8 Tips to Increase Brand Engagement through Social Media

If you want to send your brand engagement through the roof, it's a good idea to have a solid plan instead of throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks. Unfortunately, that's just what most people do when it comes to social media strategy because they don't truly understand how to reach their designated audience online.

So, how do you cut through the noise and get noticed in a sea of ethernet activity by the people who want your product or services? 

Check out our tips to increase your brand engagement through social media so your intended audience sees your well-crafted brand messaging.

1. Choose the Right Social Media Platforms for Your Brand

When it comes to social media marketing, it's not always about being everywhere. It's about being strategic. Choose the right social media outlets that align with your brand and target audience; otherwise, you're just wasting time and resources.

Identify Your Target Audience

First things first, who are you trying to reach? What are their demographics, interests, and online behaviors? Once you have a clear picture of your ideal customer, you can select the social media platforms where they hang out most.

For example, if you're targeting Gen Z, Instagram might be your best bet. If you're going after business professionals, LinkedIn is probably a better choice. Each social media platform has its own unique user base and demographics. Understanding these nuances is crucial for selecting the right ones for your brand.

And here is something worth mentioning: you want to reach potential customers who don't know yet that they need your product. Suss out where those people are hanging out so you can cultivate a new revenue stream from more robust social media engagement.

Focus on Quality Over Quantity

Don't spread yourself too thin by trying to maintain a presence on every single social media platform out there. Instead, focus on delivering high-quality content and engagement on the platforms that matter most to your target audience. It's better to have a strong presence on a few key platforms than a weak presence on many. Quality interactions and meaningful conversations will always yield better results than half-hearted efforts.

You can cross-post to catch whoever might be lurking around on other social media pages, but you don't want to spin your wheels too hard doing so.

2. Create Engaging and Shareable Content

Okay, so you've chosen your social media outlets. Now what? It's time to create content that will stop the scroll and engage people with your brand. Your next social media post and content need to be compelling and shareable so people stop scrolling and take notice. It should provide value to your audience and make them want to interact with your brand.

Use Eye-Catching Visuals

In the fast-paced world of social media, visuals are king. Posts with images, videos, or infographics tend to perform much better than plain text posts. Why? Because visuals are more likely to grab people's attention while they scroll through their feeds. They're also more memorable and easier to process than a wall of text.

Invest in high-quality visual assets that align with your brand identity and resonate with your target audience. Whether it's stunning product photos, engaging video content, or creative graphics, make sure your visuals are on point.

Craft Compelling Captions

While visuals may grab attention, captions keep people engaged and encourage interaction. Depending on the purpose of the post, your captions should be informative, entertaining, or thought-provoking.

Use storytelling techniques, ask questions, and include calls-to-action (CTAs) to prompt users to like, comment, or share your content. Write in a tone and style that aligns with your brand voice, whether witty, inspirational, or educational. And don't be afraid to show some personality. People want to connect with brands that feel authentic and relatable.

Leverage User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful tool for boosting social media engagement. When your followers create and share content related to your brand, it's like free advertising.

Encourage UGC by creating branded hashtags, running contests, or simply asking customers to share their experiences with your products or services. Then, feature the best UGC on your own channels. Not only does this improve social media engagement, but it also helps build a sense of community around your brand. People love seeing their content recognized and shared by the brands they love.

Encourage Audience Participation

Social media is all about two-way communication. It's not enough to just broadcast your own content - you need to actively engage with your audience and encourage their participation. Ask questions, create polls, or host live Q&A sessions to get your followers involved in the conversation. Respond to comments and messages in a timely and personalized manner. When you make an effort to interact with your audience, it shows that you value their input and care about building relationships with them. And that's what social media is all about.

3. Develop a Consistent Posting Schedule

Consistency is vital in social media marketing. Developing a consistent posting schedule helps keep your brand top-of-mind and fosters ongoing engagement with your audience. And it's not just about frequency—it's also about timing.

Determine Optimal Posting Times

Post when your audience is most active and likely to interact with your content to maximize engagement.

But how do you figure out the best times to post?

Start by analyzing your social media insights and metrics to identify patterns in your followers' behavior. When are they typically online? What days and times see the highest engagement rates? You can also research general best practices for posting times on each platform, but keep in mind that every audience is unique, and what works for one brand may not work for another. Test different posting times and track your results to find the sweet spot for your specific audience.

Use a Content Calendar

Maintaining a consistent posting schedule can be a challenge, especially if you're managing multiple social media accounts. That's where a content calendar comes in handy. A content calendar is a tool that helps you plan, organize, and schedule your social media posts in advance. It ensures a steady flow of content and helps you avoid last-minute scrambling to come up with something to post.

There are plenty of content calendar templates and tools available online, or you can create your own using a spreadsheet or project management software. When planning your content calendar, consider a mix of content types (e.g., photos, videos, links, etc.), as well as a balance of promotional and non-promotional posts. Remember to leave some flexibility for timely or trending content.

Maintain Brand Voice and Tone

Your brand voice is the personality and style of your brand's communication. It should be authentic, relatable, and aligned with your brand values and mission across all social media channels. Develop a brand style guide that outlines your brand's voice, tone, and key messaging. This will help ensure that all your social media content is cohesive and on-brand, no matter who creates it.

Consistency in your brand voice builds trust, customer loyalty, and recognition with your audience. They should be able to recognize your brand's content even if your logo isn't attached to it.

4. Interact with Your Audience

Social media is a two-way street: actively engage with your audience to build relationships and foster a sense of community around your brand. Interacting with your followers shows that you value their input and care about their experience with your brand; it humanizes your brand and makes people feel more connected.

Respond to Comments and Direct Messages

When someone takes the time to leave a comment or send you a message on social media, it's essential to acknowledge and respond to them promptly. Whether it's a question, concern, or compliment, make sure to address each comment or message individually and with a personalized response. Avoid generic or canned replies that feel impersonal.

Responding to comments and messages shows that you listen to your audience and value their feedback. It also helps build trust and loyalty with your followers. And don't just respond to the positive comments - address negative feedback or concerns with empathy and a solution-oriented approach. How you handle criticism can say a lot about your brand's character.

Ask Questions and Encourage Discussion

Feel free to initiate conversations with your audience. Asking questions is a great way to encourage discussion and involve your followers. Post thought-provoking questions about your industry or niche, and encourage your followers to share their opinions or experiences in the comments. This boosts engagement and helps you gain valuable insights into your audience's interests and pain points.

You can also use social media features like polls or quizzes to make the conversation more interactive and fun. People love sharing their thoughts and seeing how they compare to others. Just keep the questions relevant to your brand and audience, and avoid anything too controversial or polarizing. The goal is to foster a positive and inclusive community around your brand.

Host Q&A Sessions or Live Videos

Another effective way to interact with your audience is through Q&A sessions or live videos on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. These formats allow you to engage with your followers in real time, answering their questions and providing valuable insights or behind-the-scenes glimpses into your brand. Live videos, in particular, create a sense of exclusivity and urgency that encourage people to tune in and participate. They also humanize your brand by putting a face and personality behind the camera.

5. Leverage Hashtags and Tagging

Do your homework and find the hashtags already popular with your target audience. Hootsuite's guide to Instagram hashtags is a great place to start your research and even has a hashtag generator. Once you've found those golden ticket hashtags, sprinkle them strategically throughout your posts to boost visibility and reach, or "hide" them by sticking them in the comments.

Create Branded Hashtags

But why stop at just riding the coattails of existing hashtags? Create your own branded hashtags that are unique to your business. Encourage followers to use them when they post about your brand, products, or services. Not only does this help you track user-generated content, but it also creates a sense of community around your brand. Plus, branded hashtags are a great way to measure social media engagement and see how much buzz you're generating.

Tag Influencers and Collaborators For Brand Visibility

Don't be afraid to tag relevant influencers, collaborators, or complementary brands in your posts. When you give them a shoutout, they'll get a notification and may just return the favor by engaging with your content or sharing it with their own followers. It's a win-win situation that can lead to increased visibility, more engagement, and potential partnerships down the road.

6. Collaborate with Influencers and Other Brands

Speaking of partnerships, collaborating with influencers and other brands is a great way to skyrocket your social media engagement rate. Start by identifying influencers who align with your brand values and have a relevant audience. Look for influencers with strong engagement rates rather than just a huge follower count. These folks have built trust and credibility with their audience, and their endorsement can work wonders to boost engagement for your brand.

When you reach out to influencers or other brands for collaborations, focus on creating partnerships that benefit both parties. And take your partnerships to the next level by co-creating content or even products with your collaborators. This could be anything from Instagram takeovers and joint live streams to limited-edition product lines that showcase both brands' strengths.

Collaborative content has the power to generate excitement and increase engagement among both of your audiences, expanding your reach and creating brand advocates in the process.

7. Run Contests and Giveaways

Who doesn't love the thrill of a good contest or giveaway? Hosting one on social media is like dangling a shiny prize in front of your followers and watching the engagement pour in.

Set clear rules and guidelines for your contest, including entry requirements, eligibility criteria, and any legal disclaimers. Choose prizes aligned with your brand and promote it across multiple channels. Share the details on your website, email newsletters, and any other relevant channels to cast a wide net and maximize participation. The more buzz you generate, the more engagement and brand awareness you'll reap in return.

8. Analyze and Adjust Your Social Media Engagement Strategy

You've put in the work, you've run the campaigns, and now it's time to see how it all panned out. Analyzing your social media performance is critical to understanding what's working and what's not and how to optimize your marketing strategy moving forward.

Track Key Metrics to Increase Social Media Engagement

First things first, make sure you're tracking the right social media engagement metrics to gauge your success. Likes, comments, shares, click-through rates, reactions, retweets, video completion, and audience or follower growth are all important indicators of engagement. 

Other metrics you will also want to consider tracking:

• Customer satisfaction (reply time, satisfaction surveys, comments)
• Customer awareness (impressions, reach, and video views)
• Customer retention (NPS and social commerce storefront metrics)
• Social media ROI (conversions, referrals, website traffic)
• Brand health (how people feel about your brand and organic brand mentions)
• Paid social media metrics (click-through rates [CTRs], cost per click [CPC], web conversions, return on ad spend [ROAS]

Use the built-in analytics tools provided by social media platforms or invest in third-party software for more in-depth insights. And it's always good to have a regular cadence for your reporting so that you have an accurate measuring stick.

Identify Top-Performing Content

Take a deep dive into your analytics to identify the types of content that resonate best with your audience. Look for patterns in your top-performing posts, such as content themes, formats, or publishing times. Use these insights to inform your future content strategy and double down on what's working. Stay agile, stay adaptable, and refine your approach until you've cracked the code on sky-high engagement.

Ready to Go Viral? Let's Improve Your Social Media Presence

Social media marketing is all about keeping it real. No one wants to follow a bland, boring account that just posts generic content. They want to see the personality of the brand! So don't be afraid to let your guard down a little. Crack a joke, share a personal story, or post a behind-the-scenes photo. When you're authentic and provide value in a fun, creative way, you'll build a loyal following in no time.

Feeling a little overwhelmed and need some help with your social engagement strategy? Let EraserFarm do the heavy lifting for you.  We love strategy, and we love anything and everything creative! Let’s knock heads and figure out how to get your brand to the next level today.

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by Cindy Haynes