Did you know that, according to Sprout Social, 53% of consumers say they’re likely to buy from brands that are transparent on social media? And 86% of Americans say transparency on social media is more important than ever before, which means they’re willing to take their business to a competitor if they see a lack of transparency. At Fort Lauderdale- and Aspen-based public relations agency Durée & Company, we strive to help our clients create content that holds value and addresses their audience’s needs to effectively engage with them on social media. However, good content does not necessarily equal good engagement. Strategy is key when it comes to boosting social media engagement.
Once you think about your audience and the types of social content that will elicit a response, you will not only gain new followers, but also build upon your existing relationships. Here are 3 things to consider to boost your social media engagement.
- What is Social Media Engagement?
You may be asking yourself, what is social media engagement? According to Foundation Inc., “Put simply, social media engagement is when an individual interacts with your brand’s social media account.”
- Engaging is a two-way process: Businesses often forget that the goal of social media is to engage with the audience. It’s important to start a conversation and encourage followers to like, share and comment. This will also help your brand’s visibility and exposure.
- Customer support and brand awareness: It’s so important to respond to all comments, even the negative ones. This lets your audience know you are readily available and willing to engage with them to find a solution for their needs.
- Two types of engagement – reactive and proactive: According to Hootsuite, reactive engagement is how your business directly responds to messages it receives on social media; proactive engagement is when businesses make the first move, such as searching for indirect mentions of your business or relevant conversations. It’s important to set time aside and create tactics to practice these two types of engagement.
- Types of Content to Consider.
Content is key when it comes to social media. It’s important that content is shareable, exciting and informative. According to Hootsuite, if the content you share on social media helps your audience address their needs and pain points, you’ll have solid social media engagement guaranteed.
- Think about your audience: Ask yourself what they would want to see and share. Foundation Inc. suggests, “Constantly ask yourself whether the content you’re developing makes you feel something and is worth sharing.” More importantly, does it have value? It’s important to keep these questions in mind when developing content that addresses your audience’s needs and desires.
- According to Sprout Social, “In The Sprout Social Index, Edition XVI: Above & Beyond, we identified what types of content that brands want from social, including 68% wanting images, 50% wanting video and 30% wanting text-based posts.” Businesses should review their content to see if these types of posts are the ones with the most engagement and strategize based on their findings.
- Emojis: Did you know that 92% of Internet users utilize emojis? That’s according to Foundation Inc. Emojis are a great way to draw your audience in to read a caption or post. They also add a level of humanness and are effective when used appropriately.
- Strategy is Key!
To boost your social media engagement, you will need to strategize. The content you share should align with your company’s goals. What are you trying to accomplish?
- Sprout Social suggests setting short-term and long-term strategies to increase engagement. This includes giveaways, hashtag holidays, brand partnerships, Stickers on Instagram stories, flash sales and more. By utilizing a combination of these strategies, your business and engagement will increase.
- Identify your goals. According to Hootsuite, “What you want to accomplish with your social media strategy depends entirely with what your business has to offer and what best suits your brands. However, you should be able to clearly articulate what your followers gain from interacting with your brand on social.” Make sure to set social engagement goals as well as timelines to track their effectiveness.
- Which social media strategies will keep people interested? According to HubSpot, the five most proven strategies include: Asking questions; invoking expression; providing incentives; making offers; and delivering utility. Some examples include posting a poll, conducting a social media contest, promoting discounts, and featuring interactive content.
It’s important to understand what social media engagement is, in order to effectively communicate with your audience and share content that addresses their needs. Looking to boost your social media engagement? Our team is ready to help you and your business strategize and create content that is shareable, exciting, and informative for your audience.
About Durée & Company
Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning, full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm founded in 1999. The firm has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Aspen, Colorado. Durée & Company serves the corporate, agency and nonprofit arenas for local, national and international clients. Services include public relations, social media, marketing, content development, advertising, special events, branding, radio promotions and more. Durée & Company clients include well-known names in business, fashion, hospitality, travel, wellness and CBD, marine and yacht, art and culture, nonprofit organizations, legal and professional services and real estate. Durée & Company is a member of PR Boutiques International™ (PRBI), an international network of boutique PR firms. To learn more, go to https://dureeandcompany.com/; call 954-723-9350; or visit Durée & Company on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DureeCoPR/, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dureecopr, Twitter at https://twitter.com/dureecopr, LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/dureecopr or YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/DureeAndCompany.
