The anatomy of a results-worthy social media post

Whether you’re talking Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Threads — or any other platform for that matter — social media remains one of the world’s most powerful promotional mediums for brands across industries. And knowing the basics of the anatomy of social media posts is key to standing out online.

As a budding business, social media marketing is an amazing way to boost brand awareness, showcase your expertise, and sell your products or services to the right people at the times where they’re most responsive.

But, to cut through the noise and earn real results from the likes of Facebook, Threads, TikTok, or Instagram, the anatomy of a social media post counts.

Without a clear-cut strategy and social media posts that are genuinely compelling, it’s unlikely you’ll ever enjoy any brand-boosting results from social media platforms.

It may be a competitive playing field but don’t worry, we’re here to help. We’re going to show you how to get results from social media by looking at how to create, curate, and compile posts across some of the planet’s most popular platforms. That is, the basic anatomy of a social media post.

But first, a quick word on the importance of being strategic.

In today's hyper-connected world, there are 4.59 billion active social media users worldwide. That's a lot of people (to say the least).

To ensure the right people not only notice, but interact with your social media posts across platforms, putting a strategy in place is essential.

By taking the time to optimize your social media profiles for success, understanding your target audience, and creating compelling campaigns, you will earn a tasty slice of the promotional pie. You will accelerate your commercial growth and you will see a healthy return on investment (ROI) from your social media marketing efforts.

Understanding how to get results from social media comes from developing a water-tight strategy. Yes, a solid strategy will:

Help you target specific segments of your audience more effectively.
Expand the reach of your social media posts (great for brand awareness).
Save you time and ensure you make better use of your social media budget
Give you the tools to set concrete performance goals and measure your success.
Leave you with more room for growth and creativity (which, in turn, will boost your success).

Now that we’re up to speed on the importance of having a solid social media strategy, let’s dig a little deeper and explore the anatomy of the perfect social media post across some of the world’s most popular platforms.

The anatomy of a results-worthy Facebook post

While there are many newer social media platforms on the block, Facebook is still up there with the best of them. As a small business owner, you can showcase your niche industry knowledge and engage with a wider audience through Facebook—especially if your post looks something like this:

This captivating Facebook post from Oreo is effective and engaging in equal measures. The main reason for this is the perfect balance between compelling copy and captivating visuals. Let’s break it down:

The copy is snappy and grabs attention from the outset. It hooks the reader in with a “tasty” reason to read on, before offering value with the promise of a recipe to try at home.
The post copy also includes a memorable campaign hashtag designed to drive extra engagement and expand Oreo’s social media reach (as people will use this hashtag to showcase their chocolaty creations with their Facebook friends).
The post content features a personalized link to inspire users to click through while making it easier to measure post-performance (engagement, shares and interactions).
People are tagged in the post to expand its reach and boost engagement further (this is an optional tactic, but if you do tag your colleagues as well as industry influencers, this can have a positive impact on the performance of your posts
The imagery is 100% relevant to the post’s content. It’s also clear, professional, creative, and brings the post to life. Whether you’re using video or static imagery, making sure your copy and visuals not only align — but bring your post to life — is vital.

Pro tip: Facebook posts that make a bold statement or ask questions typically earn 27% more engagement. For extra post-boosting advice, read an entrepreneur's guide to using Facebook for business.

The anatomy of a results-worthy Instagram post

With two billion active users, Instagram is one of the planet’s most highly-engaged social media platforms. Its visual nature gives brands (like yours) across industries to grab attention and build consumer trust in a matter of moments—especially if your post is something like this:

When it comes to getting creative on Instagram, the sky is the limit. You can explore many visual ideas and angles. But, this sterling effort from Innocent Smoothies is an excellent example you can work from. Here’s why:

This themed post was published during a quirky national holiday. Taking this approach typically expands your post reach and sparks up interesting conversations, driving heaps of engagement in the process.
The copy is succinct, well-formatted (meaning it’s easy to read and scan on the go), and super creative. The conversational tone grabs attention and commands people to stop and take note.
The image is sharp, visually balanced, and completely out of the box. This image stands out from the crowd, is brimming with Innocent’s brand personality, and features a popular product without adopting a sales-y approach.

To enhance this top-performing Instagram post further, adding a series of relevant hashtags (between three and 11 is considered the sweet spot) would be a good idea — particularly if you’re a smaller business looking to boost brand awareness.

Pro tip: Check out our definitive beginner’s guide to Instagram Reels to get ahead of the pack with your video-making efforts.

The anatomy of a results-worthy Threads post

One of the newer social media platforms around, Threads is based on the power of brevity: making maximum impact with as few words as possible. And, if you get your efforts just right, you can make some noise with a few fun, well-crafted posts. Such as:

This punchy little post from the plant-based company Beyond Meat is a prime example of how to get results from social media.

By using a funny image, Beyond Meat entices users to engage with their brand on a different level than a simple advertisement would.

Pro tip: For more Threads-boosting inspiration, here are some posting tips for your reading pleasure:

Know your character limits to avoid waffling or cutting key parts of your messaging short
Be informative and positive as much as possible
Join conversations and engage with users regularly about trending topics in your niche

The anatomy of a results-worthy Pinterest post

Did you know that 83% of people purchase after viewing a brand’s content on Pinterest? If you’re able to showcase your value and grab attention with your Pinterest posts, you stand an excellent chance of boosting your sales revenue.

Here’s a solid example of how to do just that:

The most striking element of this Pinterest post is the overall tone of voice. From the headline and the copy featured in the image to the post content, this post is natural, approachable, and conversational (in-line with Whole Foods’ brand image).

Another important thing to note here is the fact that the post clearly states its intent: to offer health-conscious Pinterest users a guide to keeping healthy with supplements. Everything here screams “we’re offering you personal value and helping you stay healthy as we’re the experts.”

The highly-graphical imagery is incredibly attractive and it showcases some of Whole Foods’ best products in their finest light while explaining their benefits in an informational rather than pushy way. Epic.

Pro tip: Vibrant visual designs and infographic-style content earn excellent results on Pinterest. Read all about GoDaddy Studio’s partnership with Pinterest to discover how you can create amazing imagery with ease.

The anatomy of a results-worthy TikTok post

TikTok’s popularity in recent years has been attracting amateur video-makers from a whole host of user demographics (mainly Gen Z, but even the Baby Boomers are sharing content on the platform now).

With so many creative options to explore on TikTok, there is so much scope to the video content you can create—the compilation above will give you plenty of inspiration for your personal efforts.

To guide you to TikTok posting success, here are some practical tips you should consider:

Create your content based on a core goal. For example, do you want to spark a conversation, do you want to earn a few laughs to build trust, or are you looking to signpost users to a specific website or landing page?
Jump on the crest of TikTok trends or challenges, but do your research and take a fresh angle that stands out from the crowd.
Use captions to make your posts more engaging while making them more inclusive to users that may have hearing impairments.
Tell a story, or in other words, have a clear-cut beginning, middle, and end to your video content.
Add snappy copy to accompany your post. Make sure it’s conversational and tells your users what to expect. Using a small handful of relevant hashtags will also help to boost your post’s visibility.

Pro tip: Use our quick guide to TikTok marketing for small businesses to grow your audience and earn results from this wildly popular social media platform.

Final thoughts

Successful social media marketing strategies take time and consistency. But, knowing the anatomy of social media posts across various platforms will empower you to earn the engagement you deserve as a growing brand or business.

The more often you post compelling content across social media platforms, the faster you will notice commercial growth. Use these essential tips as working guides and you will start to stand out from the crowd, post after post after post.

To help maximize your social media posts across every platform imaginable, check out our mind-blowing content creation platform GoDaddy Studio. Here you can browse extensive libraries of eye-grabbing, results-driving social media templates and edit them to suit your business. This is beautiful design made easy.