Creating Social Content That People Actually Engage With

On social media, the game is all about engagement. The more people who like, comment on, and share your posts, the more the platform will show your content to other people for free. It’s a simple feedback loop. If you can build up that engagement when you're not selling anything, you'll have a much wider reach when it's time to actually promote something. It’s a foundational piece of any good strategy.

I stick to what I call the 85/15 rule. This means 85% of my content is valuable and non-promotional, and only 15% is focused on selling. Think of it as one or two promotional posts for every seven you publish. Stacking these non-sales posts when you’re not in a launch cycle pays off big time when you are.

Stand Out with Original Visuals

Let's be honest: social media is a visual, fast-moving world. You aren't just competing with other businesses; you're competing with posts from your audience's friends and family. To pull their attention away from what their Aunt Mary is making for dinner, you need original, shareable content.

This is your chance to position yourself as an expert in your field. Turn your best quotes or blog post insights into simple graphics. A key part of my workflow is batching content creation. I’ll set aside time to create 30 posts at once, which gives me a full month of daily content ready to go. To do this efficiently, I rely on a handful of tools.

My Go-To Toolkit for Content Creation

People often ask how I manage running a business, writing books, and raising a family. The short answer is laughter, prayer, and coffee. But the real secret is a collection of resources that make my time more effective. Here are some of the “easy buttons” I use to streamline my and daily posting schedule.

For Design

I have a bit of a hobby of finding time-saving apps, and these are some of my favorites:

: This is my go-to for design work on a desktop. You can create everything from social posts and ads to cover photos. Even with designers on staff, I use it to quickly create ad variations to keep our costs down.
: This app is incredible for creating beautiful text-based images in seconds. I use it for social media posts, but also for things like logos and webinar slides. It makes you look like a design pro, even if you’re not.
: The original version was great for turning phone pictures into professional-looking images, but the new version is even better. You can whiten teeth, smooth skin, and improve coloring, but now you can also do it in real-time for photos and videos.
: This app is a game-changer for creating video ads. It provides stock video and music, allowing you to produce a professional-looking video in just a few minutes.

For Copywriting

: This book by Richard Bayan is a lifesaver. It contains thousands of words and phrases organized into lists that help keep my copy from sounding repetitive. When I’m stuck, it’s a great tool for sparking new ideas.
: Written by David Garfinkel, this book is all about crafting compelling headlines. It can help you transform a weak headline into something that truly grabs your audience’s attention.
: If you're completely stuck, a site like can give you hundreds of headline ideas for any topic in just a few seconds.

Other Helpful Tools

: I use this to send personal voice or video messages to people who have questions about our programs. It’s a great way to connect on a more personal level, and I’ve found it to be incredibly effective.
: If you need content ideas, this tool shows you exactly what your target audience is searching for online. For example, a search for “productivity” reveals a web of questions people are asking on the topic.

What Kind of Content Actually Works?

Here’s a tough truth about : posting is less about what feels natural and more about what actually works. After studying top social media marketers, I’ve found some common threads.

First, avoid photos that look like stock photos—they just don't perform well. Use your phone and a tripod to batch your own photos. The types of images that consistently work well include shots of you looking at the camera, looking away, laughing, or looking down. Photos of nature or a simple setup with a coffee cup and a computer also perform reliably.

Beyond photos, here are a few simple formats for your that boost engagement:

: The easiest way to get input is to simply ask for it. It shows you’re listening and helps build loyalty. Oreo famously did this with its “cookie or crème?” campaign, which drove over a million responses on Facebook.
: These posts are a classic for a reason. A client of ours, The Fertility Center, used the prompt: “Fill in the blank: I am a ____ woman,” which inspired a great deal of engagement.
: Post a funny or interesting photo and ask your audience to write a caption. We did this for real estate guru Ron LeGrand with a quirky photo of him looking at a horse. The post generated over 70 entries without any ad spend.
: Ask a trivia question related to your business or industry. You can offer a small prize, like a gift certificate, to the winner. Announcing the winner publicly gives you another piece of content and encourages more people to play next time.

A Simple Posting Schedule to Get You Started

Post about a challenge you overcame and what you learned. If you have a related resource, link to it.
Talk about a goal you once had and the story of how you achieved it. Again, link to a resource if it makes sense.
Share a win, a kind note from a customer, or a positive review.
Kick off the week by sharing your focus and what your audience can expect.
Share a quote graphic—your own words are always best!
Tell a story about a realization you had and how it can apply to your audience.
Another quote graphic to keep the motivation high.

No matter what you choose to post, the key is consistency. A successful plan depends on it. Set aside the time to batch create your content, and then make sure you post every day. That’s how you build an online presence, grow your list, and ultimately, drive sales.