What If Video Isn’t the Only Way to Win on Social?
The static posts that still perform, and how to leverage text, photos and graphics strategically (even without an art department).
I feel the pressure too. Every platform is pushing video. If your team isn’t stacked with on-camera personalities and full-time editors, it can feel like you don’t stand a chance on social.
But the reality is, static posts like carousels and images are still performing, and going viral (yes, even on TikTok!). Why? They’re more interactive and less passive than video: the user sets the pace, swiping their little hearts out. A lot of people prefer that.
But what works today, isn’t necessarily what worked two years ago.
So in this newsletter, I’m catching you up on:
- The visual formats that perform best on LinkedIn and Instagram right now
- What different styles communicate and why they work (with real examples)
- How to select compelling images for each post idea
- The strategic guardrails you need before posting anything
This is a long one, friends — but full of useful examples. So save it, forward it to your team, and settle in.
What’s working with: Carousels and graphics
Addictive long-form carousels. Algorithms link “dwell time” with content quality, so compelling carousels can perform really well. Especially on LinkedIn, with its 300(!!) slide limit. To make them feel “addictive:” every slide must build tension that compels people to click to the next. Joe Burns’s surrealist 60+ slide carousels are a prime example, but simple text designs like this one can work just as well.
Dopamine design. Just because it’s LinkedIn doesn’t mean your posts need to look like a corporate brochure. Joyful, nostalgic design signals content that will be fun and easy to consume. When it feels good to look at, people will keep looking. Be careful though — this can quickly become visual chaos for orgs without clear art direction. It needs to fit your brand guidelines.
Exclusive access to fresh human thinking. Think back-of-a-napkin style diagrams (like these from Rachel Karten), whiteboard snapshots, or iPad sketches. They’re fun, and they say: “This came straight from my brain, just now.” And in the age of AI slop, a human touch stands out.
Showing the receipts. Screenshots from a phone or desktop also feel like an exclusive window into your org’s work, and they’re low-effort, high-reward. Use them to prove a compelling story you tell in the caption.
Infographic-style “aha” moments. Not everything has to feel spontaneous or off-the-cuff. Our brains naturally light up when we see a visual representation of a concept — anything that helps us see the abstract in a new way, like this one.
Short-form carousels using any of the above. Could your graphic benefit from a cover page with a strong hook? Could it be spread out (or broken up) into two images instead of one? Even adding as few as 1-2 slides, like we did for a client here, can boost your dwell time.
Memes and GIFS. GIFs inject posts with a bit of eye-catching motion, and memes signal cultural literacy. Just be careful on Instagram — it’s trying to limit the spread of “unoriginal” content. (And check with legal if you’re posting to your brand/org channels on any platform. Nobody’s got time for a copyright or trademark infringement.) The best method for brands: Find ways to make them uniquely your own.
LINKEDIN VS. INSTAGRAM:
No matter the channel, you need clear standards, templates, and documented examples for each of these content styles. But on Instagram, it’s paramount.
- An IG profile with too many detailed graphics and competing styles looks cluttered and disorganized — undermining your credibility.
- On LinkedIn you have a bit more wiggle room. There’s no bird’s-eye view of your feed — but you still need guardrails to keep your team from going off-brand. The experience of scrolling should still feel cohesive.
What’s working with: Photos and smartphone snaps
Real people in their natural habitats. There’s a time and place for professional “plandids” (planned candids). But especially on social, people more readily respond to the authenticity of everyday smartphone snaps. Done right (not Facetuned into oblivion), they feel less staged, more trustworthy.
Selfies for executives on LinkedIn. Constant selfies may not send the right message, but they still do really well — people are curious about other people! Discretion and variety are key. Selfies should match your caption’s tone or content, i.e., this selfie which speaks to the story, or this one that adds personality to a conversion-focused post (also a great example of how the occasional pro photo can still feel authentic).
→ BTW, if it’s been forever since you took a selfie you actually like, the Slay Your Selfies course can transform your relationship to your phone camera. It’s simple, easy to follow, and makes it easy to generate on-brand iPhone pics that don’t feel too contrived. I liked it so much I became an affiliate (so yeah, that’s an affiliate link).
Multi-photo event or program recaps. Post all those genuine event photos at once, like in this LinkedIn post. Or, use them to create a storytelling carousel for Instagram with just a few lines of text over each photo.
Team spotlights. Leverage professional headshots to celebrate your employees. We often provide clients with templates for this: here’s one we created for a B2B client. These typically perform better on LinkedIn than on Instagram, but they’re still helpful to have on your IG feed — they give potential donors, employees, clients, or participants a sense of your culture.
Caveat: Without a creative brief process anchored in real strategy, none of this will work long-term
At this point, you might be tempted to light up your team’s #social-ideas Slack channel with, “We need more carousel posts, what can you come up with?”
That would be doing it backwards. Yes, you need a variety of post formats. Yes, your comms/social team needs to shake things up as algorithms fluctuate.
But to experiment without damaging your brand credibility?
You first need to establish a creative brief process. One where every post begins with anchoring into your strategy: identifying who it’s for, what you want the viewer to know or do, why they should believe you or take the action, and of course where and when it will be posted.
Only then can you answer the question of how to best achieve your goal, considering:
- What’s the best packaging for the concept? What will work best on-platform and capture attention in 0.2 seconds? Sometimes, that will in fact be video. But if you don’t have the resources for it: how can you use static assets to their full potential?
- Would the message be enhanced by a carousel? Is it nuanced and needing more context, or lacking in tension to keep people reading?
- Does the post need expanding to be “worth the trade?” Before the CTA, make sure it gives to the reader as much as it asks of them. (And yes, asking for attention is asking, even if the post is truly a value-add to the reader.)
- Is there a graphic you can create or capture to prove the point? Can this teaching, advice or concept be illustrated with a rough chart, screen-grab, or infographic?
- Should it feel planned, or off-the-cuff? If the content is meant to be more irreverent or have a “fired-this-off quickly” vibe, an expertly designed graphic or too-perfect pro photo can undermine that.
Know that even with a strategy and creative brief process in place, it might take time for your team to break old habits…
Habits like: posting campaign assets that weren’t built for social (and look like ads), choosing images that don’t quite match the message, or experimenting with new styles that look totally out of whack with your brand.
Keep showing them examples.
Keep reminding them to go back to the brief.
The habit of crafting every post around your audience, goal, and brand isn’t built overnight. It takes practice.
But it’s worth it. And it’s the only sustainable way to do it.
Happy holidays — and see you in 2026,
