15 Social Media Post Ideas That Get Shares

I launched my first Wix template three years ago and posted about it on Instagram. Two likes. One was from my mom.

Fast forward to last month. I shared a simple photo of my messy desk with coffee rings and sticky notes everywhere, just complaining about Monday morning chaos. It got shared 47 times. People were tagging their friends saying "this is so us."

That moment changed everything for me. People don't share perfect content. They share posts that trigger emotions or remind them of someone they know.

Since then, I've been paying attention to what gets shared from my feed and my clients' accounts. I began noticing clear patterns, and now I help my website clients with their social media too because honestly, a beautiful website means nothing without visitors.

What Triggers People to Hit Share

I used to think sharing was random, but it's not. People share content for clear reasons. They want to help a friend, start a conversation, or show their personality to their network. Sometimes they just see something that perfectly captures how they're feeling.

My clients' most-shared posts follow these patterns, and I've seen them work across different industries from therapists to dog groomers to business coaches.

1. Show people the real space. Not the polished version. The genuine workspace with the clutter, the weird lighting, the coffee mug collection. I have a client who runs a bakery from her tiny kitchen. She posted a video working around her mixer while her cat watched from the counter. It got thousands of shares from people working in small spaces.

2. Document big changes. Before and after photos work because humans love transformation stories. But don't just show the final result. Show the messy middle too. One of my coaching clients posted her "office" evolution from kitchen table to desk to rented workspace. Each stage got shared because people were following her progress.

3. Feature other people. I started reposting photos from people using my templates, and these always perform better than my solo content. When someone else looks good, their friends pay attention. Plus, the person featured usually shares it themselves.

4. Break complex stuff into simple pieces. I take website concepts that confuse people and turn them into carousel posts with one idea per slide. "Why The Website Loads Slowly" with five simple reasons gets saved and shared way more than my lengthy blog posts about the same topic.

5. Say what others won't say. I posted that most small businesses waste money on fancy websites when they should focus on getting customers first. Got pushback from other designers but tons of shares from business owners who felt validated.

6. Admit when things go wrong. Last year I deleted a client's contact form right before their launch. I posted about it (after fixing it) and got more genuine engagement than any "success story" I've shared. People appreciate honesty about mistakes.

7. Share predictions about the industry. I started posting my thoughts about where website design is headed. People share predictions because it helps them look informed to their network. Just base it on what you observe, not random guesses.

8. Teach one specific thing. Short video tutorials get shared often. Keep them under a minute and focus on solving one small problem. I show things like "how to change the favicon in 30 seconds" and people tag friends who've asked them about it.

9. Post motivation from personal experience. Generic inspirational quotes don't get shared much anymore. But when I post about why I chose to work for myself or what keeps me going on rough days, these resonate. Make it about genuine experience.

10. Start conversations with fill-in-the-blank posts. "The worst website mistake I see is ___" gets people commenting and sharing because they want their friends to weigh in too. Read the responses and engage with them.

11. Debunk myths in the field. I regularly post about website misconceptions like "websites need constant updates" or "more pages means better SEO." People share these because they want to educate their friends.

12. Celebrate genuinely. When I hit my first $10k month selling templates, I shared it not to brag but because I was genuinely excited. People shared it because they were rooting for me. Fake celebrations are obvious and annoying.

13. Compile resources from real use. Every few months I share my current list of design tools and apps. These get bookmarked like crazy because people want to save them and share them with others who might find them useful.

14. Show regular routine. My regular Tuesday posts get more engagement than polished product photos. People are curious about how others structure their days, especially if someone works from home or has an unusual schedule.

15. Create simple polls about real decisions. I ask my audience to help me choose between design options or topic ideas. These get shared because people want their friends to vote too, and everyone likes feeling consulted.

What I've Learned About Timing and Consistency

The biggest game changer for me wasn't posting more. It was posting regularly. I aim for 3 to 4 times a week instead of trying to post daily and burning out.

I also stopped worrying about posting at "optimal times." My Monday morning chaos posts do well because people relate to Monday struggles, not because I posted at 9 AM exactly.

The audience is probably different from mine anyway. Pay attention to when specific followers are online and engaging, not what some generic social media algorithm guide tells people.

Start Small and Pay Attention

Pick three of these formats and try them over the next two weeks. See which ones the audience responds to and shares. Then do more of what gets results.

I've noticed that the posts I almost don't publish, the ones that feel too personal or vulnerable, often perform the best. People can tell when someone's being genuine versus when they're just trying to create content.

Social media doesn't have to be another overwhelming business task. Just share posts that would make someone stop scrolling if they saw it on someone else's feed.

Not sure what to write on the website? Grab our free website content planner and get instant clarity on what to say and exactly where to say it.