Educational content is in high demand, with the average American spends 5+ hours per week learning on social media. But at the same time, if your message is going to hit home, your posts need to catch people’s eye and hold their attention – all of which explains why edutainment has become one of the most popular social media content formats.
Want to add more edutainment content to your own social strategy? Get inspired with our roundup of 10 winning examples from brands like 4ocean, the American Red Cross, and Patagonia…
1. National Geographic
National Geographic created a 30-second TikTok about the American pika, a “potato-sized furball” native to the mountainous regions of western North America:
@natgeo American pikas are more than just adorable furballs—they’re voracious scavengers that make sure to look out for one another. #AmericasNationalParks is now streaming on @Disney+ and @hulu ♬ original sound – National Geographic
This post works perfectly well as a piece of standalone edutainment content – after all, everyone loves watching posts of cute furry animals. But it also serves to promote a much broader series, NatGeo’s documentary series America’s National Parks, which showcases the landscapes and wildlife of ten diverse and beautiful parks.
Why it Works
NatGeo doesn’t try to do too much with its promotional TikTok post. Rather than sharing a sweeping narrative encompassing all 10 national parks covered by the documentary, it hones in on a single creature, then gives us a short glimpse at its life. And because the American pika is so darned cute, it makes us want to watch more!
2. American Red Cross
The American Red Cross wants to persuade as many people as possible to donate blood. But it also wants to ensure that willing donors have a good experience. That way, they’re more likely to donate again (and recommend their loved ones do the same).
With that in mind, the nonprofit organization shared a TikTok carousel featuring three things to avoid when donating blood:
Why it Works
This is a prime example of choosing the most appropriate content format based on the messaging you’re trying to convey. The American Red Cross has three key takeaways for people planning to give blood – so it makes sense to present each of them on a separate carousel slide. Plus the carousel format allows audiences to click back through each slide to remind themselves of each message.
3. Colgate
In our post-truth era, there’s a lot of misinformation floating around – and Colgate has decided to play its part in combatting inaccuracies around oral hygiene. With that in mind, it regularly shares fact vs myth posts like this one, which explains the importance of flossing:
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Why it Works
This post works because it communicates a simple message in a single image. There’s no scope here for misunderstanding – once you read the copy, it’s clear that flossing is a good thing. If you can’t explain yourself in 20 – 30 words of copy, your message is likely too complex for a single post, so consider splitting it up.
4. Culture Pop Soda
It’s fair to say the soda market is pretty competitive. So for challenger brands, it’s essential to highlight their key points of difference – otherwise no one’s ever going to buy them.
That’s why Culture Pop Soda created this Instagram Reel featuring founder Tom First, who explains how the company exclusively uses herbs, spices, and natural fruit juices rather than artificial sweeteners:
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Why it Works
Culture Pop’s message comes from the company’s founder, rather than being communicated through some anonymous brand copy in a social media caption. This human touch makes it feel more authentic and impactful, while also reinforcing the differences between Culture Pop and some of the huge, global names it’s competing against. After all, you’d never see the CEOs of Coca-Cola or Pepsi stepping forward as the face of the brand.
5. Patagonia
Product launches are a specific type of educational content. Trouble is, they’re often not that entertaining, because no one other than your super fans really cares about the granular detail of a product – they just want it to do its job.
Clearly, Patagonia did something right with this product launch announcement video for its Nano-Air ultralight full-zip hoody because it’s racked up 160,000+ views on YouTube:
Why it Works
Patagonia is a big believer in the principle of show me, don’t tell me. Instead of just writing a bunch of words about how amazing its new hoody is, the brand shows the product being put through its paces by runner Jenny Abegg and climbers Kelly Cordes and Dane Steadman. This makes the content feel far more persuasive and less like an ad – which, in turn, makes it more watchable.
6. Slack
Slack uses edutainment as part of its efforts to engage and retain existing customers. For example, it regularly shares Instagram Reels featuring user tips on how to get the most possible value from the communication platform:
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It’s a simple concept – if every customer understands how to use Slack effectively, they’re more likely to stick with Slack for the long term instead of reverting to their email inbox.
Why it Works
These tips are more impactful and engaging because they come from real users who love Slack, rather than from the company’s marketing team. They’ve got no particular vested interest in sharing their best practices, other than a general desire to help other people like them get the most from the platform.
7. 4ocean
For mission-driven brands like 4ocean, it’s important to explain why they do what they do. Because they’re not just selling a product – they’re trying to make the world a better place. 4ocean shares its story through social media content like this TikTok video:
@4oceanSome places get labeled as “too polluted to save.” Your support makes these transformations possible. Protect the ocean. Fund the mission. Donate today — link in bio.♬ original sound – 4ocean, PBC
Trouble is, this sort of content can quickly feel repetitive because it’s hammering the same messaging over and over again, which can be a real turn-off for your audience. So how does 4ocean keep it fresh?
Why it Works
Unlike lots of brands, 4ocean doesn’t just do the “edu” part – it also nails the “tainment.” This video is entertaining to watch because it shares a compelling narrative with a start, middle, and end. Of course, it’s hard to do this in a 30-second TikTok, but you’ll generate a ton of engagement if you get it right.
8. Airbnb
Brands like Airbnb regularly update their apps to introduce new services or improve the user experience. Naturally, they want to communicate these developments with their audience – trouble is, most of us just aren’t interested in learning about new app features until we actually have to use them.
However, Airbnb does it better than most here:
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This video feels less like a product update announcement and more like a genuine piece of edutainment content.
Why it Works
Airbnb succeeds where so many product updates fail by communicating the benefits of its new app, rather than just sharing a dry list of features. It doesn’t just tell us that we can now book experiences through Airbnb – it explains that we can train with a real-life luchador in Mexico City or learn to dance like a K-pop star in Seoul. So it’s exciting as well as educational.
9. Birkenstock
Especially for brands selling unique and/or high-ticket products, it makes sense to share what makes your products so special. Just like Birkenstock does in this Instagram Reel that explains how its footbed adapts to the wearer’s feet:
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Why it Works
Birkenstock uses the engaging animation to draw in audiences, then shares more granular details in the caption. So if you take the time to read the caption, you’ll know the brand’s footbed is made with natural leather, latex, cork, and jute – but even if you only watch the video, you’ll still know that it’s designed to mould itself to your feet for greater comfort.
10. Beardbrand
Chances are, people have a bunch of questions about your product – how it works, what to do with it, when to use it. And you can answer those questions through edutainment-style content, just like Beardbrand does in this video about beard brushes vs combs:
@beardbrandBeard Comb vs Brush—when to use each one♬ original sound – Beardbrand
Why it Works
By taking inspiration from the types of questions its audience might ask, Beardbrand managed to turn a simple promotional post for beard brushes and combs into a piece of valuable edutainment content. Nice work!
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Featured image by Pexels.
