Top 5 Best Practices for Creating a Great Social Media Post

Social media is one of the best tools a business owner can use to reach new customers, engage with existing ones, and build brand loyalty. But not all posts are created equal. A few simple best practices can help you stand out from the noise, get more attention, and drive better results.

Whether you're posting on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), or any other platform, following these five best practices can make a big difference in your success.

1. Start With a Clear Purpose

Before you create any post, ask yourself one simple question: What do I want this post to do?

• Are you trying to promote a product?
• Build brand awareness?
• Drive traffic to your website?
• Get people to comment or share?

When you know your goal, it's much easier to craft a post that connects with your audience. Every post should have a clear "why" behind it. Without a clear purpose, your message will seem random and won't get the results you want.

Quick Tip: End each post with a simple call to action (CTA), like "Learn More," "Comment Below," or "Shop Now."

2. Keep It Short and Simple

On social media, less is more. Most people are scrolling quickly, and if your post is too long or confusing, they'll keep moving.

Stick to short sentences. Get right to the point. Use simple language that anyone can understand.

Aim for:

• 1 to 3 short sentences for most posts
• Bullet points or emojis to make information easier to read
• Clear and catchy headlines

Quick Tip: Pretend you only have 5 seconds to catch someone's attention — because you probably do!

3. Use Eye-Catching Visuals

Pictures, videos, and graphics grab attention much faster than words alone. A great image can stop a user from scrolling and get them to focus on your post.

Best practices for visuals:

• Use bright, clear, high-quality images
• Keep your branding consistent (colors, fonts, logo)
• Include people when possible — posts with faces get higher engagement
• Make sure videos are short and have captions (many people watch without sound)

Quick Tip: Create templates for your posts using free tools like Canva to keep a consistent, professional look.

4. Be Authentic and Personal

People want to connect with real people, not faceless businesses. Share posts that show the human side of your brand. Tell stories, highlight your team, show behind-the-scenes moments, and be honest about your journey.

Authenticity builds trust, and trust builds loyal customers.

Ways to be authentic:

• Share wins and lessons learned
• Thank your customers publicly
• Feature real customer stories or testimonials
• Show your team or yourself in action

Quick Tip: Don't be afraid to show a little personality. Even simple humor or honesty can make a huge impact.

5. Post Consistently

One great post every few months won't build your brand. Consistency is key to growing your audience and staying top of mind.

• Pick a realistic posting schedule — even 2-3 times a week is a good start.
• Stay active, even if posts are simple updates.
• Use scheduling tools (like Buffer or Later) to plan ahead and stay consistent without stress.

Quick Tip: Quality matters more than quantity. It's better to post less often but with strong, thoughtful content.

Creating a great social media post doesn't have to be complicated. Focus on having a clear purpose, keeping it simple, using great visuals, being authentic, and staying consistent.

Small improvements in each area can lead to more likes, shares, comments — and most importantly, more customers over time.

If you make these five practices part of your regular social media habits, you'll build a stronger brand presence and see better results without spending hours each day.