Marketing your business on social media requires a lot of content. Social Media Examiner puts the ideal number of Facebook posts per day between 2 and 5; if you’re using Instagram, the ideal number of daily posts is 15.

When you’re busy running a business, creating that much original content is a big challenge. The alternative is sharing content created by other people. This will save you time, but will it help you build your brand? The answer to that question is: it depends on the content.

[Tweet “Generally, the highest engagement rates come from content that provokes a strong emotional response.”]

Just Because It’s Popular Doesn’t Mean It’s Useful

We all want our customers to engage with the content we share. It’s logical to think that a post that’s already gathered a lot of likes on its own will do the same thing when you share it with your customers. That can be true – but if the popular content doesn’t reflect your brand values or it’s not clear why your business would be sharing it, the engagement you get from it isn’t actually meaningful.

In fact, if the values being reflected are markedly different from your own, the content can leave the viewer feeling confused about who you are – the direct opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish with social media. Engagement is only meaningful when it strengthens the positive relationship you have with your customers.

If content captures your customers’ attention but does nothing for you, it’s fair to ask yourself whose brand you’re building. If all you’re doing is helping a popular Facebook page become more popular, it’s not really a good use of your time and energy.

Content Should Be On-Brand and Accurate

Generally, the highest engagement rates come from content that provokes a strong emotional response. Funny, heartwarming, and encouraging content gets more comments and shares than other types. If you can find this type of material that’s presented in a way that makes sense for your brand, use it. 

Useful content also consistently garners higher engagement rates. Before you post it, make sure it comes from a source that’s reliable, in alignment with your brand values, and is accurate. It’s also a good best practice to make sure the content’s not hidden behind a paywall – frustrating your followers with a story that sounds interesting but is impossible to get to isn’t a good look for anyone.