13 Autumn Instagram Content Ideas for Small Businesses
Summer is coming to a close, and it’s time to start planning your social media calendar for the next season!
Seeking some autumn content ideas? From foliage and pumpkins to back to school season and beyond, fall offers a ton of fresh seasonal content you can create for your brand.
Here are 13 Instagram content ideas to give you some autumn inspiration.
1. Sprinkle everything with fall imagery
No matter what you post, you can’t go wrong with some classic autumn-related imagery. Here are some elements you can include in your fall-themed posts:
- The colors orange, red, yellow, and brown
- Leaves and foliage
- Woody textures
- Warm drinks: apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes, hot chocolate
- Fireplaces
- Sweaters and jackets
- Sunsets
- Rain and umbrellas
- Apples
- Pumpkins
- Spices (cloves, cinnamon sticks, etc.)
- Books
- A cozy, warm atmosphere
You can use these elements for inspiration when coming up with inspiration for all the content ideas below.
2. Run a special sale or promotion for fall
It’s very common for businesses to hold special sales for fall: Labor Day sales, back-to-school sales, or just something celebrating the new season. Be sure to promote your sale both in your Feed and in your Stories.
For example, Garden Architecture & Design (@gardenarchitecture), a furniture store in California, made a video showing off its wares and offering a 20% discount on “all those incredible pieces you’ve been stalking all summer”:
3. Highlight a fall-related product
Have you made some leaf-themed product lately? Does your farm, restaurant, or other food service offer any special fall items? Feature them in a Feed post or Story, and don’t forget to use plenty of fall hashtags: #autumn, #autumnvibes, etc.
Check out these adorable fall leaf earrings from @ewi.macrame:
4. Recommend your favorite fall read
Fall is a great time to curl up with a cozy book to read. Show your followers what you’re reading, or what you like to read during the fall. It could be related to your field, or just something you enjoy. You can combine this with a request for book recommendations!
5. Share a fall-related quote
Create a graphic with a quote that has something to do with autumn. You can find lots of lists of fall-related quotes online, such as this one. See if you can find footage or images that match the quote — for example, if you select “You’re never too old to play in the leaves,” find a picture of a kid (or adult!) playing in fall leaves. Even better, find a pile of leaves and have someone photograph you playing in them!
Artist and author Dani DiPirro (@positivelypresent) created this beautiful image with a fall quote from Rumi:
6. Ask a question about fall
Asking questions is a great way to create engagement. You can create a Feed post and encourage people to answer in the comments, or use a Question or Poll sticker in a Story.
Some ideas for questions to ask:
- What’s your favorite thing about fall?
- Pumpkin spice lattes: yea or nay?
- What’s your favorite movie/book to curl up with in the fall?
- What do you like to do when it’s raining?
- Which do you prefer: sweaters or jackets?
7. Create a fall-related tutorial
Now’s the time for fall recipes: apple pie, pumpkin spice anything, stews and slow-cooked dinners with lots of root vegetables, etc. It’s also back-to-school time, so you can create a tutorial for a school-related craft: pencil cases, gifts for teachers… or, given it’s 2020, maybe a kid-sized cloth mask or a cute pouch for carrying hand sanitizer. Click here to read our post on creating a tutorial using Instagram Stories.
For example, artist Anastasia-berry (@anastasiadeg) created this tutorial for coloring a fall leaf:
8. Back-to-school post
Try to find an angle your target audience will relate to. For instance, if your target audience is moms who may be relieved to be sending their kids back to school, you can base a video on this template from Boosted:
Maybe combine that with a special offer. For example, if you’re a massage therapist, offer a discounted massage for moms! Boosted video templates are extremely versatile, and you can use them to create both Feed videos and Stories.
If you’re targeting college-age students, you may want to focus more on things like tips for organizing a dorm room, quick and easy recipes, or tips for maintaining focus during their studies.
9. Document local fall scenery
If you live somewhere with beautiful fall foliage, get out that smartphone camera and take some great photos! You can post the images as they are, or use them as background for any of the more text-based ideas in this post.
You can also take a walk downtown and take photos of other types of fall scenery: window displays, people drinking apple cider at a local cafe, etc. This is an especially good idea if your business targets a local audience. Click here to read more ideas for targeting a local audience on Instagram.
10. Launch a fall-related photo contest
While you’re at it, why not get your followers to show you what fall looks like where they live? Launch a fall photo contest for some user-generated content, and offer a giveaway as the prize. Click here to read more about how to run a successful giveaway on Instagram.
Check out this stunning winning post from a photo contest by Timberline Adventures (@ziptimberline) last year:
11. Give fall-related tips from your niche
If you’re in the beauty or fashion industry, you can talk about looks that are hot for this fall and how to achieve them. If you’re in the food industry, give some tips for working with seasonal ingredients, like apples, pumpkins, and spices. Photographer? Give some tips for capturing fall scenery.
You can create a graphic featuring the tip as text, or use the graphic to introduce the idea and elaborate in the caption. You could also make a video of yourself explaining your tips and post it on your Feed or using IGTV.
This post from The Ayurvedic Institute (@theayurvedicinstitute) features some tips for maintaining your health in the fall:
12. Decorate your workspace with fall-themed items
This doesn’t have to take much: some leaves, a steaming mug, a book, and a warm photo filter could do the trick. If you’re working on something that has to do with fall, consider creating a behind-the-scenes video or carousel post.
Heather of Heather House Interiors (@heatherhouseinteriors) posted this photo of the fall-decorated entrance to her home:
13. Hold a little fall event
In other times, we might recommend holding a real-life fall party or event, but the pandemic-related restrictions may make that tricky this year. Instead, organize a little fall outing or event for your staff (or for yourself, if that’s your full staff!) and be sure to document it well. Some ideas:
- A hike in the woods
- Go apple or pumpkin picking
- Visit a local farm or farmer’s market
- Make apple cider or apple pie together
Post plenty of photos and videos in your Stories (and save one or two favorites for your feed).
Action Items:
- Go over this list and jot down ideas that spark your imagination.
- Get out your calendar and pencil in a schedule for fall-related posts and promotions for your Instagram feed.
- Be sure to leave plenty of time for content ideas that may require some prep work.
