In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, engagement is key. We’ve gathered insights from Content Strategists and Marketing Heads, among others, to share their single most effective strategies. From engaging with quality comments to encouraging genuine interactions, explore these five expert tactics to boost your social media interaction.
- Engage with Quality Comments
- Utilize Storytelling Micro-Content
- Match Content to Audience Journeys
- Foster a Supportive Online Community
- Encourage Genuine Interactions
Engage with Quality Comments
Leave high-quality comments on others’ social media posts. Acknowledge their helpful advice, and then add your own perspective or additional insight that will help others reading.
A number of clients of mine on LinkedIn found me from the comments I left on other people’s posts in their network. You never know who’s reading, so remember to be helpful, encouraging, and unafraid to share your knowledge.
Allison Ditmer, Content Strategist and Creator, Allison Ditmer LLC
Utilize Storytelling Micro-Content
One strategy I advocate for boosting social media engagement is ‘Storytelling through Micro-content’. Think of these as snackable pieces of content that convey a brand’s story, all while piquing the audience’s curiosity. We applied this to Businessmap’s campaign, presenting our project management solutions in relatable, real-life scenarios, making our brand more human and relatable.
Our Instagram carousel posts were particularly effective. These featured varied content types, from quick tips and short video demonstrations to customer testimonials and behind-the-scenes snippets. The strategy encouraged continuous engagement and made our audience anticipate subsequent content.
The result was a 68% increase in follower interaction rate and a 43% increase in engagement rate on our Instagram profile. It’s proven that concise, relatable, and engaging bursts of content can foster meaningful conversations and deepen the connection to the brand.
Pavel Naydenov, Head of Marketing, Businessmap
Match Content to Audience Journeys
To boost social media engagement, I focus on matching content to where the audience is in their journey. It’s all about speaking to them, whether they’re just finding out about your brand or they’re ready to make a purchase. Your posts should be relevant at every stage of their journey.
To boost engagement, look at what people are commenting on and messaging you about. Also, see what’s engaging for your competitors to get some ideas. These will give you clear indications of the topics, values, and interests your audience has. Also, check out competitors and platforms like Reddit and Quora to find hot topics and gaps you can fill.
Here’s how I break it down:
Top-of-funnel: Use Instagram for viral content like infographics and short videos to grab attention.
Middle-funnel: Share tips and valuable guidance for those looking for solutions.
Bottom-of-funnel: Show success stories and testimonials to convince those ready to make a decision.
To boost engagement, create shareable, relatable content that evokes emotion—make people feel seen, heard, inspired, or amused.
What does it look like in practice?
For example, I helped a lash artist increase leads for her educational program by creating a video about the daily frustrations of lash artists: not having time to eat lunch, struggling to maintain humidity levels, client no-shows, etc. It got a lot of comments and shares because people felt understood, seen, and heard! In the comments, the sentiment was really an echo of what we tried to share in the video. Lash artists started tagging their friends and commenting things like “That’s so me!”, “Relatable”, and “I feel seen!”.
The biggest challenge when it comes to creating the content was speaking the same language as our audience, but research, speaking directly to ideal clients, and constant monitoring helped us build a real connection through visuals and words.
This strategy works because people want genuine connections. They respond to content that feels human and addresses their emotions and needs. Therefore, keep things real; this will be the key to building a strong online community and driving results.
Ketsia Colas-Leroy, President, HeyKetsia Consulting
Foster a Supportive Online Community
At SpanishVIP, we have found that by cultivating a supportive and inclusive online environment, we encourage followers to actively participate and interact with our content. We achieve this by prioritizing relationship-building and open communication. One way we implement this strategy is by regularly initiating conversations with our followers. Instead of simply broadcasting information, we ask thought-provoking questions, seek their opinions, or invite them to share their experiences.
We make it a priority to respond to comments and messages in a timely and personalized manner. We show that their engagement is valued and appreciated. This personalized approach fosters a sense of connection and encourages followers to continue engaging with our content. We also leverage user-generated content as a means of interaction.
We actively encourage our followers to share their language-learning progress, cultural discoveries, or even creative expressions related to the Spanish language and culture. By featuring their content on our social media platforms, we not only recognize their efforts but also inspire others to participate and contribute.
Connor Ondriska, Co-founder and CEO, SpanishVIP
Encourage Genuine Interactions
I believe the best way to boost social media engagement is to simply be genuinely interactive. Responding to comments, asking questions in your posts, and encouraging user-generated content can significantly increase interactions and help to foster a community around your brand.
For example, running a contest where followers share their own content with a specific hashtag can create buzz and engagement. In my experience, this not only gets people talking but also builds a community around your brand. When followers see you’re not just broadcasting but actually engaging, they’re more likely to stick around and participate. It’s a simple yet powerful way to foster deeper connections.
Andrew Lee Jenkins, Owner, Catalyst RVA Marketing Agency
