In this series, communications and social media expert Leanne Shingles shares practical tips and advice to help you build confidence on social media, and create targeted, engaging content to reach voters.

• In this post: Content that works
• Next post: Tips for photos

Once you’ve set up your social media accounts, you will need content. This is a short guide on producing engaging content that will help you build your audience.

Australians are highly engaged social media users – 86%* of adults have a social media profile using social media, on average, for 2 hours* a day.

In order to stand out in this crowded online space it’s important to share content that people want to engage with. Content that is interesting, that provides an opportunity for people to learn something, and content that is entertaining or fun generates high engagement.

* Source: We Are Social Digital 2024

Be “authentic”

Social media users consistently cite “authenticity” as being appealing, but what does this mean?

Authenticity on social media can mean content that doesn’t appear to be staged or too polished, as well as content that gives audiences a glimpse behind-the-scenes. An example is the popular Get Ready With Me (GRWM) trend that involves people dressing or doing their hair or make-up while telling a story or talking about an issue they are passionate about.

For people intending to run for political office, authentic social media could be about simply being yourself and speaking like a regular person rather than a politician. Try to be interesting and cultivate your individual social media voice, instead of sounding like everyone else.

Be consistent

Posting consistently will help you build an audience. Try to post daily if you can, if not, post regularly without too much of a gap between posts. Before long, your audience will count on seeing your content.

Types of engaging content

Most social media content is photos and videos, but what should they be about? And what other engaging content should you consider posting? I have a list!

• Ask your audience questions eg. How much money will this policy save you? What do you think of this? Have you ever had this experience?
• Talk about your achievements eg. Did you know I once did…? I am really proud to share with you that I did this… Have I told you about…?
• Amplify your media appearances by sharing them on social media
• Share your thoughts on a current issue (in line with your party policy if you have one)
• Talk about charities or causes you support
• Teach people about how Parliament/Council works
• Share interesting facts about your suburb or local area
• Review and promote local businesses and community groups
• Weekly and monthly re-caps and photo dumps
• Jump on appropriate trends (nothing outside of your comfort zone)
• Share your exercise or relaxation routine
• Talk about your hobbies
• Share recipes/cooking tips

Keep it social

Social media is not a one-way street like broadcast media is.

Social media users expect to be able to engage with content and will be looking for reactions or responses to their comments.

By liking and responding to comments you elevate that exchange to the top of your comment feed. For that reason, it’s not a good idea to engage with negative commentary or commentary you don’t want to elevate.

The accounts that you follow will appreciate and reciprocate your engagement with their content, so make sure you like and comment on some of their posts.

It should go without saying, but if you belong to a political party, make sure your social media accounts are following your party, your party leader and your colleagues.

It’s also good practice to tag people and organisations who appear in your posts. When you do that, those accounts are more likely to engage with yours. All of that engagement will help build your audience and as well as the followers of the accounts you interact with.