So you’ve created a social media account for your business. You may even have a significant following, but the audience engagement just isn’t coming. What can be done? Luckily, many of the solutions are simple and, in most cases, benefit from immediate results. Here’s our list of 6 things you can do to boost your social media engagement today!
Optimise your following
Sure, it may be tempting to follow as many people as you can in hopes of growing your audience. You may have even considered inorganic ways of grow your following. The truth is numbers don’t matter unless every follower is either a prospect or a benefit to your business. First and foremost, it is interest that drives engagement; thus, an optimised audience is crucial when it comes to generating more interactions. Follow accounts which are fitting with your business – consider if they are suitable prospects with potential interest in your niche. For example, if you’re a brand which sells vegan food, your target audience is of course primarily vegans. A following of sworn meat-eaters would most likely bring little engagement.
Post frequently
A large part of engagement is often received from your long-term followers. Individuals who already know your business and have likely established a positive dynamic over time. It’s not too different from in person relationships; the more you get to know someone the more likely you are to engage with them! Therefore, it is important for your account to be active, post frequently, and be consistent. Don’t disappear for weeks and expect your engagement to bounce back upon your return! Build momentum with your following, establish trust, and give them a reason to interact.
Ask questions
Asking questions, is the simplest way of eliciting information and thus prompting engagement. They don’t always have to be business related either! Ask your followers about their day, current events, or their opinions. Just remember to reciprocate the interaction. Not only do questions encourage engagement, but they also provide you with an opportunity to obtain first hand insights into audience preference. Discuss upcoming products and ideas, use your platform to learn more about your prospects and in-turn write about your target audience’s main interests.
Include more visuals
Always include visuals where relevant. Recent studies show that information retention after a three-day period, is 50% higher when exposed to content accompanied by visuals. As well as being more memorable, their engagement rates are 650% higher, making them a great tool when it comes to storytelling and creating interaction worthy content. There are very few instances in which visuals won’t benefit your posts, so be creative and remember to make them branded! Include images, gifs, or infographics, and don’t be afraid to put out video content.
Give more than you get
It cannot be one sided, if you seek engagement, you must make the effort to interact too. Respond to your audience, make them feel heard and be an active participant in online conversations. Making a conscious effort to respond and interact with your audience adds personalisation and credibility to your account, subsequently giving your followers a reason to seek engagement too. Present your business as a social and approachable enterprise and breathe life into your profile. Try to limit automation to a minimum, a real time response can go a long way in personifying your business and improving prospective relationships.
Stay on top of current affairs
Always be a credible source for news and trending topics relating to your field. Don’t give your competitors the upper hand when it comes to offering up to date information! Becoming a go to source will encourage your audience to show their appreciation through the means of likes, shares, and comments – boosting your engagement while simultaneously expanding the reach of your content. Subscribe to informative newsletters, follow industry experts, and stay on top of trending and newsworthy stories. Make a conscious effort to stay up to date and spread your expert knowledge through your social media content.
Audience engagement is a crucial part of every social media strategy and thus a key step in growing your business. It’s a fantastic way of interacting with your prospects but most importantly a beneficial tool when it comes to evaluating the effectiveness of your content. If you’d like to find out more about other ways of boosting your engagement or require any additional support, we’d love to help! Get in touch:
E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com T: 01903 688789