Struggling with Ideas for Social Media Posts?

January 2023

When it comes to social media you may be unsure of what to post, where to post and how often. Despite posting relevant news articles, links to your stock and videos from your dealership, there’s no reason why you can’t add some fun and engaging content into the mix. Publishing online content and establishing a social media presence allows you to communicate, meet customer needs, and build trust.

Think about your purchases as a customer, are you likely to check a company’s social media? Do you get involved and like or even comment on posts? Do you feel a company is more trustworthy/legitimate if they have a social media presence? If the answer is yes, then it’s time to get posting!

Which platform should I post on?

As we know, social media is used to expand brand awareness, generate leads, and improve your traffic, but with multiple platforms to choose from, which one provides the best purpose for the content you’re sharing?

Facebook – With 44 million users in the UK, Facebook is the most used social media platform. Post regular updates, “like” other pages, and answer comments or messages. Having a Facebook Business profile allows other Facebook users to leave you reviews and find you easily.

X (formerly Twitter) – Used to post updates, tag, retweet and respond to questions by either tweeting or through direct messages. Similarly to Facebook, you can also post photo and video content which shows on a newsfeed for your followers to see.

LinkedIn – Offering more of a professional service, LinkedIn is mainly used for B2B (Business to Business), though is another great way to grow your following. You can also use LinkedIn to like, comment and share posts you feel are relevant to your business and share your own content too!

Instagram – Instagram offers a visual feed with posts showing photos and short videos (reels) followed by a caption. Users can also post live video or create Instagram Stories that last only 24 hours. Like the previous platforms, users can engage with others through tags, likes, comments, or direct messages. 

TikTok – The newest platform on the block is TikTok, the most downloaded photo and video app in the Apple store ever. Used to stay on top of trends, engage with audiences, advertise products/services and grow brand awareness. The small bites of content delivered (usually 1-minute maximum) increases engagement and leave users curious for more. 

We recommend using a mixture of social platforms, that way you’re covering multiple bases and attracting more potential customers. Typically, most people use more than one social media platform and are likely to check each on a daily basis. If you have a video to share then Instagram, Facebook and TikTok are ideal. If you have a question or poll, X (Twitter) and Instagram stories are great. 

What should I post?

  • Customer testimonials – showcase your feedback from Google and/or Facebook reviews!
  • An image of handing over the keys to customers who have purchased a vehicle.
  • Polls – Instant engagement and feedback from the click of a button. You’d be surprised how many people will respond. From the responses, you can conduct market research by getting followers to vote on new product/service ideas, or tell you what features are important to them. For example ‘which car would you like to take on this road’? Or a vote for ‘which car you’d like to test drive?’
  • Following from polls, ask questions! Rhetorical or not, questions get your posts engaged with likes, comments and shares, and also gather valuable information.
  • Why not introduce your team, even an office dog? A ‘get to know us’ post highlights who you are, and what each member of the team does, plus, it puts a name to a face. 
  • Any awards you’ve received, or been nominated for – a perfect way to demonstrate your successes! 
  • Competitions/discounts/offers – The chance of winning and/or receiving a discount is hugely popular when it comes to social media. Why not ask followers to like and share to enter, it’s free advertising!
  • Utilise seasonal events, it’s a great way to show you’re acknowledging events and sparking conversation, from international dogs day to a big football event. From wishing followers a Merry Christmas to talking about a hot summer’s day, get posting!
  • Lastly, have fun and get creative. Split up the social grid with posts that showcase YOU as a company, demonstrating your company culture.

What is the best time to post?

According to Hootsuite, the best time to post on social media overall is 10:00 AM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

  • Facebook is 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Tuesday and Thursday.
  • Instagram is 11:00 AM on Wednesday.
  • X (Twitter) is 8:00 AM on Monday and Thursday.
  • LinkedIn is 9:00 AM on Tuesday and Wednesday.
  • TikTok is 7:00 PM on Thursday.

It is worth noting that this is an approximation, and if you have something engaging that can’t wait, then go ahead and post it. 

 

 

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How often shall I post?

The answer is it’s entirely up to you! You want to refrain from overwhelming your followers with too many posts, but also want to stay relevant and avoid missed opportunities. We recommend to post at least twice a week, depending on the platform your followers are more likely to use e.g. post 3-4 times a week on Facebook and Instagram and post 1-2 times on LinkedIn and Tiktok.

Remember, social media is free to advertise organically, so make the most of these platforms.