Everything You Need to Know About the 70/20/10 Rule for Social Media

The 70/20/10 rule for social media has been one of the clearest ways to balance content and keep audiences engaged for years.

But does it still work today? Yes.

Akeem Osungbade, the CEO of Oxgital Ltd, puts it better.

“The 70/20/10 rule has lasted because it focuses on balance. Algorithms change, but audiences will always respond to value, variety, and relevance.”

That idea ties closely to what Warren Buffett once said: “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

The same applies to social media. Consistency, relevance, and balance don’t deliver overnight wins, but over time, they build trust, authority, and real engagement.

Why?

Because even though algorithms change, people’s expectations remain the same.

They don’t want ongoing sales pitches. They want useful tips, entertaining posts, and content that feels relevant to their lives, mixed with just enough promotion to understand what you offer.

And... here’s where it gets interesting:

You can use the 70/20/10 rule to build trust, grow engagement, and still drive conversions without overwhelming your followers.

This guide explains how. Today, we'll talk about:

1. The core idea behind the 70/20/10 rule (and why it still matters)

2. How to structure your posts using this balance

3. Practical steps to apply it across different platforms

What is the 70/20/10 rule for social media?

This rule is a simple content framework that helps you strike the right balance between adding value and promoting your brand.

Instead of overwhelming your followers with constant sales messages, create a mix that keeps your audience engaged, informed, and more likely to trust you.

At its core, the 70/20/10 rule means:

• 70% of your content should be value-driven (educational, entertaining, or insightful).

• 20% should be curated (sharing other people’s content that your audience will find useful).

• 10% should be promotional (directly about your product, service, or offers).

This balance matters because it mirrors what people actually want to see on social platforms: content that informs, entertains, or inspires first, then light touches of promotion at the right time.

70% value-driven content

This is the heart of your content strategy. The majority of your posts should provide your audience with something they can use, enjoy, or learn from, without asking for anything in return.

Content examples:

• Educational posts like tips, how-to threads, guides, or explainer videos.

• Thought leadership content that positions you (or your brand) as an expert in your space.

• Company culture spotlights, such as employee features, behind-the-scenes posts, or workplace stories.

• Customer testimonials or case studies that highlight real experiences.

• Sharing original content like blog posts, research findings, or infographics.

Purpose:

This builds trust. When people see that your brand gives value consistently, they’re more likely to engage, follow, and eventually convert. It also positions you as reliable, approachable, and worth paying attention to.

But there’s a catch.

Value only works if it’s defined by your audience, not your marketing team. As Meshia, the Founder of CBM Agency, explains, “the 70/20/10 rule only works if you’re brutally honest about what ‘valuable’ content means for your audience. Most brands nail the ratio but miss the mark on content categories.”

This doesn’t mean all posts must be serious. Entertainment and storytelling can be just as valuable as educational content.

20% curated content

This part of your content mix is about sharing valuable insights, updates, or perspectives from other people in your industry or community. It shows you’re part of a bigger conversation.

Content examples:

• Sharing industry news and trends with your take on why they matter.

• Reposting or resharing high-quality articles, studies, or blog posts from credible sources.

• Featuring user-generated content (UGC) such as customer photos, testimonials, or creative uses of your product.

• Collaborations with influencers, partners, or other brands.

Purpose:

Curated content strengthens relationships and adds variety to your feed. It positions your brand as well-connected and someone who knows where to find the best information, not just someone promoting themselves.

Pro Tip:

Always add your perspective when curating. Don’t just hit share. A short comment, insight, or question makes it more personal and engaging.

10% promotional content

This is where you directly talk about your business, offers, or services. It’s the smallest portion of the mix, but still essential for conversions.

Content examples:

• Announcing new product launches or upcoming features.

• Sharing exclusive discounts or special deals.

• Calls-to-action (CTAs) for sign-ups, demos, free trials, or consultations.

• Highlighting customer milestones or success stories tied to your product.

Purpose:

Promotional content gives your audience a clear path to take action. After you’ve built trust with the 70% and 20%, this 10% nudges them to actually buy, subscribe, or join.

Promotions work best when they feel like a natural extension of the value you’ve already provided, not an interruption.

Read: Marketing Tools You Should Know in 2025

Why use the 70/20/10 rule?

The 70/20/10 rule is a practical way to stop guessing and start creating a social media mix that actually works. Instead of posting randomly or leaning too heavily on promotions, you get a clear structure that balances value, curation, and sales-driven content.

Let's get into why this approach is worth adopting.

1. Balances content types

One of the biggest mistakes brands make is overloading their audience with the same type of post. Too many promotions, and people tune out. Too many curated shares, and your brand voice gets lost.

The 70/20/10 rule solves this by creating a clear balance.

But balance is about knowing which posts connect with your audience. With Measure Studio's automated social media benchmarks, you can quickly identify your top-performing posts and see which type of content (value, curated, or promotional) delivers the best results.

Instead of guessing, it compares every post against your historical averages. This makes it easy to see whether your 70% value-driven content is engaging or if curated posts are outperforming expectations.

By identifying top performers, you can focus on what works and refine your content mix without losing the 70/20/10 balance.

2. Drives engagement

When your content doesn't look like a sales pitch, people engage more naturally.

Value-driven posts (tips, guides, culture highlights) make followers feel like they’re getting something useful. Curated content adds variety and shows you’re tapped into industry trends.

On top of that, promotional content, when used sparingly, creates urgency without annoying your audience.

That balance translates directly into higher engagement. And the more engagement you generate, the more social algorithms reward you with visibility, expanding your reach without extra ad spend.

3. Builds brand authority

Posting 70% value-driven content positions you more like a teacher, a thought leader, and a top voice in your industry. Sharing curated industry insights reinforces that authority because it shows you’re plugged into the bigger conversation, not just your own brand bubble.

Over time, this consistent mix builds credibility. When your audience sees that you educate, inform, and engage, they’re far more likely to trust your recommendations when you roll out a product launch, discount, or sales-driven campaign.

4. Maintains audience interest

Social media fatigue is real. Audiences unfollow brands that post the same type of content over and over. The 70/20/10 rule naturally solves this by ensuring variety in your feed.

Value posts make your followers stay. Curated posts make them feel connected to industry news and communities. Promotional posts give them something tangible to act on. Together, this mix keeps your brand fresh, engaging, and worth following long-term.

When people don’t know what to expect next, they stay interested.

5. SEO benefit

While the 70/20/10 rule is primarily a social media strategy, it indirectly benefits your social SEO. Value-driven content often links back to your own blog posts, infographics, or research, driving steady traffic to your site. Curated content that references credible sources strengthens your authority in the eyes of both your audience and search engines.

Even promotional posts can play a role; doubling down with a well-crafted call-to-action that funnels users into blog posts, landing pages, or gated content that improves engagement metrics.

The consistent publishing rhythm also signals to search engines that your brand is active and relevant, helping you improve keyword rankings over time.

Read: 8 Lead Generation Strategies for Your Next Social Media Campaign

How to master the 70/20/10 rule for social media

What makes the 70/20/10 rule so powerful? Well, it’s the secret behind some of the most consistent and engaging social media strategies.

The 70/20/10 rule gives you a clear structure to balance your content. It helps you build trust, stay relevant, and still leave room to experiment.

Remember, here’s how it works:

1. 70% of your content should be valuable, educational, or entertaining

2. 20% should be curated from other sources that support your brand’s voice

3. 10% can be promotional or experimental

   
   

The magic of the 70/20/10 rule is not just in posting, it’s in balance. Get it right, and your social media starts working like a magnet. Your audience stays engaged. Your authority grows. And your promotional posts feel natural instead of forced.

That’s why marketers keep coming back to this rule. It’s one of the easiest ways to keep content consistent, fresh, and impactful.

Side note: The 70/20/10 principle first came from business management, not social media, and was created in the 1980s by leadership researchers Morgan McCall, Michael M. Lombardo, and Robert A. Eichinger. Leaders used it to balance learning and innovation. Over time, marketers adopted it because it fits the challenges of content creation.

So what’s the most important thing to make the 70/20/10 rule work? Consistency.

If the mix slips, your results can stall.

See the pattern? Miss the balance, and your social strategy loses momentum.

But keep the 70/20/10 ratio aligned, and you build trust, engagement, and sales without burning out your audience.

The 70/20/10 rule creates social media that works together

Want proof? Look at Nike.

When you scroll through their feeds, you’ll see the mix in action:

1. 70% content built around inspiration, athletes, and storytelling

2. 20% curated partnerships, community highlights, and collabs

3. 10% product launches and campaigns

   
   

What’s the result? Nike doesn’t just sell sneakers. They also build culture, loyalty, and relevance. That’s the power of the 70/20/10 rule.

The 70/20/10 rule is a clear path you can actually follow. It helps you stay consistent, keep your audience interested, and grow without burning out.

You don’t need to overthink it, the rule gives you a framework that works in almost any situation.

How can you apply the 70/20/10 rule?

Applying the 70/20/10 rule is less about rigid math and more about building a consistent, balanced strategy.

By carefully planning and mixing content types with purpose, and using analytics to improve your approach, you can make sure your social media stays engaging and effective.

Step 1: Create a content calendar

Start by mapping your content against the 70/20/10 ratio. A content calendar keeps you consistent. For example, if you post 20 times a month, aim for 14 value-driven, 4 curated, and 2 promotional posts. This structure prevents you from overwhelming your audience with one type of content.

A strong calendar also considers what competitors are posting. With Measure Studio’s competitor tracking, you can see what your competitors publish, how often they post, and which formats perform best.

It tracks any public social account, compares performance benchmarks, and lets you search their content library by video, audio, or campaign type.

Adding competitor insights to your calendar can balance your content mix, spot gaps competitors are missing, and take advantage of formats they overlook. This keeps your posting strategy ahead of the curve.

Step 2: Mix content types intentionally

The 70/20/10 rule works best when each type of content serves a clear purpose. Educational content builds trust, curated posts show industry awareness, and promotions highlight your offers without overwhelming your audience.

To refine the balance, it helps to see how social algorithms interpret your posts. With Measure Studio's post content AI, you can uncover whether algorithms view your videos, graphics, or curated shares more favorably.

This level of insight makes it easier to understand why certain formats perform better and how to adjust your mix for maximum impact.

Step 3: Monitor and adjust using analytics

The 70/20/10 rule is not a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. Audience interests change, and the performance of each content type changes over time. That’s why regular monitoring is essential.

Instead of relying only on default platform dashboards, you can go deeper with Measure Studio's custom social media metrics. It lets you track the numbers that matter most to your brand, such as impressions per story, engagements per post, or other tailored benchmarks.

By building metrics around your goals, you get clear insights into what drives results and where your mix needs adjustment.

With these insights, you can improve your calendar, focus on what resonates, and keep the 70/20/10 balance aligned with audience behavior.

What are the benefits of the 70/20/10 rule?

The 70/20/10 rule helps brands grow stronger on social media. By mixing consistent value, authority-building content, and room for experimentation, you create balance while keeping your audience engaged. Here are the benefits:

1. Audience engagement

One of the hardest parts of social media is keeping people interested over time. The 70/20/10 rule solves this by offering a mix of valuable, entertaining, and fresh content. This variety keeps followers engaged and gives them reasons to return.

2. Brand authority

Posting only promotional content can turn people away. Adding educational and curated posts with your own insights builds credibility. Over time, this positions you as a trusted resource in your field. It shows that you care about sharing value, not just selling.

3. Balanced approach

Some brands post too much of the same type of content, while others spread themselves too thin.

The 70/20/10 rule gives you structure. Most content provides value, some reinforces authority, and a smaller portion tests new ideas. This balance creates consistency without being repetitive.

4. Simple framework

Social media often feels overwhelming when you don’t know what to post. The 70/20/10 rule makes planning easier by giving you a clear structure. It saves time, reduces guesswork, and keeps your strategy focused.

Examples by social media platforms

The 70/20/10 rule is flexible, but how you apply it can vary depending on the platform.

Here’s how it works across different social media channels.

1. YouTube 

On YouTube, longer videos give you space to dive deep into value-driven content while still leaving room for collaboration and promotion.

• 70%: How-to videos, tutorials, and value-driven explainers.

• 20%: Collaborations with creators or community highlights.

• 10%: Product walkthroughs or feature announcements.

  
  

2. TikTok 

TikTok thrives on short, fast-paced content that connects quickly with audiences, making it a great space for mixing trends with brand moments.

• 70%: Quick tips, trends, and relatable short-form content.

• 20%: Duets or stitches with other creators.

• 10%: Behind-the-scenes of launches or promo campaigns.

  
  

3. Facebook 

Facebook still plays a strong role in community building and sharing, so the mix works best when it balances information, interaction, and promotions.

• 70%: Informative posts, community stories, and engaging visuals.

• 20%: Sharing articles, polls, or curated content.

• 10%: Event promotions or limited-time offers.

  
  

4. Snapchat 

Snapchat is ideal for quick, creative storytelling, so your mix should lean on engaging snaps while still making space for community and promotion.

• 70%: Engaging snaps and stories that entertain or educate.

• 20%: Sharing user-generated snaps.

• 10%: Sneak peeks of new products or promotions.

  
  

5. Instagram 

Instagram is highly visual, making it perfect for a mix of engaging Reels, community-driven posts, and subtle promotions.

• 70%: Educational Reels and entertaining Stories.

• 20%: Reposting user-generated content.

• 10%: Product launch teasers.

  
  

6. LinkedIn 

LinkedIn is built for professionals, so a balance of thought leadership, industry insights, and promotional opportunities works best.

• 70%: Thought leadership long posts.

• 20%: Sharing research or industry reports.

• 10%: Event sign-ups or case study promotions.

  
  

Build a stronger social media strategy with the 70/20/10 rule

The 70/20/10 rule is more than numbers. It is a simple framework that helps you build a stronger and more engaging social media presence.

By focusing 70% on value-driven content, 20% on curated insights, and 10% on promotion, you create a mix that keeps your audience interested while strengthening your brand.

But knowing the rules is one thing. Applying it to your day-to-day content strategy is another.

Get started with Measure Studio today.

Author Bio

Faruq is an SEO and organic growth strategist who helps startups drive predictable results through SEO and organic growth. Connect with Faruq on LinkedIn

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