3 Ways to Increase Social Media Engagement

In business, every transaction revolves around human interaction and so does social media. While social media might not always account for direct sales, it can account for a significant increase in brand awareness, traffic to your website or store, and more prospects responding to your calls to action. Think of it as a variation of word-of-mouth marketing. The more engaged users are with your profile, the more engaged they are with your brand.

Here are 3 ways to increase social media engagement:

Your Voice. What message are you sending to your viewers? Chances are, if all of your posts are focused on “buy my stuff!” you’re not going to get much attention, as social media users tend to glaze over and scroll right past. Look through your own newsfeed and see what catches your eye. When creating posts, keep your ideal consumer in mind. Baby boomers are probably not going to appreciate hashtags and trendy language as much as Millennials will. Personalize your posts by using “I/we” when it’s appropriate, let users know who is speaking and that you’re speaking directly to them. Most of all, be friendly and fun. Tasteful humor tends to draw people’s attention and keep them engaged.

Your Content. Users are on social media because they like social media, and the priority is still connecting with friends. So, be a member first, and a marketer second. How does your brand come across in the newsfeed? It’s important to pay attention to your paid content, as well as your organic content. People don’t want to see a boosted post asking them to sign up for a newsletter multiple times when they’re already receiving it. Take advantage of the different platforms’ dashboard tools that allow you to customize audiences for paid content, and put relevant material in front of your customers.

Your Customer Service. Are you using your social media platforms to give your consumers the best customer service possible? The majority of social media users expect brands to respond to their comments, and taking too long, or not responding at all, can actually be detrimental to your business. All social media engagement is customer service, and it’s important to listen to what’s not being said along with what is. You have a chance to show the world that your brand demonstrates effective, courteous customer service with each response you provide — to negative feedback as well as positive. Timely, super friendly, positive responses to consumer’s questions, comments, and feedback make your customers feel important. Thank users for engaging with you, tag them, like them back, and personalize your responses.

In the end, social media engagement boils down to building relationships. Focus on building loyal relationships with your customers and watch them turn into brand ambassadors.