Who doesn’t love a time-hacking, content-enhancing tip or trick? At BCV, we’ve picked up a lot of them along the way that will allow you to create smarter, more nimble, and more engaging content and social strategies without breaking a sweat. So pick up your phone and test drive some of our most-loved tips and tricks for yourself. 

1. “Make your flat-lays/detail shots look more realistic. For example, opening up a magazine creates an authentic moment instead of a stiff, staged scene.”  —Toni Graves, BCV Photographer
2. “Short and sweet copy for ads always works best, especially when adding in a little humor or puns to the mix, pending your brand! Seasonal ads always work well, especially those tailored to specific messaging.” —Jenna Egan, BCV Media & Analytics Team 
3. “I love finding inspiration from particularly beautiful Instagram accounts. This can come from a variety of places: consumer brands, home decor experts, foodies, travel bloggers, mommy bloggers, you name it! They remind me that social media can be a way for individuals to express themselves and for businesses to establish and share their branding.” —Haley Soehn, Senior Account Executive
4. “A/B test your ads to see what type of content will generate a better response, capture your users’ attention, and garner more successful results.” —Olivia Trilla, Senior Account Executive
5. “There are a few apps we recommend for making creative content on-the-go: Life Lapse, Filmr, and Hyperlapse” —BCV Design Team
6. “I use the keyboard shortcut for hashtags for different types of posts. This is a quick way to store hashtags rather than remembering or copying/pasting.” —Alex Briatta, Brand Strategist
7. “After getting the tighter, overhead shot for a classic flat-lay, I recommend taking a step back, adding a human element, and shooting with a wider perspective.” —Angela Treimer, BCV Senior Photographer
8. “When creating Instagram Stories, apps beyond the platform are your best friend. Canva & Unfold are my current go-tos for elevated Story design that looks cohesive and branded. Also, apps like Vimage and Werble make cinemagraph creation simple and accessible.” —Paige Pope, Account Executive
9. “Experiment with square and vertical video. A square video on Facebook and Instagram takes up 78% more real estate than a traditional video, and a vertical video takes up over 150% more real estate. This translates to a 9-point-gain in viewership and engagement over traditional video.” —BCV Video Team
10.  “For Instagram, keep copy more focused on a brand’s personality rather than on press hits or offers/promotions. Copy that is short and sweet or punchy and funny will be more engaging to the user.” —Charlotte Williams, Copywriter

With tips and tricks like these at your disposal, you’ll be able to work smarter and more efficiently to create engaging social media content.