How to Create Engaging Social Media Content

I'll be the first to admit - When I started posting on LinkedIn regularly, my content fell flat. I made some rookie mistakes like writing long-winded posts that rambled on without a clear point. But over time, as I studied what worked (and what didn't) from the posts that drove surges in new followers, I noticed patterns emerge. Little tweaks that dramatically improved engagement. I'm still learning and evolving, but here are 6 key lessons I wish I knew from the start: 1. Structure matters Successful posts have a clear structure that grabs attention quickly.  Use techniques like: - brief numbered tips, - short punchy sentences, - and easy-to-scan bullets. Think about it this way: If an email has bullets neatly nested, you go straight to those to get the gist.  Apply that same thinking to your posts. 2. Stories > lecturing Guide don't preach...People want to hear your experiences. Rather than lecturing, share personal stories allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. Guide them through your journey. I usually weave in parenting lessons to lessons in business. Because art is life, and vice versa 🙂 3. Simplifyyy Aim to write at a 3rd to 5th grade level using simple, conversational language.  Write like you speak...Read it out loud if unsure. Hemingway App is a great tool that spits out a reading level for your draft. AND gives recommendations on how to make it easier to read. 4. Visuals = engagement… but ONLY with great copy. Relevant images increase reach 15-20%.  Selfies by 30%.  And carousels a whopping 1.6x over text/image posts alone. The second I started adding images, the more I saw engagement increase. That being said — make sure the images aren’t the only thing providing value. If the copy itself is not specific or actionable, it’ll just look like a sponsored post. Take one of my top posts from the last 90 days: I attached a preview image of the article I referenced. Not a carousel. Not even something branded. But it worked because the copy itself was loaded with tons of my own data and insights. 5. Optimize for mobile Keep posts concise and visually-appealing. With the majority (88%) browsing LinkedIn on mobile, optimizing for THAT experience is #1. Add line breaks so that they read like a slippery slope… Getting your reader to get all the way… To the end. Add carousels, or even graphics from other creators (with credit!). They’ll add scroll-interrupting dimension to your audience’s feed. These aren't earth-shattering revelations. But small, intentional tweaks like these made a big difference for me.  I'm still figuring it out, but wanted to share what's helping so far. Let me know if any of these lessons resonate with you or if you have other tips to share! I'm all ears.

CREATIVE WORKFLOW 101 “How do I come up with good ideas for social content?” One of my best tips: Always be documenting ideas. And make it as easy as possible to document them. My creative workflow for sourcing ideas has 3 parts that I stick to religiously. (1) Running note in Apple Notes. This is stupid simple. There are no automations or crazy tools. I just have a pinned note in my Apple Notes that I use to drop ideas into if I have them. After a client call. Before falling asleep. On a walk. Doesn’t matter. I have 100+ ideas in here that I can pull from if I’m in a creative rut. (2) Bookmarks on social platforms. If I see something compelling while scrolling the timeline, I bookmark it or save it. Twitter/X has bookmarks. IG lets you save posts. So does LinkedIn. The key here is that you review your bookmarks ~1x per week so they don’t disappear into the abyss. I like to take 10-20min every Sunday to do this. (3) Dedicated research time. I think the ‘create more than you consume’ mantra is kinda BS. It’s helpful for people who are dopamine-craving TikTok addicts. But if you don’t have an issue with frying your neurochemistry and are already creating things, your output will be enhanced by quality inputs. Set aside some time (I usually do 1-2hrs per week) to scroll intentionally and see what’s working on platforms. If you see anything interesting, follow Strategy 2 and bookmark it. If you actually DO these three things over the course of the next few weeks, you will end up with an endless list of at least somewhat compelling content ideas you can call on whenever. Creative ruts still happen, but a creative workflow makes them easier to navigate. PS: I post stuff like this every day here on LinkedIn. If it sounds interesting and decently helpful, drop a follow.

B2B tech companies are addicted to getting you to subscribe to their corporate echo chamber newsletter graveyard, where they dump their latest self-love notes. It's a cesspool of "Look at us!" and "We're pleased to announce..." drivel that suffocates originality and murders interest. Each link, each event recap and each funding announcement is another shovel of dirt on the grave of what could have been engaging content. UNSUBSCRIBE What if, instead of serving up the same old reheated corporate leftovers, your content could slap your audience awake? Ego-stroking company updates are out. 1. The pain point deep dive: Start by mining the deepest anxieties, challenges and questions your audience faces. Use forums, social media, customer feedback and even direct interviews to uncover the raw nerve you're going to press. 2. The unconventional wisdom: Challenge the status quo of your industry. If everyone's zigging, you zag. This could mean debunking widely held beliefs, proposing counterintuitive strategies or sharing insights that only insiders know but don't talk about. Be the mythbuster of your domain. 3. The narrative hook: Every piece of content should tell a story, and every story needs a hook that grabs from the first sentence. Use vivid imagery, compelling questions or startling statements to make it impossible to scroll past. Your opening should be a rabbit hole inviting Alice to jump in. 4. The value payload: This is the core of your content. Each piece should deliver actionable insights, deep dives or transformative information. Give your audience something so valuable that they can't help but use, save and share it. Think tutorials, step-by-step guides or even entertaining content that delivers laughs or awe alongside insight. 5. The personal touch: Inject your personality or brand's voice into every piece. Share personal anecdotes, failures and successes. 6. The engagement spark: End with a call to action that encourages interaction. Ask a provocative question, encourage them to share their own stories or challenge them to apply what they've learned and share the results. Engagement breeds community, and community amplifies your reach. 7. The multi-platform siege: Repurpose your anchor content across platforms. Turn blog posts into podcast episodes, summaries into tweets or LinkedIn posts and key insights into Instagram stories. Each piece of content should work as a squad, covering different fronts but pushing the same message. Without impressive anchor content, you won't have anything worth a lick in your newsletter. 8. The audience dialogue: Engage directly with your audience's feedback. Respond to comments, ask for their input on future topics and even involve them in content creation through surveys or co-creation opportunities. Make your content worth spreading, and watch as your audience does the heavy lifting for you. And please stop with the corporate navel-gazing. #newsletters #b2btech #ThatAshleyAmber

If I were trying to figure out how to ‘talk about myself online’ in 2025, specifically, how to tell personal stories that actually led to business, here’s the approach I’d take for my LinkedIn content: Most of the founders I work w/ are incredible at 1 thing: Valuing their time & energy. They’re often mothers & business owners, multi-passionate professionals, or just genuinely doing a lot. Everything in their lives is intentional & strategic, including how they show up online. But when it comes to talking about themselves on LinkedIn? That intentionality can sometimes lead to overthinking. For simplicity sake - in my experience, there’s 2 types of ‘personal story content’ that leads to closed business. An ideal strategy uses both but I’ve seen founders lean into 1 or the other. 1. Aspirational stories These showcase qualities your ideal clients want more of & believe they’ll get access to from working w/ & being around you. 2. Expertise-building stories These demonstrate that you have the skills to get results & ultimately, make someone trust you to hire you. So if I were thinking of how to strategically write stories for my LinkedIn content, here’s what I’d do: 1. For Aspirational Personal Stories: -> Know what an ideal client finds ‘aspirational’. Honestly, it might not be what you think. For example, clients might find your time management skills really aspirational since they struggle to bring their projects to life or get it all done. Or, they may find your resilience & courage aspirational after being in the rough early days of entrepreneurship. -> Mine your life experiences for moments that demonstrate those qualities. Think of micro-stories or pivotal moments where you embodied them. -> Write & publish. Aspirational content works because it creates hope & connection, keep telling these stories as you continue to remember more experiences you can tie back to. 2. For Expertise-Building Personal Stories: -> Understand what your audience finds credible. This might be specific tangible results, transformations, or niche skills you’ve honed over the years. -> Highlight specific moments of success or growth. Similarly, think of microstories & examples that would demonstrate this expertise: Turning a department around or helping a client achieve a massive comeback. -> Share the journey along w/ the results. People like to see the ‘how’ behind your expertise, it’s what builds trust. So, to recap: - Why do my clients say they hire me? What’s aspirational about me in their eyes? - What moments in my life demonstrate those aspirational qualities? - What professional experiences establish me as an expert? - What micro-stories or pivotal moments can I share to bring these to life? Once you have those starting points, the next step is to Write. Careful not to overthink or aim for perfection - in fact the more you write from the heart esp during a moment of inspiration or just share your authentic experiences, the better.