100 Engaging Social Media Post Ideas for Retailers

As a social media and marketing agency, Crystal Media gets asked A LOT about content for businesses, and we understand why. Coming up with engaging social media post ideas can be difficult, especially if you’re creatively exhausted after a long day. We understand that as a small business owner, social media may not be a top priority for you but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an important tool for growing your business and maintaining an engaged community.

We did something kind of wild. This week, instead of sharing a best practice or a marketing tip, we decided to share content ideas. And no, this isn’t just a few ideas to get you through the week. We wrote out 100 awesome social media ideas for small businesses.

Many of these ideas are categorized below by different industries, but most of them can be customized to your niche. Also, at the very end of the list, we have 30 General Content Ideas for any category of small business.

We’re encouraging you to go through and pick your favorites to start with, then slowly make your way through these content ideas. The key is not to feel overwhelmed, but empowered to create awesome content that can help your business find new customers and retain existing fans.

Florists:

IG Guide and FB Album: Feature a different flower weekly and share how to identify the flower, unique characteristics, and what colors it comes in.
IG Reels/FB Video: How to identify your flower style (ie Minimal, Tropical, Modern, Traditional).
IG Reels/FB Video: Tips on how to extend the life of your bouquet.
IG/FB Post: Bouquets inspired by T.V./movie characters.
IG/FB Stories: This or That poll sticker about different bouquets. Then, ask your audience to vote on their favorite.
IG/FB Stories: Share your favorite flower bouquets from celebrity weddings.
IG/FB Post: Compare different flowers to different personalities (ie Shy vs. Show off).
IG Reels: How to style bouquets with different vases.
IG Reels: How to create a dried bouquet.
IG/FB Post: List most fragrant flowers and which time of year they are in season.

Pet Stores:

IG Guide and FB Album: Share weekly fun facts about certain breeds of dogs and cats.
IG/FB Stories: Use an IG Filter that asks, “Which kind of dog are you?” and have your staff use this filter. Then, ask your audience to use this filter and share their results.
IG/FB Stories: This or That poll sticker about different dog toys. Then, ask your audience to vote on their favorite.
IG/FB Stories: Use the question box to ask your audience which tricks their pets know. Share the results.
IG Carousel/FB Post: Post several options of dog toys that don’t have a squeaker or any loud noises. Include a caption, “Have you ever avoided a dog toy because it was annoying?”
IG Reels: Take short video clips of different dogs that visit. Then, create a weekly Reel round up of your furry visitors.
IG/FB Post: Unboxing video using a dog to break open the box.
IG Reels/FB Video: Weekly training tip.
IG/FB Stories + IG Highlight: Share different dog breeds and which treats, foods, and toys you recommend for them. Then, create the highlight with different dog breed names and all your recommendations.
IG/FB Stories: Create a story about your childhood pets, what their names were, and which breeds you had.

Toy Stores:

IG/FB Stories: This or That poll sticker about different nostalgic toys from your childhood. Then, ask your audience to vote on their favorite.
IG/FB Stories: Share different editions of the Barbie throughout the years with a little bit of history.
IG/FB Stories: Use the slider sticker to ask your audience to guess the age group of different toys.
IG Guide and FB Album: Post different toys for different age groups and organize them into FB Albums and IG Guides for easy shop-by-age categories.
IG/FB Post: Share how you source your toys. What trends do you keep an eye out for?
IG Reels/FB Video: Share a behind-the-scenes of staff playing with the toys.
IG Reels/FB Video: Create a fake dialog between two toys, Toy Story style.
IG Reels/FB Video: Show product demos using different toys, board games, and gadgets.
IG Carousel/FB Post: Post several options of toys that don’t have any loud noises. Include a caption, “Have you ever avoided a toy because it was annoying?”
IG Reels/FB Video: Show user videos of your customers’ children opening a toy from your store and their reactions (with permission).

Jewelry Stores:

IG/FB Stories: This or That poll sticker about different diamond cuts. Then, ask your audience to vote on their favorite.
IG Guide/FB Album: Create several posts doing a deep-dive education on different diamond cuts and how to identify them.
IG/FB Post: Styling necklaces with different necklines of shirts.
IG/FB Post: Styling necklaces for different wedding guest dresses.
IG Carousel/FB Post: Silver or Gold? How to identify which color works for your skin tone.
IG Reels/FB Video: The Do’s and Don’ts of jewelry styling (ie Can you wear necklaces over turtlenecks? Can you wear watches over a long sleeve?).
IG/FB Stories: Share the engagement ring and approximate price of celebrities’ engagement rings.
IG/FB Stories: This or That poll sticker about different ring stacks. Then, ask your audience to vote on their favorite.
IG Guide/FB Album: Jewelry that is under $100.
IG/FB Post: How to style vintage jewelry with new jewelry.

Gift Shops:

IG/FB Stories: Use the question box to ask your audience, “What is the best gift to get a host?”. Then, share the results from your audience with gifts from your store/other local business recommendations.
IG/FB Stories: Use the question box to ask your audience, “What is the best birthday/holiday gift to give a brand new partner?”. Afterward, share the results from your audience with gifts from your store/other local business recommendations.
IG/FB Stories: This or That poll sticker about different gifts, and ask your audience to vote which they would rather receive.
IG/FB Posts: Each month ask your audience what is on their wish lists if it is their birthday month.
IG Reels/FB Video: Create a time-lapse assembling gift boxes.
IG Reels/FB Video: Create a video showing how to wrap a gift.
IG Guide and FB Album: Post different gifts for different people and organize them into FB Albums and IG Guides for easy shop-by-category (ie Gifts for Mom, Gifts for Dad, Gifts for the Chef, Gifts for the Coffee Lover).
IG/FB Posts: Share the trending gifts of the season.
IG Reels/FB Video: Create a video showing how to assemble a gift basket and make it look great.
IG/FB Stories: Share stories about some of the birthday gifts you received in your childhood, and why they stood out to you.

Boutiques:

IG/FB Stories: This or That poll sticker about different trends, and ask your audience to vote which one they would rather wear.
IG/FB Stories: This or That poll sticker about different looks from major events (ie the Met Gala, the Oscars). Then, ask your audience to vote on which look they prefer.
IG/FB Stories: Use the question box to ask your audience, “What is an item/trend you would never wear?”. Share the results from your audience with photos of the items you have in those categories and how to style them so they look good.
IG Reels/FB Video: 3 different ways to style a white button-up.
IG Reels/FB Video: How to accessorize different looks.
IG Reels/FB Video: How to dress up and dress down an outfit.
IG Reels/FB Video: Different clothing on different body shapes. Afterward, show how your clothes fit on different sizes.
IG Guide and FB Album: Post different outfit inspirations from TV/movie characters (ie Dressing like Rachel Green from Friends).
IG/FB Stories: Show different customers’ OOTD—Outfit of the Day (with their permission).
IG/FB Live: Talk about the trends you’re seeing this season. After that, talk about what you carry that would match these trends.

Craft/Hobby Stores:

IG Reels/FB Video: Tie-Dye video, including before and after.
IG/FB Stories: Share your hands/nails after a messy project. Then ask your customers to share theirs.
IG Reels/FB Video: Video time-lapse of different projects (ie Clay vase being created, a paint by number painting, a flower pot being created).
IG Guide and FB Album: Post different gifts for different hobbies and organize them into FB Albums and IG Guides for easy shop-by-category (ie Gifts for Knitters, Gifts for Painters, Gifts for the Scrap Booker, Gifts for the Flower Lover).
IG/FB Posts: Each month, ask your audience what they are hoping to create that month. Afterward, share different projects you’re working on as well.
IG/FB Post: Beginners’ guide to _____________ (Knitting/Painting/Sewing/Embroidering/Scrapbooking).
IG/FB Post: How to fix _____________. Showcase a DIY of how to fix common household problems.
IG/FB Live: Interview different local makers. Ask them what inspires them, what projects they’re working on, and what their favorite projects have been.
IG Carousel/FB Post: Share finished projects/creations from your customers, and explain what materials they used to create it.
IG Carousel/FB Post: Crafting fails (ie Clay exploding in kiln, a painting getting messed up, glass breaking).

General:

IG Carousel/FB Post: Introduction of your employees with their names, titles, and a fun fact about them.
IG/FB Live: Buying products and sourcing items. Show a behind-the-scenes of what you’re ordering for the following season, and share upcoming trends.
IG/FB Stories: This or That poll sticker about different items at trade shows, and have your audience vote which one they would rather see in your store.
IG/FB Stories: At a trade show, show a behind-the-scenes look at what trends and color palettes you’re noticing.
IG/FB Stories: This or That poll sticker about color variations of the same product. Then ask your audience which they prefer.
IG/FB Live: Do an unboxing of new items, and talk about what makes them special.
IG/FB Live: Tour the store and visit each display.
IG Reels/FB Video: Video time-lapse of merchandising the store/a display. Show the transformation.
IG Reels/FB Video: Video time-lapse of opening the store from turning on the lights to tidying up before unlocking the doors.
IG/FB Stories: Share a video of yourself saying good morning and talking about the weather in your hometown. Then ask your viewers, if not local, what the weather is like where they’re at.
IG/FB Stories: With permission, ask if you can take a photo of a customer with their recent purchase and say, “A happy customer with their new ___________”.
IG Guide and FB Album: Organize your posts into easy-to-view categories so new page visitors can navigate your posts.
IG Reels/FB Video: Use the green screen effect to share the history of your store.
IG/FB Stories: Find IG filters that relate to your business and create a video asking your viewers to use the filter and tag you in their stories.
IG/FB Post: Ask your customers to take a photo of their new purchase (ie In their home, in an outfit, etc.) and tag your store. Afterward, re-share the image to your page (with permission).
IG Reels/FB Video: Take your product off the shelf/hanger and showcase it on a person/in-use through a video.
IG Reels/FB Video: Product how-to’s using new arrivals.
IG/FB Stories: Use the question box to ask your audience if they have any questions about the store. (Be ready to answer them!)
IG/FB Stories: Use the quiz sticker to ask your audience how well they know you/your store. Then include several questions that include one right answer and other wrong answers.
IG/FB Stories: Use the question box to ask your audience what they need tips on in your industry. Then share the answers with your advice.
IG Reels/FB Video: Introduce yourself/the business owner and share fun facts.
IG Live: Use the IG Live Rooms feature to invite 3 of your top customers onto a Live video with you and just chat about the industry.
IG Live: Use the IG Q&A feature to let your audience ask you questions Live that you can answer on the spot. A great idea around the holidays so you can suggest different items that your audience might be looking for.
IG/FB Post: Share different items you have that go along with a seasonal palette (ie In Fall, share all the items you have in “Pumpkin Spice” colors).
IG/FB Live: Go Live weekly to share what is new in the store, and feature a different item.
IG Guide/FB Album: Create a seasonal album and add photos to it weekly.
IG/FB Post: Share your top gift picks for different upcoming holidays.
IG/FB Stories: Share a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to run your small business.
IG Reels: Participate in dance challenges or trends and make them relate to your store by wearing/using your items.
IG/FB Post: Post a boomerang of a shipment truck pulling into your parking lot and caption it, “New arrivals coming very soon!”.

What we want you to take away from this blog:

Start slowly. The key is not to feel overwhelmed. Pick your favorites to start with, then gradually make your way through the list to grow your stock of social media content ideas.
Creating engaging content can be fun and empower you to help your business find new customers and retain existing fans.

Ok, over to you! We want to know…

What awesome content you’re creating! Share a comment below or follow and share with us on Instagram and Facebook. And if you need a little help getting started using some of the above-mentioned tools (ie IG Reels, IG Carousel, and IG Guides), check out our blog post 6 Ways To Create Content on Instagram.

We can’t WAIT to see what these awesome and engaging social media post ideas can do for your small business. Happy posting!

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