Picture it: you\u2019re on an expedition to find and photograph the rare mountain gorilla when suddenly, a band of them appear. Do you run straight for them, yelling with excitement? Maybe you try tossing them their favorite snacks. Or maybe you should try ignoring them entirely. This dilemma is basically what social media marketers face when trying to court the cautious creature that is social media engagement.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because social media engagement, like gorillas, can be extremely powerful. But, depending on its environment, engagement can also be an elusive beast, with marketers everywhere trying different baits to lure it out.<\/p>\n
If your marketing efforts are a jungle and engagement is an endangered species, consider us your guide to the wild (British accent optional<\/em>).<\/p>\n Today, we\u2019ll show you the tactics successful marketers have used to feed, fatten, and grow social media engagement in its natural habitat.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Beautiful reports. Clear data. Actionable insights to help you grow faster.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart free 30-day trial<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Social media engagement measures all <\/em>interactions with your social media content. In short, it\u2019s a way to measure how much your audience is connecting with your posts! It includes actions like comments, likes, and shares. <\/p>\n But those aren\u2019t the only engagement metrics. Social media engagement can include:<\/p>\n Looking for an example of social media engagement in action? This Instagram post from Sweetgreen has 1.3K likes and 674 comments \u2014 we\u2019d guess there are a fair number of shares, too.<\/p>\n Source: Sweetgreen<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Why is having a social media engagement strategy so important? Well, for one, you want your audience to clap for the show you\u2019re putting on. If you\u2019re hearing crickets (which naturally migrate away from a habitat once social media engagement appears), you\u2019ve got a problem. But high engagement levels means more than an ego boost.<\/p>\n When your engagement rates are high, you know you\u2019re dialed in with your audience. This means people are spending time on your content, which is good for you and <\/em>the social media platforms.<\/p>\n Social platforms like TikTok want <\/em>people to spend as much time as possible on their apps. Higher engagement metrics tell the TikTok algorithm<\/a> you\u2019re making high-quality content, so they boost engagement and your reach accordingly. You get more eyes on your content and the networks get more people spending time on their app. Think of it as a symbiotic relationship between you and the algorithm \u2014\u00a0everybody wins.<\/p>\n Of course, the inverse is also true. If your content flops, it\u2019s tempting to blame the algorithm, but it\u2019s more likely that the post just didn\u2019t grab your audience (sorry). Learn from it and move forward!<\/p>\n When you understand what your social media engagement metrics actually mean, you can refine your marketing strategy to better match your target audience\u2019s tastes, interests, and expectations.<\/p>\n The Hootsuite post below, for example, has over 200 comments and counting. We tapped into social media managers\u2019 concerns about the launch of the Threads app \u2014 a conversation our audience is pretty passionate about.<\/p>\n Taking social media engagement metrics into account when planning content is a great way to grow your social media pages.<\/p>\n Wondering what \u201cgood\u201d engagement looks like in your niche? Check out our article with average engagement rates for 12 industries<\/a> to browse charts like this one:<\/p>\n Once your comments and shares are flyin\u2019, it\u2019s time to crunch some numbers to see exactly how many critters came to the party. But not everyone\u2019s a mathematician, and knowing how to track your social media engagement can be a bit of a head-scratcher. Luckily, Hootsuite\u2019s got your back.<\/p>\n You can use our engagement rate calculator<\/a> to find out your engagement rate by post<\/strong>. <\/p>\n Or, skip to the next section<\/a> to see how Hootsuite Analytics can give you the nitty-gritty details.<\/p>\n Engagement metrics can be tricky. If you\u2019re calculating by follower count, remember that not all of your followers will have seen your post. Plus, people who don\u2019t <\/em>follow you may have also interacted with your post.<\/p>\n And, for larger followings or marketers with multiple social media accounts, calculating everything manually or using spreadsheets can get a little swampy. Luckily, Hootsuite Analytics<\/a> can help.<\/p>\n Hootsuite Analytics lets you easily track the social media performance of all<\/em> your social media channels in one place (so you can replicate what works and get more engagement). The software collects your stats from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok.<\/p>\n With Hootsuite Analytics, you can also:<\/p>\n Try Hootsuite for free<\/a><\/p>\n Now that you know the lay of the land, it\u2019s time to learn the captivating dance that will attract higher social media engagement rates.<\/p>\n Join me as we unlock eight secrets to fostering deeper connections in the virtual savannah of social media.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to measure your growth if you don\u2019t know where you\u2019re starting from.<\/p>\n Put on your data scientist hat (looks great on you, by the way) and take a look at your Hootsuite Analytics dashboard or calculate your engagement rates using the methods above.<\/p>\n Now, see which social media posts or campaigns land at the top and the bottom of your analytics. Identify any patterns you notice. Maybe talking head posts are nearing engagement extinction, while the numbers for top 5 roundup posts have boomed.<\/p>\n Track direct messages, comments, and mentions, too. These will give you actionable insights into what your audience wants more or dislikes. Is everyone messaging you the same 5 questions about how to use a product? It might be time to make a post answering those questions.<\/p>\n Use your data to identify brand advocates and influencers. Are there stand-out online fans who always like or comment on your posts? Maybe it\u2019s time to ask them for a collaboration.<\/p>\n These social media analytics tools <\/a>can help you save real-time getting started.<\/p>\n Develop an engagement social media strategy to support your engagement-specific goals. You don\u2019t have to create an entirely new content strategy, but rather, work in a branch dedicated to engagement.<\/p>\n First, determine your engagement goals. These may be:<\/p>\n Pro tip: Be sure you\u2019re setting SMART social media goals<\/a>.<\/p>\n Once you have identified where you want to go, brainstorm some content designed to deliver on your goals. Then, work this content into your overall social media calendar.<\/p>\n To help you get those creative juices flowing (ew, I know), we\u2019ve put together a whole article dedicated to specific social post ideas that will help you get engagement. Some of them include:<\/p>\n For many more, check out the article here: 19 Engagement Post Ideas That Will Blow Up Your Analytics.<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to get people engaged if you don\u2019t actually know who you\u2019re talking to.<\/p>\n The sort of language, tone, and resources that resonate are likely going to be different for a Satanic hot sauce company\u2026<\/p>\n versus a gardening supply shop.<\/p>\n (Save for any spicy devil-worshiping grannies out there.)<\/p>\n Check out our guide to conducting audience demographics research<\/a> to learn everything you need to know about your target market.<\/p>\n Knowing your audience will also help you determine:<\/p>\n Content that\u2019s helpful to the audience and addresses their needs and pain points is critical. Think \u201cconversation,\u201d not \u201cbroadcast.\u201d A piece of content that gives your audience what they want before they ask for it is the bait that will reel in social media engagement.<\/p>\n People don\u2019t care how great your brand is. They care about what your brand can do for them.<\/p>\n Are you having a sale they can\u2019t miss out on? Do your templates solve a problem for marketers? Does your product make people age in reverse, a la Benjamin Button? Are your gifs, memes, or visuals so strangely entertaining it would be impossible not to share, letting whoever shares it seem cool by association?<\/p>\n Nonprofit American Red Cross regularly shares helpful video content below. You never know when information like how to put out a grease fire may come in handy. And with over 100 saves, it\u2019s clear other people are storing this information for future use.<\/p>\n Source: @americanredcross<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n To take this a step further, don\u2019t just guess what your audience wants to hear\u2014find out! <\/p>\n Use social listening tools like Hootsuite Listening<\/a> to track the topics your audience is talking about, see where your brand is mentioned, and get a feel for what your competitors are up to.<\/p>\n This helps you stay relevant by engaging with current events and trends that connect with your brand!<\/p>\n You can also test your content to figure out what resonates and what doesn\u2019t. Keep an eye on your past posts, experiment with different approaches, observe the reactions, make adjustments, and repeat!<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not sure where to start, steal these engagement post ideas for any platform<\/a>, Facebook-specific engagement post ideas<\/a>, or these Instagram engagement post ideas<\/a>.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/HS_ProductImage-Analytics-1.png?ssl=1\"\/)
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t#1 Analytics Tool for Growth\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\nWhat is engagement on social media?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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![\"Sweetgreen](\"https:\/\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/social-media-engagement-1-620x355.png.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/figure>\nWhy does engagement matter?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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![\"Hootsuite](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/engagement_rate__overall.png-620x465.webp?resize=620%2C465&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\nHow do you measure social media engagement? [FREE CALCULATOR]<\/span><\/h2>\n
Hootsuite Analytics for engagement metrics<\/h3>\n
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7 tips to increase social media engagement<\/span><\/h2>\n
1. Analyze your metrics with engagement tools<\/h3>\n
![\"Hootsuite](\"https:\/\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Analytics-Engagement-Overview-620x339.png.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/figure>\n2. Create a specific engagement strategy<\/h3>\n
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3. Know your audience<\/h3>\n
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4. Share content that\u2019s valuable<\/h3>\n
![\"Nonprofit](\"https:\/\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/social-media-engagement-7-620x1056.jpg.webp)
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