When we post on social media, we all want our posts to get tons of likes and comments. They make us feel good about ourselves and get people talking. But in business, there’s more to it than that—it’s all about how users and brands engage their followers.
What is Social Media Engagement?
Social media engagement is a loose term that covers a lot of metrics. In short, social media engagement measures the number of public shares, likes, and comments for a post on an online platform. Reporting on engagement metrics is a common way for companies to measure the performance of their social media campaigns or presence.
How do you Measure Social Media Engagement?
Each social media platform is completely different, with the three most popular ones being Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Each platform has its own ways for users to interact with others and share content, making engagement rates vary significantly across each platform. Here’s how social media platforms traditionally measure engagement ratings:
- Twitter: Re-tweets, likes and followers
- Facebook: Shares, likes and followers
- Instagram: Likes and followers
However, as social media continues to be part of daily life, new metrics are also being measured. For instance, on Instagram, if you are a “Verified” page or change your account to be a “Professional” account and you post a story that is then shared on a follower’s personal page, Instagram’s analytics allow you to see how many shares there were. Facebook is also looking into increasing comments on posts with new engagement comment stats. You can read more about that here.
Ways to Make Content More Engaging
Now that you know how to analyze your social media engagement, you need to find ways to engage your audience. Here are some ways to get—and keep—your followers engaged:
- Host a contest like having people caption a never-used photo or a popular image
- Have something to share weekly such as a blog or a question for your followers
- Feature your followers! People love to be acknowledged and will share your post.
- Livestream an event so you can invite users to ask questions
- Be honest and transparent. Honesty is always key.
Now What?
So, you’ve learned what social media engagement is; Found out ways to measure engagement across platforms; And gotten tips on how to make your content more engaging. Now it’s time to test some of these strategies out. Not every strategy will be relevant to your feed or brand, but finding other ways to build momentum on your page (rather than just sharing a photo) can be highly engaging and encourage users to see what else you have to offer.
Sources:
https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/building-a-social-media-engagement-strategy/554374/
