There is no doubt social media has evolved into a highly effective marketing tool in the past decade. Engagement, referring to user interactions such as comments, likes, and shares, on social media platforms, can range depending on the application. Keeping track of engagement is a great way to measure if your content is resonating with your target audience. Different platforms may serve as better modes of reaching various demographics as well; Facebook, for example, statistically is skewed to engage Gen X and older, whereas Instagram is far more popular amongst Gen Z. The secret to any great social media campaign is truly understanding and knowing your target audience, tailoring consistent content to your target audience, and evaluating your success via analytics. 

In this blog we’ll explore the top 10 best ways to increase your social media engagement. 

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1. Know Your Audience

The most important stakeholder for any business is primarily going to be its customers. At the end of the day, they are the reason we’re in business, so we must pay close attention to their preferences, needs, and shopping habits. This can be achieved by leveraging consumer insights along with analytical tools to learn your consumers’ demographics, interests, and online shopping behavior, and habits on social media. Without thoroughly understanding the target audience, it is impossible to reach them no matter how good your campaign is. Posts must be tailored specifically to a target audience in order to be effective. 

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2. Be Consistent

The frequency in which you post content is also a fundamental part in accumulating more social engagement. Being active on your consumers’ feeds demonstrates your commitment to curating content that provides them with a source of interest and entertainment. It is imperative that your key messaging is consistent among all touchpoints and that your unique selling proposition is unquestionable. Intermittent posting will result in loss of trust from your target audience, as your messaging will come across as random and unintentional. In fact, Forbes confirms that “when your content quality, quantity or schedule isn’t consistent, it can confuse your customers. Keeping with a regular strategy not only helps create a better customer experience but it also helps build credibility, reputation and brand trust” (Simpson 1). 

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3. Create a Content Calendar

It is extremely helpful to develop a content calendar for each month to map out what types of posts you plan to execute. In the grand scheme of things, this allows you to make conscious decisions about varying the type of content posted in order to maximize engagement and pique interest. Digital dashboards, such as Sprout Social, can provide assistance in organizing and managing this process. 

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4. Create Compelling Visuals

That being said, your social media campaign is only successful as your content is perceived to 

be qualified and compelling to consumers. Social media serves as a great tool to visualize your solution to consumer needs. According to the Yale Ledger, “studies have found that people remember information better when it is presented visually compared to text alone. Visuals can help create mental associations and triggers which can aid in memory recall, making both the message and your brand more memorable and impactful.” With this in mind, it is crucial to ensure that you are producing high quality images, videos, and infographics. The goal is to capture and hold the attention of viewers as your content pops up in their feed. 

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5. Hashtags Are Your Friends

Utilizing hashtags is also an advantageous way to gain more traction amongst viewers interested in relevant themes and similar industries to yours. In doing so, it tacks on context to your content making it easier to be found by the right people. Taking the time to research keywords and terms associated with your line of business is crucial. If you employ a copious amount of ambiguous hashtags, your target audience gets lost in translation. Instead, apply niche hashtags that score higher in relevance to unique viewers. Contrary to belief, spamming your posts with popular trending hashtags will not improve your reach unless they relate to your brand, industry, target audience, or product. When using hashtags it is important to adhere to the universal rules such as: all hashtags must be one word, numbers are permitted, spaces and special characters are not. Follow these basic guidelines to ensure quality hashtags in your campaign. When it comes to applying them to different social media platforms, the rules begin to shift accordingly. Here is a quick crash course to sum up the dos and don’ts for each medium: 

• Instagram: no more than a dozen hashtags per post. Hashtags can be displayed in three places including your bio, the caption, and the first comment; “if a user is looking at your Instagram from a desktop, they will see this comment. However, if a user is on a mobile device, this comment will be hidden and only accessible if someone clicks “View all comments” (Conley 2). This can help increase engagement by prompting the user to read the comment section. 
• Facebook: Facebook is known to be the platform where hashtags have the least impact. That being said, don’t waste your time putting a ton in your posts, if you decide to use them at all.
• X (formerly Twitter): X, on the other hand, is the exact opposite, and is heavily impacted by hashtag usage. They perform best when implemented to create buzz or start a conversation amongst followers. Encouraging users to join in on the conversation by posting with the hashtag is the best way to see results. 
• Linkedin: There is not a limit as to how many hashtags you can use on Linkedin, however, the platform recommends stopping at three per posting. Being that this is a networking app for professionals, it is in your best interest to ensure the language you are using aligns with what is acceptable to say in the office.  

6. Engage with Your Audience

Social media opens the door to two way communication. Customer service is more than just answering troubleshooting questions from users; today it is just as important, if not more, to be attentive to existing social engagement. Refocusing your efforts on maintaining lasting relationships with current customers promotes consistency and brand loyalty. As the Harvard Business Review puts it, “acquiring a new customer is anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one. It makes sense: you don’t have to spend time and resources going out and finding a new client — you just have to keep the one you have happy” (Gallo 1). Upholding these relationships may be implemented by responding to comments and messages in a timely fashion, initiating conversations and asking questions, as well as showing appreciation for audience contributions. The bottom line is to make your followers feel like they are part of something bigger such as finding identity and comfort in your brand. Your followers shouldn’t just be followers, make them feel a part of the process and feel heard. Encourage them to share their stories and personal experiences with your brand.   

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7. Host Giveaway Initiatives 

A great way to exhibit your gratitude and incentivize engagement is to host giveaway contests. Encouraging user engagement via incentives leaves consumers with positive feelings towards your brand. Giveaways are great for a number of reasons. For one, they can attract new potential customers, extend reach, and generate buzz around your brand. That being said, there are specific ways to go about hosting a giveaway depending on the desired conversion you are seeking. For example, if your goal is to get as many impressions as you can in order to raise awareness for your brand, we suggest you implement components such as making it a requirement for entries to tag additional friends or post with a branded hashtag. If reach is not your objective and you are simply trying to get more followers to engage more with your content, perhaps you prompt followers to follow, comment on, and like your recent post. Lastly, when releasing a new product that has not been established, you may want to factor in user generated content and propose they share a product review and tag your account. 

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8. Collaborate with Influencers

Influencers can be, well, influential, in the social media space. Partnering with influencers can help establish credibility and promote your brand. The goal of recruiting influencers is to get them to have an effect on potential buyers to purchase your product by recommending it on social media. 

So how do you go about finding the right influencer for your brand? A good rule of thumb is to seek candidates that align with your niche audience in order to best reach your target audience. This may look like selecting a person with a platform in the same or a similar industry you serve or someone with a following that resembles similar characteristics or behaviors as those in your target market. If your company aims to satisfy a more broadened target audience, one way is to increase your reach by hiring an influencer with a bigger following in order to increase your chances of exposure. Note that the more popular an individual’s status appears, the more compensation likely will be expected. It is also important to assess if the influencer resonates and captures similar beliefs and core values that your company reflects. When allowing someone to be the face of your business, it is key to choose wisely. 

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9. Encourage User Generated Content

Unlike influencer marketing, user generated content comes with less expectations for compensation. This type of content is organically generated by real users who feel the need to express their positive experiences with a product or service. According to Claire Beveridge with Hootsuite, “no other content type is more authentic than UGC from your customers. 86% of consumers are more likely to trust a brand that shares UGC compared to 12% who are likely to purchase a product promoted by influencers.” User generated content consists of any content—whether it be videos, images, reviews, text, etc. There are a plethora of benefits that come along with this earned media, the most notable being that it “can help establish your brand as a credible and authoritative source in your industry while building trust and loyalty with your audience” (Worstell 3). Our client La Segunda experiences an abundance of earned media through customer reviews on platforms like Yelp, Tripddvisor, among a variety of other social media applications offering reviews and advice to prospective customers. 

On top of this, user generated content is costless! Beware, however, that because this media may be unpaid, you could surrender control over what is said in regards to your product or service. If you are particularly looking to highlight a certain strength or resource, influencer marketing is a safer avenue to explore. 

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10. Tracking Your Success with Analytics 

The final step that is essential in measuring how successful your social media campaign was, is tracking your success with analytical data. This is the part where all your hard work pays off and you get to see what worked and what didn’t. From here you’ll be able to revise your marketing strategy accordingly. Social media analytics delivers insights on how well received your posts were. This is tracked by focusing on certain metrics like reach, conversions, and overall engagement. Implementing this practice allows brands to enrich their understanding of the target audience as well. Additionally, these metrics can be compared and contrasted across different platforms, and over time, and give brands a better idea of where they should be focusing their energy. 

So there you have it, 10 effective ways to increase your social media engagement! Just in case you missed the any, here’s a recap of what you need to know:

1. Know Your Audience: Understand their preferences and tailor your content accordingly.
2. Be Consistent: Stay active! Post on a consistent basis.
3. Create a Content Calendar: outline your content plan on a monthly basis and make sure to stick to it! Be intentional with what times and days you are posting as well. 
4. Create Compelling Visuals: Ensure quality, relevance, and stand out!
5. Use Hashtags Cautiously: Use relevant and niche hashtags.
6. Engage with Your Audience: Always respond to consumer engagement metrics, encouraging conversation around your brand, and expressing gratitude to loyal customers. 
7. Host Giveaway Initiatives: Invite followers to engage by providing incentives. 
8. Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with credible and relevant public figures.
9. Encourage User-Generated Content: Earned media is the best media…and free!
10. Measure and Analyze Your Results: How well did you leverage your strengths and resources?

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Lastly, don’t forget that social media is evolving as we speak, so don’t shy away from opportunities to experiment and adapt your strategy. Try these out for yourself and watch your social engagement skyrocket!