Consistency is the key to social media success. Ideally, you would post once a day on Instagram and Facebook and multiple times a day on Twitter, but at a minimum you should be posting at least three to four times a week on Instagram.
The reason most people aren’t consistent is because they simply don’t know what to post. Sure, it’s easy to find content when you’re out traveling, but what should you post when you’re sitting at home?
Below are some of ideas to help you find inspiration on days you’re struggling to post.
1. Past Travels
The photos don’t have to stop just because the trip is over. You can continue to share photos from a trip for days, weeks, months, and even years after you return home. One popular way to do that is on Tuesdays with the #traveltuesday hashtag or Thursdays with the #tbt (Throwback Thursday) hashtag, but you don’t need a daily hashtag to give you permission to share your travels. Your post could just be about something that reminded you of a trip or somewhere you’re longing to go again.
2. Your Local Area
Most of us became travel writers because we love to travel, so sometimes we forget that we live somewhere other people might travel to visit. Don’t sleep on your local area. Share what you love about where you live and tell your audience about local points of interest or great day trips from your location. Not to mention you can develop a great relationship with your local tourism bureau by sharing your area and using the local hashtags.
3. Sunrises, Sunsets, and Animals
When in doubt, a photo of a sunrise, sunset, or a cute animal are always sure winners on social media. No one ever gets tired of a good sunrise or sunset photo, so whether it’s from your travels or right outside your backdoor, always keep some of those on hand for a day when you feel uninspired.
Animals are also surefire winners. Have you ever noticed how many Super Bowl commercials feature animals? There’s a reason for that. It can be your own pets or animals you’ve encountered during your travels. Maybe share a photo of your dog and tell us whether they’re a good traveler or how you balance being a pet owner and a frequent traveler. A cat packing itself in your suitcase? Always a crowd favorite.
4. Food and Drink
Food and beverages are in an adjacent category to travel, and many travel writers also write about the great meals, cocktails, beer, wine, and more they experience around the world. You can continue to share memorable meals and drinks even after you return home, and there are plenty of opportunities in the restaurants and bars right around your own house.
5. Daily Hashtags
Themed hashtags can be great for inspiration. Luckily, there are some for every day of the week. I’ve listed the most popular ones for each day below.
Monday: #mondaymorning #mondaymood #mondayfunday
Tuesday: #traveltuesday #tuesdaythoughts #tuesdaytip
Wednesday: #wednesdaywisdom #wednesdaynight #wednesdaymotivation
Thursday: #tbt (Throwback Thursday) #thursdaynight #thursdaythoughts
Friday: #fridaynight #fridayfeeling #fridaynightlights
Saturday: #saturdaymorning #saturdaynight #saturdayfunday
Sunday: #sundaymorning #sundaymood #sundaybrunch
6. What Your Audience Wants
Instagram business or creator accounts, Facebook pages, and Twitter accounts all have access to analytics that tell you exactly who your audience is and the content they’ve engaged with the most. Check that out at least once a week, and when you notice a post that’s outperformed your others try and create more posts like that.
For example, do posts with your dog always get more comments? Great, then let’s get more photos with your dog! Or perhaps your audience responds the most when you post a photo of the beach. In that case, go through photos from past trips and find more beach photos to share. You’ll get the best engagement when you pay attention to what your audience likes and give them more.
Every post doesn’t have to be a masterpiece. Your photos don’t have to be edited, and your captions don’t have to be long. Just be consistent and ask at least one question in your caption to encourage engagement from your audience. Then pay attention to what they like and find ways to give them more where that came from!