We’ve recently had a few questions from our clients about how to build engagement on social media. Engagement is a major factor for ranking on any social media platform. If people interact with your content, the algorithm will perceive it as worth noticing and worthwhile and make it more visible to more people. Building follower engagement on social media can help you expand your social accounts and reach more people.
In this digital age, sharing and connecting via social media have become a major part of our lives. We are frequently connected to one another, exchanging information and forming connections with people on various sites, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube and others. Although information can be shared quickly and easily, certain unwritten rules should be followed.
Here are Puzzle Media’s recommended “Do’s & Don’ts” when it comes to building engagement on social media for a brand or business.
Do: Post Engaging Content
Engaging your audience is the first step in having an effective social media presence. Create content that keeps your audience interested and wanting to return for more. It can be tempting to see “everything as content”, and while that approach can be helpful and has a place in an overall digital marketing strategy, the overall focus needs to be on providing something of value to your audience. This could include posting content relevant to your industry or niche, sharing tips and tricks about products/services you provide, or offering news updates or insights into current events related to your field.
The added bonus of social media content is that it can help raise brand awareness by remaining consistent in your audio and visuals. This helps add to your authority and influence in your field. Photos, videos and infographics are all powerful ways to connect with an audience and encourage engagement, as these draw more attention from viewers than text-based posts alone.
Don’t: Post Too Much
It is important not to bombard your followers’ feeds with too many posts in a short time; this can overwhelm them and make them feel like they’re being spammed with content they don’t care about. Instead, strive for quality over quantity; post fewer but higher quality pieces of content, such as articles or blog posts containing insightful information or meaningful stories that people can relate to, rather than random thoughts or pictures of what you had for breakfast today!
Do: Interact with Your Followers
Social media isn’t just about posting content, you need to consider it a platform for interaction between you and your followers. Quickly responding to queries or opinions placed on your posts will help create trust between you and the other members of the community. Talking to potential customers about your brand helps build trust and show authority. Establishing trust and authority is easier by addressing individual questions about your product or service through private messages with personalised assistance.
Don’t: Neglect Your Profile
Your profile page is the foundation of your presence on social media; it is where users learn more about who you are and the services/products you offer. It is like your virtual “shop front” – you wouldn’t leave it without a sign, yet many businesses do this in the digital world with missing or incorrect information on their profile page! It’s crucial to check that all information listed is up-to-date (think, job descriptions, contact info etc.) This gives potential clients the most current information to decide whether they want to work with you.
Also, use this space wisely! Even though the space may be limited, you can write an interesting bio that “hooks” people into wanting to know more about your business or brand. Consider it the entrée that will have people wanting to move to the main meal. Your profile page is also your chance to incorporate relevant keywords to help search engines quickly identify you when someone searches for those terms.
Do: Monitor Your Activity
Monitoring your activity on social media means paying attention to what YOU post and what OTHERS post about YOU or YOUR business. When people leave positive reviews about working with you, make sure these get shared across other channels like Facebook or Twitter.
On the flip side, though – negative comments should not go ignored. Audiences can be very forgiving if someone expresses dissatisfaction over something related to your brand, providing your response is prompt and respectful, as this shows customers that their opinions are valued.
Building engagement on social media takes time and an effective strategy. Here we’ve listed some of our do’s and don’ts. Following them will help you drive your engagement and increase your authority on social media.
Prefer to work with the experts? Let Puzzle Media take the guesswork out of an effective social media strategy tailored to YOUR business.