Facebook is among the most popular social media platforms, with over 2.96 billion active users. Facebook posts are vital for businesses and brands; Facebook is a crucial platform for connecting with customers and increasing brand awareness. However, with so many users and companies vying for attention, it can take time to stand out. This article will explore ten viral Facebook post ideas that will help your brand increase engagement, gain followers, and boost your social media presence.

As a business or brand on Facebook, increasing engagement on your posts is crucial to success. Engagement includes likes, comments, reactions, and shares. The higher your engagement, the greater your chance of reaching a wider audience. 

Importance of Facebook Posts Engagement

Engagement is the key to success on Facebook. Not only does high engagement lead to increased brand awareness, but it also helps increase your Facebook page’s organic reach. Facebook’s algorithm favors posts with high engagement, so it is essential to focus on increasing engagement. Increased engagement also boosts your credibility and builds a loyal following.

How to Increase Engagement on Your Facebook Posts

There are many strategies to increase engagement on your Facebook posts, including the ten viral post ideas we will explore below. By being strategic and consistent in your approach, you can increase engagement and build a strong brand presence on Facebook.

1: Post Contests and Giveaways

Contests and giveaways are a great way to increase engagement on your Facebook posts. They offer incentives for followers to engage with your brand, whether it’s by commenting, liking, or sharing your post. 

Here are some types of contests and giveaways to consider:

• Quiz or trivia contests
• Photo contests
• Caption contests
• Sweepstakes or prize giveaways

To set up a successful contest or giveaway, be sure to:

• Create clear rules and guidelines for entry
• Define a clear timeline for the contest or giveaway
• Promote the contest or giveaway on all your social media channels
• Choose a prize that is relevant and valuable to your audience. 

Examples of Successful Contests and Giveaways:

• Amazon’s Prime Day giveaway, offering Amazon gift cards to followers who comment on their posts with their favorite Prime Day deal.
• JetBlue’s “Go Get Gifted” sweepstakes offers free flights to followers who shared their holiday gift-giving struggles on the airline’s Facebook post.

2: Ask Your Followers for Opinions

Asking for your followers’ opinions is a great way to engage them in conversation and foster a sense of community around your brand. 

Here’s why followers love giving their opinions:

• It can make them feel valued and heard by your brand
• It can spark creative discussions and debates
• It can help you gather valuable feedback for your business

To ask for opinions effectively:

• Create an open-ended question or poll that invites feedback
• Respond promptly to comments and feedback
• Encourage follow-up discussions and engagement. 

Examples of Opinion-Themed Facebook Posts:

• A restaurant asks followers to share their favorite menu items to create a “fan favorites” section.
• A fashion brand asks followers to vote on their famous new collection for the season.

3: Use Eye-Catching Visuals

People are very visual; eye-catching visuals can boost engagement on your Facebook posts. 

Here’s why visuals are crucial for your Facebook posts:

• They grab attention and help your post stand out
• They can convey complex information quickly and easily
• They can showcase your brand’s personality and aesthetic

To make your visuals stand out:

• Use high-quality, on-brand images or graphics
• Experiment with different formats, such as videos or GIFs
• Use captions or overlays to add context or branding

Types of Visuals That Grab Attention:

• Infographics
• Quotes or testimonials
• Behind-the-scenes photos or videos

Examples of Effective Visuals:

• Coca-Cola’s holiday-themed GIFs combine brand messaging with winter wonderland imagery.
• Oreo’s playful Valentine’s Day images showcase their cookies in creative ways.

4: Share Interesting News Stories

Sharing relevant news stories can be a great way to boost engagement on your Facebook page. News stories generate great attention due to their timeliness and relevance. Here’s why news stories get great attention:

• They offer an opportunity to connect with followers on a shared interest
• They can spark conversation and debate
• They show that your brand is staying up-to-date with current events

To find interesting news stories:

• Follow relevant news outlets or publications
• Monitor relevant hashtags or keywords
• Share stories that align with your brand’s values and messaging

Examples of News Stories Shared on Facebook Pages:

• Patagonia shares news articles about climate change and environmental activism.
• The Guardian shares news stories related to social justice and human rights.

5: Post Behind-The-Scenes Content

Sharing behind-the-scenes content can be a great way to humanize your brand and provide followers with an exclusive look at your business. 

Here’s why followers love behind-the-scenes content:

• It helps build a sense of trust and transparency within your brand
• It can provide insights into your business and how it operates
• It makes followers feel like they are part of an exclusive community

Types of Behind-The-Scenes Content:

• Day-in-the-life posts
• Sneak peeks of new products or services
• Employee spotlights

Examples of Effective Behind-The-Scenes Posts:

• Apple sharing a behind-the-scenes look at its design process in a video.
• BuzzFeed is sharing a day-in-the-life post of a BuzzFeed video producer.

6: Share Relevant Memes and GIFs

Memes and GIFs have become ubiquitous in internet culture and incredibly popular on Facebook. Sharing memes or GIFs that fit your brand can be a great way to showcase your personality and boost engagement. 

Here’s why memes and GIFs are so popular on Facebook:

• They are a quick and easy way to convey humor and levity
• They can tap into popular trends or cultural references

To find memes and GIFs that fit your brand:

• Follow popular meme and GIF accounts
• Use relevant hashtags or keywords
• Create memes or GIFs that align with your brand’s messaging and personality

Examples of Brands That Effectively Use Memes and GIFs:

• Wendy’s Twitter account is known for its humorous responses, often accompanied by memes and GIFs.
• Tesla’s Twitter account often uses memes and GIFs to promote its products and showcase its brand personality.

7: Post Educational Content

Posting educational content can be a great way to establish yourself as an authority in your industry and provide value to your followers. 

Here’s why educational content is valuable:

• It can help you attract your target audience and provide value to them.
• It can showcase your expertise and knowledge.
• It can foster brand loyalty and build trust with your followers.

Types of Educational Content:

• How-to guides or tutorials
• Industry news and updates
• Infographics or data visualizations

Examples of Educational Content Shared on Facebook Pages:

• HubSpot shares marketing insights and best practices on its Facebook page.
• National Geographic shares educational content on science and nature.

8: Use Live Video

A live video is a powerful tool for boosting engagement on Facebook, as it offers your followers an interactive and authentic experience. 

Here’s why live video increases engagement on Facebook:

• It creates a sense of immediacy and urgency.
• It provides a detailed, unedited view of your brand.
• It encourages real-time interactions and engagement.

To effectively use live video:

• Plan and promote your live video in advance
• Have a clear objective or theme for your live video
• Interact with your viewers and encourage engagement

Examples of Successful Live Videos on Facebook Pages:

• Chipotle’s live stream of their Hudson River cruise to promote their new loyalty program.
• BuzzFeed’s live stream of a drawing competition encourages its followers to interact and vote on their favorite artists.

9: Highlight Your Brand’s Personality

Your brand’s personality significantly influences how your followers engage with your content. Highlighting your brand’s personality can help your followers connect with your brand on a deeper level. 

Here’s why brand personality is vital for engagement:

• It helps differentiate your brand from competitors
• It can create an emotional connection with your followers
• It can showcase your brand values and messaging

To show off your brand’s personality on Facebook:

• Use a consistent tone and voice in your posts
• Incorporate humor or playful elements when appropriate

10: Share User-Generated Content

Sharing user-generated content, such as customer reviews or photos, can be a powerful way to boost engagement and foster a sense of community around your brand. 

Here’s why user-generated content is valuable:

• It provides social proof and builds trust with your followers 
• It creates a sense of community and connection around your brand 
• It can generate fresh and creative content for your brand

To encourage users to create content:

• Have clear guidelines and expectations for user-generated content
• Provide incentives or promotions for users who create content
• Promptly respond to and engage with users who create content

Examples of Brands That Effectively Share User-Generated Content on Facebook:

• Airbnb’s Facebook page features user-generated content showcasing their unique and diverse travel experiences.
• Starbucks frequently shares user-generated content, such as photos of customers enjoying their products.

Conclusion

The above ten ideas can help you create viral Facebook posts that generate high engagement and boost your brand’s presence on the social media platform. However, it’s essential to recognize that something other than what works for one brand may work for another. Experimentation and iteration are crucial to determining what works best for your business and audience.

FAQs

1. What makes a Facebook post go viral?

A few critical ingredients for a viral Facebook post include:

1. Having highly sharable content – funny, inspiring, shocking, or practically helpful information that people want to share with their networks.
2. Use engaging images, videos, or infographics that catch people’s attention.
3. It is tapping into emotional triggers like humor, nostalgia, outrage, or curiosity that motivate shares.
4. We are leveraging trending news topics and hooking into more extensive conversations.
5. Encouraging shares by explicitly asking people to like, comment, and share the post.
6. Optimizing the post for visibility – short, catchy text, relevant hashtags.
7. Posting at optimal high-traffic times when more people are likely to see and interact with the post.
8. Promoting the post through Facebook ads to expand its reach.

2. How can I make my Facebook posts go viral?

1. Study viral posts in your niche and emulate their formula of highly shareable content + emotional hooks.
2. Experiment with different post formats – listicles, quizzes, challenges, etc. tend to get high engagement.
3. Use powerful words in your headlines that drive shares – “X ways,” “Never before seen,” “Only 1% can guess,” etc.
4. Create FOMO by hinting at exciting information in the post copy – “You won’t believe what happened when…”
5. Use cliffhangers and unfinished stories that hook readers and leave them wanting more.
6. Appeal to your audience’s desires and paint a vivid, aspirational picture.
7. Sprinkle in current event references and pop culture jokes for timely reliability.
8. Collaborate with influencers and encourage them to share your post with their following.

3. What type of content goes viral on Facebook?

These types of engaging, highly shareable content often go viral on Facebook:

• Humorous posts – funny videos, jokes, memes, comics.
• Heartwarming or inspirational stories.
• Listicles and articles with exciting facts and hacks.
• Quizzes, surveys, and polls that people want to share their results of.
• Challenges and viral trends that friends can participate in together.
• Controversial or debate-sparking posts that get people commenting.
• Emotive issues are pulling at heartstrings – cute animals, kids, acts of kindness.
• Visual treats like beautiful photography and eye-catching infographics.
• Shocking revelations, news, and gossip people can’t resist sharing.

4. How can I make my Facebook videos go viral?

Tips for creating viral Facebook videos:

• Use attention-grabbing thumbnails with bright colors, big text, and recognizable faces.
• Optimize videos for sound-off viewing with captions and graphics.
• Keep videos short, under a minute if possible, delivering the essence fast.
• Use familiar audio cues like popular songs, movie dialogues, or meme sounds.
• Add b-roll cuts, stock footage, and gifs to amplify the visual interest.
• Create interactive elements like choosing endings, quiz questions, or calls to action.
• Feature cute kids, animals, funny reactions, and surprise twists that compel sharing.
• Align videos with viral trends and hook into more extensive conversations.
• Promote videos through Facebook/Instagram ads targeting engaged users.

5. What are the most viral topics on Facebook?

These themes and content types tend to go viral on Facebook reliably:

1. Humor – jokes, memes, funny commentary on pop culture.
2. Uplifting stories – acts of kindness, charitable initiatives, good Samaritans.
3. Animals being cute or funny.
4. Babies and kids doing adorable things.
5. Food recipes, hacks, and photography.
6. DIY and life hack tutorials.
7. Health and fitness tips.
8. Parenting and family-focused articles.
9. Self-improvement and personal growth advice.
10. Pop culture news – celebrities, TV shows, movies, music.
11. Science and psychology are facts that fascinate people.

6. When is the best time to post on Facebook for maximum visibility?

The prime Facebook posting times for higher reach and engagement are:

• Weekdays from 11 AM to 1 PM when people are taking a social media break at work.
• Late afternoons on weekdays around 3 PM to 5 PM for after-work scrolling.
• Thursday and Friday afternoons tend to see heavy engagement going into the weekend.
• Wednesdays at 11 AM and 3 PM are optimal posting times.
• Saturdays get good visibility, with 11 AM to 1 PM being a peak window.
• Mondays and Sundays tend to have lower organic reach.
• Additionally, posting 1 to 2 hours before or after peak interactions for your audience can help extend visibility.

7. How often should I post on Facebook for maximum engagement?

1. 1-2 times per day is optimal for most brand pages. More than that, it risks oversaturating followers.
2. Posting once daily is fine, but ensure a regular schedule that followers can anticipate.
3. Avoid posting multiple times within a short window, as subsequent posts won’t show up in all followers’ feeds.
4. Space outposts adequately throughout the day and week – morning, afternoon, evening, and different weekdays.
5. For viral content intended to be shared widely, post frequency can be higher – up to 5x a day.
6. Balance text, image, and video posts for variety.
7. Monitor analytics to see when your followers are most active and align posting times accordingly.

8. How can I get more Facebook shares on my posts?

Ways to get higher Facebook shares include:

1. Ask explicitly for shares at the end of your post. Many people need that nudge.
2. Run share-focused Facebook ads to give posts initial momentum with critical audiences.
3. Post catchy, suspenseful headlines that hook readers and prompt sharing without giving away the whole story.
4. Use hashtags and tag people/pages your audiences follow to expand reach.
5. Share posts in relevant Facebook groups and communities to access new audiences.
6. Offer incentives for sharing, like giveaways, sweepstakes and contests.
7. Collaborate with influencers in your niche and feature them in your content.
8. Enable one-click sharing options for different platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.

9. How can I get Facebook users to comment more on my page?

Strategies to spark more comments include:

1. Asking open-ended questions to prompt discussion.
2. Running polls and surveys to encourage responses.
3. Using emoticon reactions to react to comments and continue threads.
4. Sharing controversial opinions and current events that get people debating.
5. Responding to as many comments as possible to build community.
6. Asking people to tag friends who would find the post relevant.
7. Offering prizes and incentives for commenting.
8. Encouraging humor and witty banter in the comments.
9. Featuring user-generated content and asking for feedback.

10. How can I promote my Facebook page and posts to gain more likes and followers?

1. Run Facebook ads targeting potential fans of your niche or content.
2. Cross-promote your page and post on your other social media accounts.
3. Engage actively in Facebook groups related to your industry. Provide value and highlight your expertise.
4. Use Facebook Live videos to humanize your brand and engage followers in real-time.
5. Collaborate with influencers and content creators to get featured and exposed to new audiences.
6. Analyze data insights to optimize content strategy based on top-performing posts and follower demographics.
7. Create share-worthy content tailored to what your audience responds to best.
8. Interact meaningfully with followers by responding to comments, questions, and feedback.