Building your following is something everyone’s trying to do. As you’re reading this, billions of users from different locations and time zones compete with one another. Whether your goal is having millions of followers, a verified badge, an aesthetically pleasing grid, or becoming an influencer, engagement is the core of it all. In other words, it should be on your top priority list. Engagement is a special ingredient in social media because that’s what brings people back. Before we get into that topic, you must first ask yourself the following:
- What’s my target market?
- What’s my content about?
- What are my short-term and long-term goals?
- What sets me apart from my direct and indirect competitors?
These are tough questions, and they will take time to strategize. Once you have a grasp or an idea of what you want, engagement is the next step.
Let’s Talk Facebook
To bring like-minded people together who share a common interest, a Facebook group is the way to go. It’s excellent to garner a discussion and strengthen your relationship with your consumers or followers. Moreover, according to the Facebook algorithm, you get higher visibility on your posts, and they will prioritize your content to further your reach. Hence, find your niche and begin to explore.
Bambu, a platform from Sprout Social that improves employee advocacy, also states that people are sixteen times more likely to read a social media post from a friend than from the brand itself. Therefore, reposts, sharing, and word-of-mouth will aid in spreading your content. Another useful tool that’s great for showing authenticity and helps in putting yourself out there is Facebook Live. Because you’re using one of their native services rather than uploading a pre-recorded video to the platform, a live will get you six times more interactions. Also, here’s a good tip about videos: the algorithm prioritizes longer ones to keep people watching. In short, don’t hesitate to upload lengthier videos to your page or group. Need some ideas for your first Facebook Live? Here are some examples to get you started:
- Q&A: you can use the Question sticker to get questions beforehand and select the ones you like best. On the other hand, encouraging people to comment on your live with their questions is another excellent option.
- Behind the scenes: Followers like to see nice and informative graphics. Though they enjoy seeing the people behind their favorite brand, or they’re curious to know about the process of your projects.
- Give updates about your products, services or content: Create a post, or a story indicating that you’ll announce something live. Provide the date and time, so users know when to tune in.
- Broadcast a live event: Allow your followers to attend an exclusive experience via their smartphones.
Engage on Instagram
Instagram is the most popular public art gallery in the world. It’s important to plan ahead when posting your content since it gives your followers something to look forward to. We know about the two primary ways to share content through this social platform: posts and stories. When you share relevant and meaningful content that connects with your target market, your post becomes a priority. The more they engage, the more they will see from you on their feed. Meanwhile, Instagram stories are also the most effective format to share exclusive content. Since they only last for 24 hours, think of them as a limited time only sale. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. So, if you have posts worth looking at, but have some extra material that doesn’t fit on your grid, try stories. Followers will be more inclined to stop and check what you have to offer before it disappears. Just like Facebook Live, setting up an Instagram Live is a great idea to share authentic content.
Don’t Underestimate LinkedIn
Even though it’s not the most appealing or attractive out of the three, it’s great for expanding your network. Additionally, both B2B and B2C businesses can benefit from this platform. However, people spend less than two hours a week on LinkedIn; hence, you have to make it count. One way of reaching LinkedIn users is by making concise content to provide relevant information at a faster pace. As a professional network, you’re likely going to have higher engagement on weekdays between 9 am to 5 pm. However, feel free to experiment and see that works for you. For instance, you can post at 8 am before they start working. You can also post during lunch hour to show interesting content as they take a break. According to LinkedIn, it’s better not to engage with broad topics where you might get lost with other people who have the same input. Instead, dive deeper into niche topics and create a discussion on other profiles. This will help you in getting an advantage in the algorithm.
Having a consistent, engaging audience does take time, and using these methods will not drastically expand your reach. But it’s good to start applying them to your social media strategy. Even though there are numerous ways to expand engagement and build a strong following, these tips can guide you in the right direction.
