So you’ve set up your Facebook Fan Page or Twitter profile and now you’re stuck wondering what to post.

They say content is king, and this holds true. You would be doing yourself a disservice by simply posting content without taking some time to think about the community you want to build.  With the wealth of information available on just about every niche, you can create a valuable social network that people will want to follow.

This is something I like to call the content bubble.

This idea probably isn’t revolutionary, but it has helped when explaining to clients how to fully utilize content on their social networks. Basically, you start thinking about content outside of your immediate subject.

For example, lets say you have a Facebook Page for your Italian restaurant (one of my favorite foods btw).

Now your first impulse may be to use the page as a bulletin board. But, before you send a flurry of links about the menu specials, consider your subject. Italian food = Italy, and there is much more to Italy than just your restaurant.

So lets start building your content bubble:

• Italian food has a rich and incredible history. Share this in your feed.
• What region of Italy does your restaurant represent? Are there stories and facts which you can talk about?
• Highlight specialty dishes.
• Share some links about all the different grades of olive oil.
• Who doesn’t want to know more about Italian desserts?
• Go on YouTube and find some relative videos to post.
• Talk about how certain ingredients became known. How is ricotta cheese made?
• What about Italian songs or music?
• Spotlight some famous Italian chefs.
• Explain how all the different types of pasta come about.

Getting the idea how your content bubble can grow?

In this example, the Facebook page doesn’t focus on only the restaurant. It covers Italian history and culture. Now you are providing value while also broadening your readership. This can help with word of mouth which may lead to more potential customers.

Build yourself up as a resource and you’ll start seeing the benefits of an effective content bubble.

So what do you think? What suggestions would you make?