Have you got your sights set on boosting your social media engagement? Achieving an engaged social media following doesn’t have to be the colossal headache that everyone makes it out to be.
I can’t do it. I don’t have time. the algorithm keeps changing.
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone. Believe it or not, thoughts like these are common when you’re just starting out, and even if you’re a veteran creative entrepreneur. We all have fears when we try new things.
But they’re definitely holding you back from having the engaged social media following you hope for.
Personally, I thought that I had to constantly put out something brand new and fresh all the time, which was so overwhelming, it caused me to not put out anything at all!
Since then, I’ve learned a lot and I can’t wait to share it all with you.
So take a deep breath and settle in to learn 10 actionable ways to achieve social media engagement without having to spend your entire day in front of the computer or phone.
Yes, you can do have an engaged social media following, and I’m going to show you how.
#1. Set Goals for a Consistent Posting Schedule
When you work towards engaging your social media following, it can be easy to get lost in the details and forget about the primary goal.
Your primary goal of having a fanbase of followers that engage with you should always be front and center. Otherwise, you risk becoming overwhelmed and giving up altogether.
Although it make some time to truly become consistent, just start with making it your goal. Using a digital or physical planner can help, or try a project management tool like Trello.
Want to learn more about Trello? Check out our post on Trello Hacks To Rock Your Project Management.
Download my 10 Quick Tips To Double Your Social Media Engagement to help you get started!
Pro Tip: Don’t get down on yourself it takes some time to get on that schedule. Just get started!
#2. Collaborate with Other Brands
Did you think you had to grow your social media engagement all by yourself?
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
It’s a whole lot more fun – and motivating – when you collaborate with other creative business owners. Think about Facebook groups you are a member of. Or, look for brands whose products you use that offer affiliate programs.
You can even work together on a webinar or workshop.
Here are a few things to keep in mind during your partner search:
- First, decide how you want to partner with them. Is it a one-time partnership? Are you looking for a long-term partner? Do you want to do a joint online class together? Having this in mind beforehand will help you find the right partner and set the right expectations from the start.
- Second, don’t forget to use social media here to your advantage. Look for others in your space who have a similar audience but not direct competitors.
- Third, offer to get on a Zoom and just chat at first. You want to make sure you vibe well together and would enjoy working with them.
Pro Tip: It may take a while to find the right partner but be patient and keep at it. Collaborating with others is one of the fastest and easiest ways to gain visibility.
#3. Remember to Optimize Your Profiles
You may be thinking to yourself, “I don’t have time to update all my profiles”, but if you don’t take the time , your audience won’t know what you are all about.
Instead, make sure you have a high-quality profile picture as well as a compelling bio and description. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Do this once and use it on all your profiles. You will most likely have different people following you on different platforms and no one is going to notice or care.
Actually, having the info and images be the same across different platforms will actually help build your brand, as people will know what to expect from you.
You will thank me later when you have a super-engaged audience.
Pro Tip: If you have both a personal and business profile, make sure you optimize both. Some people will check our your personal profile to make sure you are a real person!
#4. Always, Always, Always Know Your Audience
No matter what your end goal is, learn about your target audience because knowing what they want, will lead you to create what they need.
If you feel like finding out who your audience is is intimidating, just remember that you are already doing it! They are telling you what they want by what they respond to the most!
Here’s how to get to know who your audience is:
- Look at your past posts. What has gotten the most likes and comments?
- Check out your insights on the social media platform you use. You should be able to see some basic demographic information.
- Do you have an email list? Send an email asking them what content they would like to see more of.
Pro Tip: Don’t think too hard about this. Creating an “ideal client avatar” doesn’t have to limit you, just give you a better idea of who is following you and what to provide for them.
#5. Don’t Forget that Visual Content is Key
We all know that visual content is so important for social media engagement. Think about what you pay attention to most on social media. Do you even notice posts that are only text? Or are you drawn to images and videos?
That doesn’t mean you have to ONLY post images and videos. Make sure to have engaging text and a call to action as well.
Don’t get too caught up in the fancy equipment to take pictures and videos. At least not at first. Just start taking them! Your phone probably has a great camera and there are tons of free apps and platforms like Canva that you can use to optimize your images.
And remember done is better than perfect. Just get started!
#6. Encourage User Interaction for Social Media Engagement
It may seem like it goes without saying, but if you want to gain social media engagement, one of the best things you can do is ask for it! What are you waiting for?
Consider this your official permission slip to ask questions in your posts and prompt your followers to share their opinions.
The cliff notes version for those who are busy:
- Always ask a question
- Don’t forget to comment back
#7. Why Should You Pay Attention to Hashtags and Trends?
Look, I hear you, researching hashtags takes time and energy. I’ve been there and avoided it all costs.
However, there are people that specifically search for certain hashtags. And guess what? Your competition is doing it and you need to get on the boat to get your stuff seen before theirs.
Don’t snooze on staying on top of the social media trends, friends.
Research and use relevant hashtags in your posts to increase their discoverability. Hashtags can help you reach a wider audience interested in the topics or themes you’re covering. Make your posts discoverable and watch the crowd grow!
#8. Run Contests and Giveaways
Don’t worry if you haven’t run a giveaway before.
Part of what makes contests and giveaways so effective for social media engagement is that people like free stuff and if you ask them to comment to get it, your engagement instantly goes up!
Now, some platforms do have some rules about contests and giveaways, so make sure you make yourself aware of what these are.
Set clear rules and guidelines so people know exactly what to do and what not to do! Try going live to promote it as well and talk to people as they comment.
#9. Don’t forget to analyze and adjust
Make sure to regularly monitor you social media analytics and see what people are responding to.
Then do more of that! Not so hard, huh?
#10. Always start your day singing in the shower
Achieving social media engagement can be hard. This is why it’s essential to keep up the momentum and good humor by not taking it to seriously!
All kidding aside, relax. It’s not going to happen overnight. Just keep working at it, little by little.
There you have it!
Did you find these tips helpful? Share your top tip to stay motivated on the path to social media engagement in the comments below!
If you still have questions, get in touch here. There are no silly questions, and I am always happy to hear from creative rockstars like you.
For more on building your social media presence, including how to craft a 90 day content strategy in 7 days and mastering the 10 time rule, check out the posts below:
- Crafting A 90-Day Content Creation Strategy in 7 Days
- Social Media Promotion Strategies
- Building A Social Media Presence
And finally, I created a guide of 10 quick tips to double your social media engagement that builds on this post you just read!