People don’t like to be bored. It’s probably one of the biggest reasons we bounce around on computers or smartphones 566 times a day. If you’ve noticed a downturn in followers or struggle to create fresh content, it might be that your content is a little…well, boring.
In honor of National Anti-Boredom Month, we compiled a list of creative post ideas for content creators, influencers, and anyone interested in learning tips to boost posts, stories, and reels on Instagram.
You’re five minutes away from kicking the summer content blahs and kick-starting a new wave of followers instead!
9 Creative Content Ideas:
- Ask Me Anything
- People Love FREE
- Repurpose & Recycle
- How-To Video
- Share a Resource
- Post a Testimonial
- Thank Your Followers
- Create a Poll
- Send a Personal DM
#1. Host an AMA
“Ask Me Anything” posts are popular across various industries and audiences. For content creators and influencers, AMAs have enormous marketing potential:
- You peel back the curtain for a behind-the-scenes look at your business
- You get to know your followers more, which can help you fine-tune your content
- You increase awareness of your brand without being pushy and have the potential to come across as a thought leader or expert in your field
A successful AMA campaign can generate content for days. You can answer questions live through a video stream or use Q&A stickers on stories or reels to answer your most frequently asked questions.
AMAs can also lead to more DMs. You can respond directly to your followers to build deeper, more profitable relationships – if you can find them in your cluttered DM inbox, that is!
TIP: Set up an automatic reply on IG during your AMA promotion with guidelines on questions people can DM you about, such as: “Hey! Anything you want to know about how I got started, who I follow, etc, is cool. No questions about my personal life or whether I’d go out with you though; let’s play nice.”
<<Not sure how to set up an auto-reply in IG? Click here!>>
#2. Host a Giveaway
Your giveaway prize should relate to your brand. Unrelated items often attract people who want the freebie but aren’t interested in supporting your brand. Promote your giveaway across social media accounts, including the date and time that you’ll reveal the winner via live stream.
You’ll need:
- To list the freebie and how users can enter the contest (include the deadline to enter)
- When and how you plan to announce the winner (likely through a post or DM)
- An engaging entry process that will also boost your brand. You can ask followers to submit user-generated content, use hashtags in posts, or leave comments.
#3. Repurpose Your Content
Social media posts are fleeting, with viewers or followers constantly changing. Therefore, it’s perfectly acceptable to reshare old content or tweak an existing post. Your well-planned IG posts, stories, and reels can be recycled into fresh, unique content by adding something new.
For example: Pull a screenshot from a recent video, add new effects, and post a “new” story.
#4. Make a How-To Video
Whether it’s a simple hack or a tutorial for a specific skill, a how-to video adds value to your brand. Maybe you’re a fashion influencer with a newborn. You can share how to transform a boring diaper bag into a stunning accessory that every mom should have.
Keep your video short. If it’s more than a minute, you’re likely to lose viewers. Use your Instagram caption space to explain steps and link to products.
#5. Share a Resource
You don’t have to give away all your secrets, but sharing a favorite online app or life hack tool that makes your life easier builds trust with your followers. You don’t want to give your competition free promotional space but you do want to add value to your social media content, which happens when you pass along a resource that helps your followers.
#6. Post a Testimonial
Testimonials from a reliable and relatable third-party source strengthen your credibility and build trust with followers. Marketers know this as “affinity bias,” and it’s incredibly effective.
Most people read reviews on new products or services before using them, so make it easier for followers to find reviews by sharing them as a Story Highlight, or pinning review posts to your feed. You can share testimonials with a video review or by adding a quote from a review with an eye-catching graphic in a post or story.
<<Click here for testimonials from SwayDM users>>
#7. Thank Your Followers
Everyone wants to be recognized, especially by the people we admire and follow. Make it a habit to call out new followers, people who frequently repost or comment, and other accounts that tag you in their posts. You can send them a DM or do it publically through a shout-out in a post. That personal recognition goes a long way to establishing loyalty and long-term relationships.
#8 Conduct a Poll
Polls are an effective way to understand better who visits your profile, leaves comments, or follows you.
Depending on your brand, you can ask:
- About adding, modifying, or removing a current product or service you offer
- How often are people using your service or visiting your profile
- If visitors would be willing to pay a small amount to receive a guaranteed response from you
#9. Send a Personal DM
Direct messages should be a pillar of your branding strategy. When you respond to a DM in a timely fashion (1-2 days), you create a valuable 1:1 connection. This type of brand loyalty is invaluable because your earnings depend on these enhanced relationships.
Unfortunately, free direct messaging zaps your time and can water down the effectiveness of 1:1 communication. More influencers, small businesses, and content creators are funneling their “free” DMs through SwayDM in order to get compensated for their time.
It’s About Time: Get Paid What You’re Worth!
You know that you’re offering a valuable product or service – that’s why people follow you, ask you for your advice, base their buying decisions on your recommendations, or purchase from your e-store/affiliate links.
Yet many influencers and content creators spend a lot of UNPAID time sorting through the junk and spam in their DM’s in order to get to the real messages and brand collaboration offers.
SwayDM aims to solve this problem through its paid response DM platform that recognizes your time is valuable. Ordinary DMs cost you time, but SwayDM pays you to answer the messages that matter the most.
You’re Invited to Try SwayDM
SwayDM is free to join – there are no monthly costs, contracts, or hidden fees. Earners decide how much to charge for their response to messages and can adjust (or waive) this fee for anyone they want to adjust it for (such as lowering or removing it for loyal followers or friends).
If you’re a consistent, successful influencer, creator, small business owner, or thought leader who wants to monetize and prioritize your digital inbox, SwayDM is for you. Get your invite to join the future of direct messaging today!
