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In today's ubiquitous online landscape, where attention is the new currency and social media posts compete to capture that sought-after novel currency, mastering social media content creation isn't just an advantage—it's an absolute necessity. The opportunities presented by our digitally driven world are immeasurable: from forging global connections to engaging with your ideal target audience, driving leads, and solidifying yourself as an industry leader. Yet, amidst the vastness of potential offered, content creators and social media marketers are falling flat.
Tired of devoting your precious time and energy to social media posts, only for the content you create to go unseen, getting lost in the sea of digital noise? You’re not alone. Countless professionals and brands spend hours generating content and curating a social media strategy, attracting little to no engagement, producing no real results.
It’s incredibly frustrating when the value you offer isn’t reaching the right target audience or driving any action, especially in a digital landscape overflowing with potential and opportunity. You're watching your content creations come up empty, missing out on meaningful connections and potential prospects.
Great news: now you can break free from that cycle. Here at 360 Solutions, we’ve compiled proven principles and actionable advice from industry-leading creators and marketers such as Brendan Kane, Jasmin Alić, Prince EA, and Erick Brownstein into this post and a companion Content Strategy Worksheet available for download. Discover how to create engaging social media content that not only connects but consistently converts your efforts into real impact.
Why You Must Understand Your “Why”
The most fundamental facet of your social media success is your mindset. Before you dive into content creation, writing engaging captions, or using trending hashtags, you need to deeply understand your “why.” This isn’t just a feel-good exercise; it is your anchor when algorithms shift, engagement drops, or discouragement sets in. Your “why” is your purpose, your reason, and your motivation. It is the driving force that will keep your content creation consistent.
A paramount process in comprehending your “why” is clarifying your goals. What do you want to achieve with social media? Are you aiming for more engagement, increased lead generation, or to establish authority in a crowded digital space where trust and visibility drive real results? Your social media strategy should be built around and align with your specific objectives. 360 Solutions’ downloadable content creation worksheet includes an exercise to help you define your personal "why" and set clear, achievable social media goals. It invites you to reflect on what you want to achieve through social media, the impact of those outcomes, and why they genuinely matter to you.
Embrace a Service Mindset (The Prince EA Approach)
Take a moment and imagine your social media content generating over two billion views. That imaginary scenario became a reality for Prince EA, who credits his social media success to one pivotal shift: adopting a mindset focused on creating value for his audience rather than simply chasing leads. Although practical elements like attention-hooking headlines and compelling thumbnails are fundamental, his central message is clear: the content itself must be genuinely good and connect on a personal level with the audience.
Our free downloadable worksheet containing social media tips reveals Prince EA's seven powerful questions that will compel you to adopt this service-oriented mindset before you even begin your social media growth journey. These questions challenge you to think about how you can best serve and provide value to others, how to make your post the absolute best on its topic, and what meaningful impact you want to make on the world. Employing this approach will transform your content from self-serving to audience-centric, fostering authentic connection, and ultimately growth.
The Power of Shareability (Erick Brownstein of Shareability)
Let’s get to the question everyone is asking: “What makes content go viral?”. According to Erick Brownstein, Co-President of Shareability, whose company has generated billions of views and created some of the most shared video campaigns of the past decade, it all comes down to connection. People are going to share content that makes them feel understood, not sold to. Brownstein’s key strategy involves researching trending topics and popular memes, then aligning those top-performing pieces of content with brand awareness and communication goals. Using this technique to achieve success requires an open mindset, a willingness to experiment, and the ability to adapt along the way.
A perfect illustration of this is when Shareability leveraged the popular "dangers of selfie sticks" trend for a parody PSA. They cleverly integrated this trending message with Pepsi and Pizza Hut's new monster-sized pizza, creating a highly shared and memorable campaign. This example shows how tapping into cultural conversations with a creative brand voice can significantly amplify your content’s reach and engagement.
The Irresistible Pull of Narrative: Why Humans Are Wired for Storytelling (Matthew Dix's "Homework for Life")
Looking beyond trending topics, storytelling remains an evergreen superpower in the realm of social media content creation. At its core, communication theory teaches us that humans are fundamentally narrative creatures; our brains are hardwired to process information, build meaning, and forge connections through stories. This innate predisposition means that compelling narratives don't just capture attention – they tap into our deepest cognitive and emotional frameworks, making them far more memorable and impactful than raw data. Statistics might inform, but stories connect on a profoundly human level.
Our Social Media Basics Worksheet introduces storytelling expert and TEDx speaker Matthew Dicks’ “Homework for Life,” a simple yet powerful daily practice that trains your brain to spot story-worthy moments in everyday life.This not only builds an invaluable collection of stories for your content but also sharpens your observational and narrative skills. Developing your storytelling ability is crucial for truly engaging content that resonates deeply and lasts long after the scroll. Studies find consistent storytelling builds trust, increases engagement, and strengthens brand recall, making your content not only more memorable, but more effective at connecting with your audience over time.
Crafting Hooks That Grab Attention and Never Let Go (Jasmin Alić)
As mentioned in the introduction, in today’s competitive social media landscape, attention is the ultimate currency, and every content creator is vying for a share of this valuable resource. You have only mere seconds to capture it on a social feed overflowing with content. That's where your hook comes in. According to Fortune 500 copywriter and LinkedIn expert Jasmin Alić, “Your hook is 90% of a good post.”. A great hook isn't just a catchy phrase; it's a promise of what's to come, designed to interrupt the scroll and spark curiosity, urgency, or inspiration, making it the first step in winning that prized attention.
Our social media content strategy breaks down Alić's hook framework, emphasizing that your first line should deliver the single most important takeaway. However, the capacity to optimize engagement extends far beyond the initial hook. This is where the use of “re-hook strategies” comes into your drafting process, keeping your audience engaged and reading to the very last word.
The first re-hook strategy covered is “objection crushing”. This powerful technique immediately follows your hook by addressing a familiar doubt or objection your reader might have, such as concerns related to time, effort, or money. This adds weight and credibility to your first line by making your promise feel far more authentic and tangible.
- Example:
- Hook: “This is the easiest way to find clients on LinkedIn.”
- Re-hook: “With no paid ads and zero investment.”
A second re-hook strategy Alić proposes is called “psychological contrast”, which involves saying something directly opposite or unexpected immediately following your hook, prompting readers to pause and reflect on what they just read, creating a compelling curiosity gap.
- Example:
- Hook: “LinkedIn is the number one business platform in the world.”
- Re-hook: “But it is the worst for selling your product.”
A quick scroll through Alić’s LinkedIn reveals that he doesn’t just teach these techniques—he uses them himself. His posts are packed with smart hooks, bold re-hooks, and scroll-stopping structures that model exactly what he encourages others to do to boost engagement. Take this psychological contrast hook used by Alić, as a concrete example of him practicing what he preaches: view the post here.
Our social media training guide also details the power of clean, easy-to-follow LinkedIn caption formatting used by top performers on the social platform. By using clear and accessible language in your posts, you ensure your hard-won attention isn’t lost in a cluttered, hard-to-read wall of text.
The Best Commenting Strategy for Organic Lead Generation and Growth (Jasmin Alić)
Strengthening your social media presence isn't just about the content you publish on your account. Interacting with other users by leaving comments or replies on their posts is a superb way to generate organic visibility for your profile without having to create new content. Jasmin Alić highlights a key insight: when crafting your comments, your primary focus should be on engaging other viewers of the post, not solely the content creator themselves. According to this blog post from 360 Solutions, your goal should aim to spark conversations among readers.
The core goal of this social media strategy is to consistently signal to the social media platforms’ algorithms that your contributions are valuable, thereby fostering further audience engagement. This, in turn, significantly boosts the reach of your social media content.
Here's a straightforward methodology to employ this powerful style of commenting:
- Follow creators or potential leads in your field and turn on their post notifications.
- Strive to be among the first to comment, consciously shifting your focus to speak to the audience rather than just the original poster.
- Leave three thoughtful replies to other comments on the post. Consider these replies as mini-posts that showcase your expertise and value.
This commenting strategy effectively leverages the algorithm by demonstrating your engagement and perceived value, driving curious new eyeballs to your profile. For connecting with cold leads, it also aligns with Alić's "10-interaction rule" before sending a direct message or connection request. It's a powerful and often overlooked way to build genuine online relationships and significantly increase your social media engagement.
Ready to Transform Your Social Media?
At 360 Solutions, we’re passionate about helping content creators, coaches, entrepreneurs, and businesses grow through sustainable, intentional social media. The insights shared in this blog post are just a glimpse into the actionable advice and proven principles we've compiled over years of experience, that can help you elevate your social media presence. Our Social Media Content Creation: Key Principles & Actionable Advice worksheet provides the comprehensive frameworks and exercises you need to build an ironclad foundation for long-term growth with truly intentional outcomes.
You have unique stories to share and offer immense value. Your audience is out there—and with the right social media strategy, they’re within reach. By consistently practicing these strategies and refining your approach, you'll not only grow your social media channels but also significantly expand your overall impact.
[Download The Best FREE Social Media Content Creation Worksheet Here!]
Ready to dive deeper? For more proven, practical social media marketing advice and cutting-edge strategies that you assuredly don’t want to miss out on, be sure to keep up with 360 Solutions.
