s native poll features are excellent tools for engagement and that remains true for sponsored posts.
Check out how Incogmeato did it below.
What this ad does well:
While you don’t have much time to get your point across in an ad (remember, 1.7 seconds), you can use visuals to communicate messaging faster.
Take for instance how Recess used a Venn diagram in this retargeting ad.
What this ad does well:
Sometimes, the best way to break up the monotony and stand out in a feed vying for your prospects’ attention is to acknowledge the obvious: hey, this is an ad!
Breaking the fourth wall is unexpected and refreshing, as proven by MainStreet in this promoted Tweet.
What this ad does well:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
Trainual provides companies with a central hub for onboarding, training, and SOP management. Their LinkedIn page acts as its own training manual of sorts, full of helpful advice, knowledge, and industry news.
Why we follow:
Another B2B SaaS brand with a great LinkedIn presence, Gong is a sales insights and analytics tool for remote teams.
Why we follow:
Lessonly provides businesses with customer service and sales training solutions. Their LinkedIn page features their customers, team, and tons of helpful info for platform users.
Why we follow:
Use our Social Media Swipe File Template to build a gallery of good ideas and social media examples. To get you started, we’ve filled it with some of our favorite examples of great social posts — both paid and organic.
If you’re interested in more examples of great social media content, check out the following resources:
Don’t forget to read our post about building a social media swipe file and grab our free template.
Examples from this post are already in there to give you a head start. 😉