The perfect social media post fits the platform it is on: a picture where people expect pictures, short text where space is short, a few relevant hashtags, correct spelling and grammar, and, above all, content that shows who you are.
If you use social media, you know the feeling when someone comments on your post, likes a link you shared, shares one of your posts, or follows you. It is nice to see that people out there care and want to interact with you because of what you posted.
But isn't there more to it? Is there a way to make people engage with your posts instead of just reading them? Yes, there is, and the tips below show you how.
One thing to note from the beginning: no two social media platforms are alike, and neither are the people who use them. A short, catchy post that works on X may fail to excite your friends on Facebook. That is why this article covers the most common networks one by one.
Photos
If something happened that you want to share, why not back it up with a picture? Whether you saw something funny or remarkable while you were out, or you achieved something in cooking, baking, or putting up a new shelf, it is easier for your friends to feel involved if you show them what you saw or did rather than only write about it.
Removing links from the post
When you paste the address of a website or a video into a Facebook post, Facebook creates a preview of it with a picture and its own link. You don't need to keep the long (and ugly) address in your text. As soon as the preview appears, you can remove the address from your post, and the preview with its link stays.
This does not work if you want to share more than one link, though.
Emoji
Sometimes it is difficult to express your feelings with words alone. Facebook offers a wide range of emoji that say what you may not be able to put into words. They are shorter, too: you don't want to spend many words on something simple? A grinning devil may do the job.
X
Length
Of course, you can't write long essays on X, which used to be called Twitter, but the length of a post still matters. A post that leaves some room is easier for others to quote or reply to with a comment of their own.
Hashtags
Less is more. Isn't it annoying when #every #word #in #a #post #is #a #hashtag? It is. Keep it to one or two hashtags per post, to highlight what is really worth a hashtag.
Go easy on popular and trending hashtags too, especially when they have nothing to do with your post. It is better to use none at all, or a more relevant one, than to force your way into a trend.
Photos
Your followers on X can also appreciate a nice selfie, a picture of the wall you painted, or something funny you came across while you were out. Don't be shy: share the photos you would share with your Facebook friends there as well.
Upload the photo directly, though, instead of posting a link to it on another platform. It may be convenient to cover every platform with one upload, but your followers deserve to see the picture in full on the platform they chose, without having to follow a link first.
Grammar
The fact that posts on X are short doesn't mean that you should sacrifice grammar, spelling, and punctuation for the sake of brevity. Abbreviations are fine, but the more you follow the common spelling and grammar rules, the easier your posts will be to read.
Editing
There is a fine line between improving a photo by editing it and overdoing it by adding one filter after another. Again, less is more. Brighten the light and sharpen blurry edges, but don't clutter your pictures with filters, stickers, and borders. After all, what should matter is the content, not how many effects you have added to your picture.
The rule of thirds
What applies to photography in general applies on Instagram as well. Imagine two lines that divide your picture into three equal parts across and two that divide it into three equal parts from top to bottom. Placing the subject of your photo on one of these lines, or where two of them cross, rather than in the dead center, makes the picture much more attractive to viewers.
Hashtags
The same goes here as on X. Hashtags can describe your picture further, in addition to the caption, but don't overdo it. Too many hashtags clutter your post and are unpleasant to read. Keep them few and relevant. Adding #NoFilter to a heavily edited picture isn't the best idea either.
Tumblr
Post types
Choose the right post type. To share a link, use the link post; if you simply want to share a picture with a short caption, use the photo post. Adding a very long text to a picture can look unattractive, especially to followers who browse for pictures only. If you want to brighten up a long text with pictures, add them to a text post instead.
Language
Tumblr is a special place with its own way of speaking, full of in-jokes and exaggeration. Get to know the typical Tumblr way of expressing things before you post.
Tags
Tags are everywhere, but Tumblr handles them in its own way. Every post has a separate field for tags, so you don't have to add them in the middle of your text. A comma ends a tag, so you can use tags of several words, but don't use a comma inside one. As everywhere else, relevant tags help the right people find your post.
The perfect picture
On Pinterest, it is all about the picture. Pinterest itself recommends vertical pictures, which take up more room in the feed than horizontal ones. Overall, clear pictures with rich colors, soft lighting, and an appealing background catch the eye.
Content
With all these tips in mind, there is one last thing to pay attention to, and that is content. Your social media profiles, blogs, and boards belong to you, and the people who follow you or are friends with you want to see exactly that. What are you interested in, what moves you, what is on your mind? Don't be shy: share your opinion, start a discussion, or ask for help, advice, and opinions.
Also make sure that your language fits. You don't have to sound like a college professor, but very careless writing that ignores the rules of grammar and punctuation can make people skip your posts rather than read them. Check your spelling and grammar, for example with the Spell Checker, use punctuation, and avoid long and complicated sentences, and your audience will hang on your every word.