By “engagement” in social media, we mean the degree to which people talk to you and to each other about your posts. It’s more than getting a “like.” It’s when someone leaves a comment, shares your post with a friend, or saves your post to look at later. High engagement means that what you are posting is interesting and useful to your audience. Having many followers is not the goal as much as having followers who truly care for your content.
What is Engagement: Focus on One Good Idea Per Post
One big mistake people make is packing too much into a single post. If you sell hats, for example, don’t discuss your dog’s birthday in the same photo. Each post should serve one purpose. Keep your text short and easy to understand. People scroll very fast, so if they have to stop and really figure out what you mean, they will keep moving. Simple questions often work best. Ask your audience something they can answer quickly, like, “Which colour do you like best: blue or green?”
Pictures and Videos are the Key
People love to look at social media. Your pictures and videos need to be clear and bright. You don’t need a fancy camera; your phone will work, but you do need good lighting. Make sure the thing you want people to see is easy to spot. For videos, short is almost always better. If you can say it in 30 seconds, do not use 60. Fast, fun videos get shared more often. For any view number to count, the viewer has to stay until the end. You need to “hook” them in the first three seconds.
Be Social and Talk Back
Social media is a two-way street. If someone leaves a comment, you must talk back to them. The people you take the time to reply to feel special. In turn, they will come back to your page and engage with your site more frequently. Reply to almost every comment, especially when you are just starting. That shows people a real person runs the page and not just some company that doesn’t care.
Also, find other pages like your own. Comment nicely on their posts. That is a great way to have new people find you and then follow you back to your page.
Post When People are AwakeYou can have the best post in the world, but if you post it when everyone is sleeping, no one will see it. Look at when your followers are using the apps the most. Most social media apps have a tool that shows you the best times to post. Try to post your content during these busy hours. The more people that are active when you post, the quick likes and comments you get, and then the app will show your post to even more people. Mastering these simple, clear actions is how real professionals get great engagement.