We all know that content is king in social media. But how do we know if the content we’re putting out there for our brand is resonating well with our audience? Here’s where engagement comes into play and why increasing audience engagement is so important. Simply put, the more people engage with your content, the more people will see it. And the more people see your content, the more likely they’re going to purchase your product or service. That’s what puts money in the bank!
So how do you increase audience engagement to strengthen the relationship between your brand and your customers? Here are 5 tips to do just that:
1. Decide how you want your audience to perceive your brand
This may seem a no-brainer, yet deciding your brand’s online identity is the foundation of building a cohesive and successful social media campaign. Social media allows businesses the opportunity to show the sides of their brand that they want to highlight for their customers. For example, if you would like to promote yourself as a no non-sense mindset coach, your goal should be to put out content that exudes authority in a straightforward manner. Conversely, if you’re an events host for children’s birthday parties, your content should be creative, entertaining, and give off that sense of excitement and fun.
2. Understand who your audience is
You may think you have the perfect product or service to offer, but none of that would matter if you’re promoting it to the wrong crowd. You need to determine who your target audience is and get to know them. Find out what are their interests, what are their concerns, or what are their goals. Use this information to create content that your audience would resonate with.
3. Customize your post on each social media platform
Each social media platform serves different purposes for different audiences and they call for slightly different forms of messaging and offer business owners a variety of ways to connect with their target audience. For instance, audiences on LinkedIn are more business-minded. This means that the content they’re more likely to lean towards is more formal and concise. Facebook, on the other hand, is designed to connect family and friends. This means that the more details (and pictures) shared, the more people are going to interact with the content.
Here’s one example of how a single content can be tweaked depending on the social platform it’s going to be posted on. Let’s say you want to send your audience a holiday greeting by posting a picture of your Christmas Party at the office. If you’re posting on LinkedIn, a group picture with a simple greeting would suffice. Make the copy as short and concise as possible and tag the bosses or major stakeholders in the post. If you’re going to post it on Facebook, post several pictures from your Christmas Party, especially the fun moments during the event, and make sure you tag each people in the picture so that the post shows up on their friends’ news feed too.
4. Create posts that showcase your customers too
A lot of businesses go on social media to talk about their brand and show off their products and services. There’s nothing really wrong with that, except when it’s the only thing the audience sees from you, it kind of gets boring real quick. It’s like listening to a friend who talks about themselves all the time. The listener eventually zones out and the talker doesn’t even notice. Ande business owners certainly don’t want their audience zoning out on them.
Make your customers see the value in following your accounts. Throw in something that they can relate to every once in a while. Encourage your customers to create user-generated content by giving away product samples that they can create a review on and tag you as they post it on their social media. You can also create a customer appreciation post as a way to show gratitude to people who support your business.
5. Prompt your audience to respond by asking questions
One of the best ways to elicit a reaction from your audience and start a conversation with them is to ask questions. When you ask your customers for their opinion on a topic, a discussion often ensues not just between them and the brand, but amongst the customers as well. It gets people sharing. What’s more, these types of interactions provide plenty of inspiration for future posts.
For example, if you own a travel agency, you can post something like, “If I could go anywhere in the world right now, I’d be in ___________ “. Or you can post about a controversial but relevant topic like “Do you think CoVid vaccines should be mandatory?”. It doesn’t have to be directly related to your brand, but if it’s an issue that affects everyone, then it’s okay to talk about it.
Conclusion
Audience engagement is a crucial factor in your content’s success. A huge number of followers is insignificant if they don’t react to what you post on social media. Furthermore, a high level of engagement enhances your brand’s visibility, increases loyalty, and allows you to check how your content is performing so that you can create more effective content in the future.
If you need help in creating content, or in increasing audience engagement, Be Eminent is here to help. Send us an email at [email protected]