How To Truly Engage Your Social Media Audience
To truly engage your social media audience, you need to master the art of capturing their attention and keeping them hooked. It's not just about posting content; it's about creating a connection that resonates with them on a deeper level.
Here’s how that might work in your business:
Unlock Engagement: Drive Interaction
Get your followers talking about themselves in a way that relates to your business. For example, if you’re an office productivity expert, ask them, “What do you see as the biggest waste of time in your office that no one seems to care about?”
A question like this includes not just your customers but anyone who works in an office and wants to vent about their time-wasting pet peeve. This allows your audience to engage in a way that is meaningful to them, regardless of whether or not they’ve read your book, taken your course, or hired you as a consultant.
Maximize Engagement: Harness the Power of Personalized Responses!
No matter how minimal, your response will make the poster feel good. You’ve probably noticed it when you post on social media, and the creator replies with even just an emoji; a part of you says, “Yeah, they recognized me! They noticed I exist!” It feels good.
Of course, you can always hire someone to respond to posts. And for those posts you primarily like, you can type out a complete response to spark another conversation. When you do, others will notice and be more inclined to engage.
Response is essential—or even crucial—but it’s also a balancing act. If you try to respond thoughtfully to everyone, you’ll never have time for anything else. Plus, you’ll be seen as too accessible, lowering your perceived value.
“If everyone is special, then no one is special.” You’ve got to make your followers work to get your attention. Let them compete for the best answers or the answers that spark you to reply.
What is the highest form of competition for your attention? Sales. You might want to shout out to those who buy from you or ask them to post when they do buy. This shows others that people are buying your product and that you give your customers more personal attention, thereby creating even more sales and, hopefully, a snowball effect.
Cultivating Community: Building Parasocial Bonds on Social Media!
Your goal in social media is to cultivate parasocial relationships on a mass level. This means it’s about the prospects and customers, not you or your product. Your focus is on the audience you are building.
Post content that engages your current audience while bringing in a new audience. Foster a sense of community. Remember to ask relevant questions that potential prospects can answer, not just your current customers.
Doing all of this is easier than it sounds – it just takes practice. And the results of a well-executed parasocial relationship with your audience can be shocking. I’ve seen social marketers increase their engagement by several hundred percent within days of using this technique.
In conclusion, mastering social media engagement requires a combination of strategic planning, genuine interaction, and consistent effort. By implementing these strategies effectively, you can create a loyal community of followers who are actively engaged with your brand.