The 10 best SlideShares every social media enthusiast must read

This post originally appeared on the Buffer blog.

One of my favorite visual social networks—and one that probably flies under the radar compared to other visual spots—is SlideShare. Browse through the featured slidedecks, and you can find big ideas and helpful strategies condensed into a couple dozen simple, succinct slides. There are few better ways to consume killer content so quickly.

In writing about how to create a SlideShare presentation that gets results, I ran across a number of presentations that inspired me, educated me, and wowed me. There’s a lot of great stuff out there! I thought it might be apt to highlight a few.

So here are 10 awesome SlideShare presentations, all having to do with social media. You’ll find strategies, big-picture ideas, stats, research, and more. If you’ve got a favorite of yours that didn’t make the list, feel free to share in the comments.

1. A Complete Guide To The Best Times To Post On Social Media (And More!)

(via TrackMaven)

We’ve had the privilege of featuring Track Maven’s awesome research here on the Buffer blog before. This slidedeck is the best of Track Maven’s best:Research into optimal timing for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, blogposts, and email.

My favorite slide:

2. 6 Questions to Lead You to a Social Media Strategy

(via Mark Schaefer)

Question No. 1 is a fabulous one: “Fill in the blank: Only we ___.” The rest just keep building the usefulness from there. If you’re getting started with a social media strategy, this deck can help you get organized and ready for putting a plan in place.

My favorite slide:

3. Go Viral on the Social Web: The Definitive How-To guide!

(via XPLAIN)

This deck packs an informative strategy for going viral with an awesome set of visuals and photos. From advice on the elements of virality on social to examples of brands who have done it well, the deck has a little bit of everything—even a cameo by George Clooney.

My favorite slide:

4. Why Content Marketing Fails

(via Rand Fishkin)

Though explicitly about content marketing, this slidedeck’s applications to social media are unmistakeable. We took great inspiration from this SlideShare when we wrote about our ideas of tracking Social Media ROI. Basically, social media marketing isn’t as cut-and-dry as traditional marketing methods (and flip through the entire SlideShare to learn how and why).

My favorite slide:

5. The Nuts and Bolts of Social Media…’Great Success’

(via Matthew Capala)

This slidedeck is heavy on the Borat, but the message is still solid: 5 key ways to inform and entertain your audience on social media.

My favorite slide:

6. How to Create the Perfect Social Media Post

(via Guy Kawasaki)

Guy Kawasaki is one of the leading names in social media, and he and Peg Fitzpatrick teamed up on this slidedeck to share some of their secrets for creating perfect social media posts. Much of the advice takes leans toward visuals, and the slide deck is chock full of examples of how these perfect posts look when they’re in the wild.

My favorite slide:

7. 50 Expert Tips for Getting Started on Social Media

(from Constant Contact)

Constant Contact reached out to a panel of social media experts (in a wide assortment of jobs and industries) to answer the following question:

If you were to give a one-sentence tip to a small business owner just starting out with social media, what would you say?

The answers led to these 50 tips on how to get started with social media.

My favorite slide:

8. How to Determine the ROI of Anything

(via Gary Vaynerchuk)

If you pair this slidedeck with Rand Fishkin’s on content marketing (listed above), you’d have a pretty powerful case for rethinking how you measure your social media efforts. Vaynerchuk explains his message in real-world terms—e.g., what’s the ROI of a piano, video games, or cat photos? Flip through the deck to see what he means.

My favorite slide(s):

9. Be a Digital Trailblazer When Building Your Brand

(via Carrie Kerpen)

This deck deals with an inspiring, specific strategy that you may wish to use on social media: Building your personal brand. Carrie Kerpen of Likeable Media lays out the reasons why it’s more and more important to blaze your own digital trail nowadays and how to think in these terms when you’re sharing on social media.

My favorite slide:

10. The ROI of Trust in Social Selling

(via Barbara Giamanco)

How do social media and selling converge? This deck by Barbara Giamanco explains the way that social media is used to build trust—the key ingredient to closing a sale.

My favorite slide:

Bonus: How Often Should You Post to Facebook and Twitter

(via Buffer)

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention one of Buffer’s more popular social media slidedecks in this collection, too. The below is our companion deck to our blogpost about social media frequency.

What has been your favorite SlideShare?

Can you think of a particular SlideShare that grabbed you, inspired you, or educated you? Which ones stand out?

I’d love to hear what slide decks have had an impact on you and which ones from my list here were familiar or helpful. Feel free to share in the comments about your experience!

Read next: Slide decks 101: 10 actionable SlideShare tips for maximum results