What Is the 70-20-10 Rule on Social Media?

The 70 20 10 rule is a simple framework that helps businesses balance value-driven, curated, and promotional content on social media.
The 70-20-10 rule on social media is a simple content framework that helps businesses maintain a balanced, engaging, and effective social media presence. However, instead of posting only promotional content, this rule encourages brands to focus on value, interaction, and relationship-building; moreover, it supports consistency and trust, and ultimately improves long-term engagement.
As a result, businesses can grow their audience without overwhelming followers with constant sales messages.
Understanding the 70-20-10 Rule
At its core, the 70-20-10 rule divides your social media content into three categories:
- 70% value-driven content
- 20% shared or curated content
- 10% promotional content
Together, these percentages help create a healthy mix that keeps your audience interested and engaged.
Businesses that follow the 70 20 10 rruling can create a balanced social media strategy that improves engagement and supports long-term growth.
70% Value-Driven Content
Firstly, 70% of your social media content should educate, inform, or entertain your audience. This type of content focuses on solving problems and building trust rather than selling.
Examples include:
- Moreover, educational posts and tips
- Additionally, how-to guides and tutorials
- Furthermore, industry insights and trends
- Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes content
- Likewise, informative reels or short videos
Therefore, this section plays the biggest role in growing engagement and long-term loyalty.
20% Curated and Shared Content
Secondly, 20% of your content should be curated from other relevant and trusted sources. This shows that your brand stays informed and values community knowledge.
This can include:
- Sharing industry news
- Reposting useful articles
- Highlighting partners or collaborators
- Sharing user-generated content
As a result, curated content helps build credibility and encourages interaction with other brands and creators.
10% Promotional Content
Finally, only 10% of your content should be promotional. This includes posts that directly promote your products, services, offers, or calls to action.
Examples include:
- Service promotions
- Special offers or discounts
- Product launches
- Booking or enquiry posts
However, keeping promotional content limited ensures your audience doesn’t feel overwhelmed or “sold to” constantly.
Why the 70-20-10 Rule Works on Social Media
The 70-20-10 ruling works because it aligns with how people actually use social media. Most users log in to learn, connect, and be entertained — not to see endless advertisements.
Consequently, brands that follow this rule:
- Build stronger relationships
- Increase engagement rates
- Improve reach and visibility
- Strengthen brand trust
How Businesses Can Apply the 70-20-10 Rule
To apply this rule effectively:
- Plan content using a monthly calendar
- Track post performance regularly
- Adjust content types based on engagement
- Maintain consistency across platforms
Moreover, businesses often work with digital marketing providers to manage content strategy, scheduling, and analytics.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, the 70-20-10 on social media is a proven strategy for maintaining balance between value, engagement, and promotion. By focusing more on helping your audience and less on selling, brands can achieve sustainable growth and better results on social platforms.
Many digital marketing experts highlight the 70 20 10 rule as an effective approach for avoiding over-promotion and building audience trust on social media.
