He’s a 10, but his posts are boring, to paraphrase a quality early 2023 meme. We know that looks matter on social media, which is why brands work hard to create a grid that inspires and vids that make you go oooh. But your feed needs to do more than look pretty if you want to keep people coming back. Here’s what to know.
Aesthetics help stop the scroll
These days, we’re all just out there scrollin’. It takes something special to make us tap through to watch that whole video, flick through a carousel or read that lengthy caption. That’s where aesthetics come in. Here’s why aesthetics matter online:
Brand consistency
Consistency is EVERYTHING. Successful brands have a clear, consistent brand identity. When they show up on your feed, you immediately know who they are among the noise. Takeaway: if your posts are a hodgepodge of different aesthetics, it’s time to dial in your look and feel. Define your color palette. Consider your tone of voice. Double down on your brand goals and values, and make sure you’re communicating them.
Brand elevation
Great visuals aren’t just about recognition. They’re about inspiration. Beautiful looking content inspires followers, makes them more likely to share or save content, and fosters consumer habits. This doesn’t mean you have to look like a movie star (although here’s how you can on a budget!) or film exclusively at White Lotus resorts. Look at your brand through a lens of elevation, inspiration, and habituation. How can you choose objects, settings, lighting and people in a way that makes people want to engage with your brand?
Brand simplicity
Okay, this bit’s all about you. Sure, a beautiful brand is great for your fans, but it also makes life easy for you. When you’ve got your look, feel, and goals nailed down, it’s so much easier to create on-brand content. You can use visual templates, content buckets, and even riff on older content that people have responded well to. When you’re working with a distinct visual language, it’s much easier to create content people will respond to.
Value keeps followers reading
Okay, so we’ll always double tap a gorgeous post. But pretty pics can only get you so far. At some point in the near (very near) future, people are going to want more from you. That’s why your posts need to deliver value in addition to beauty – you need to be more than just window dressing! You can deliver value by:
Educating and explaining
Say you’re a coffee brand and your feed is mostly pics of espressos and lattes. Love it. But other brands can easily do the same thing. Set yourself apart by sharing handy terminology, tips on how to make a great cuppa, what kind of beans you use, your techniques for frothing milk, and the difference in brewing methods. Your fans will be obsessed with the new knowledge they’re walking away with!
Sharing insider info
Everyone loves being the insider. Your coffee brand could offer trade secrets about what you have in the works, the people working behind the scenes, and hot tips you have for new equipment, merch, or beans. Who doesn’t love being the first to know something?
Solve problems
Your coffee fans might have questions about coffee in general, roasting, brewing, getting that temperature right, and so much more. You can either tap your audience for questions, or dive into your FAQ to see what issues they’re facing – and then create content that helps your fans solve their issues and become a killer home barista.
Inspire and delight
You love what you do, so let that shine through in your posts! Show how much you love the hiss of the espresso machine, the excitement of those new beans arriving, and the delight of a big batch of orders coming through. Those small moments that mean a ton to you can also mean a ton to your audience – and help keep the engagement coming.
The upshot? Beautiful content helps grab eyeballs. Beautiful content PLUS valuable information helps create fans who hang on your every word. When you bring together solid, consistent branding with handy, useful tips and info on the regular, you’ll find that growing your social media presence – and your customer base – is a breeze.
Ready to build a social media presence that looks great while delivering serious value? Our Fan Firestarter Framework can take you there. We’ll help you assess where you are, then create a social strategy that will help you deliver serious results. Let’s talk!