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Why is engagement on social media important?

Engagement refers to how users interact with your content, and it is a very important metric on social media. The more users engage with content – by liking, sharing, and commenting, the more it is shown to others.

Facebook wants to show users content that is valuable to them. It determines the value of content through an algorithm – which is like a computer program. The Facebook algorithm learns by observing behaviour, how users react and interact with content. When content gets engagement, the program comprehends its value and applies value to similar content.

Content which links to anywhere outside of Facebook typically doesn’t do very well, because Facebook wants to keep users on the platform.

Tips to increase engagement

Ask questions – prompt a response from your audience. A great way to get engagement is by asking a question that you know your audience has an opinion about. You could also try a ‘fill in the gaps’ style.

Relatable humour is shareable. This one is a no-brainer, and largely why memes are so popular. It can be fun to pick a fresh meme and apply it to your business.

Appeal to their image. Think also about how people want to be perceived online – someone who shows interest in fitness and leading a healthy lifestyle may not actually participate in these activities in their real lives, but they want to be seen as such. Shareable content that feeds people’s drive to be seen as an ideal version of themselves can be very powerful.

Keep current. Prepare content around upcoming holidays, occasions, celebrations. Tap into the zeitgeist – understand a shared emotion or reaction to a current event. When you decide to jump on a trend, time is of the essence. Something relevant today could be almost forgotten by next week, so don’t leave it too late. Choose ‘awareness days’ that resonate with your audience. For example, if your audience is composed of parents, then take note of World Literacy Day.

Produce evergreen content. Evergreen content can be useful to your audience not just right now, but pretty much always. Think about questions you find your customers asking again and again, or explaining technical terms and phrases. The information within this kind of content will remain relevant for many years, and can be reused (possibly with updated visuals). Consider content like: recipes, how-to instructions, FAQs.

Behind-the-Scenes content. People are curious and intrigued to find out behind-the-scenes details. Let your audience peak behind the curtain, it makes them feel closer and more connected to you. For example, a bakery can show a messy food fight, or if your team is working from home you can show off their furry colleagues – pets that is!

Paying for it

The Facebook platform has developed into a crowded space where businesses are competing for attention. If you don’t have the time or other resources to work on an organic content plan, then advertising can get you results quickly. However, not everybody has a marketing budget. And we know content marketing is here to stay. The question becomes how to get your good content in front of the right people. That’s where engagement really counts – because it creates a snowball effect signalling to the algorithm “hey, people like this stuff!”, enabling your content to go further.

Do you need a content marketing strategy that can make waves on social media? Our in-house team at Norr and Echo have years of experience in designing strategies that get results. We also specialise in graphic design and social media content. Reach out to us to discuss your next project!