Stop them in their scroll: How to create scroll-stopping content

By 2025, it has been forecast that there will be 1.44 billion monthly active users on Instagram. Creating content that will stand out on one of the most populated social networks is no easy feat and is something that many businesses struggle with on a daily basis.

To create ‘scroll-stopping’ content that will make your target audience stop in their tracks and pay attention, you essentially need to understand what your audience wants to see. Below are some top tips on creating engaging content on social.

1. Know your audience.

Your audience will see hundreds of reels, images, ‘photo dumps’ and videos every day when they scroll on Instagram. To make your content stand out and stop them mindlessly scrolling, you need to create something that spikes their interest.

The trick to nailing scroll-stopping content on any channel is to understand the interests of your followers and to use this in your posts. 

Who is your audience? Why do they follow you? Why do they need/want your product or service? If you can answer these questions, you can create content that will appeal directly to your customers. 

Your social channels are a channel in which your audience can connect with your business, use this space to create content they will be interested in.

2. Create something of value.

A great social media post will do one or more of the following: Entertain, inspire, Promote or Educate. Variety is key when keeping your audience engaged, so when creating your strategy, make sure you include a few of these different pillars to keep your audience interested.

Entertain your audience with before and after posts, behind the scenes content or even jump on social trends and create a funny Reel.

You can Inspire your audience by sharing real life stories, share any charity or community work you’re been involved in or share any positive news within your industry.

Promote your business by sharing tutorials, including calls to action in your posts or tagging your products in your posts

Finally, you can use social media to Educate your audience. From answering FAQs, sharing your top tips or even sharing information about things that are relevant to your audience and your brand.

For more ideas on what kind of content to post on social media, take a look at our other blog. It’s full of engaging content ideas that are bound to drive engagement.

3. Tell a story.

The best way to connect with your audience is emotionally. Posting only promotional content will soon make your followers lose interest. Create content that your audience can connect with emotionally, whether this is a real-life story, or tackling an issue your audience face, something that can make a positive impact on your followers.

In doing this, your audience we subconsciously view your brand in a positive light and they can emotionally connect with your business.

Always remember that your audience will always have an opinion, tap into this by asking their thoughts on topics that can emotionally be related to by your audience.

4. Be original.

You know your brand more than anyone else. You know your audience more than anyone else. To create scroll-stopping content, utilise this and create original content that your audience can relate to. No one wants to see the same viral meme for the 5th time on their feed. Create content that’s unique to your business, your audience and their interests and you will get much more out of it.

Instagram users see hundreds of posts a day on their feed. Make something that will not only grab their attention but will also keep them engaged.

5. Would you engage?

Creating engaging content every day is not always easy. In a lot of respects, less is more when it comes to social media. It’s better to post less, higher quality content than posting for posting’s sake. The more low-quality content you post, the higher chance you have of your audience losing interest.

The number one thing to ask yourself before you post anything on social media is, ‘would I engage?’. If you were scrolling through Instagram, would you stop scrolling and pay attention to this post? If the answer is no, then why would anyone else pay attention to it?

If you can create content that your audience can connect with and want to engage with, you are more likely to convert these engagers into loyal followers and even customers. 

It’s vital that you keep an eye on your social media performance, allowing time to adjust content at any time based on what is working and what is relevant at the time. Being reactive as well as creative is vital to social media success. 

For more information on how you can create successful social media content, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team!