Get more likes and comments on your posts with these simple tips

Social media engagement is vital because it leads to more visibility – and more sales.

Social media is a great place to connect with potential customers, build brand loyalty, and grow online. The key to success is engagement, and that means more likes, comments, shares, and bookmarks.

And yet, getting that engagement can feel like a huge challenge, especially when faced with unpredictable algorithm changes and fierce competition. So, what are the secrets of success?

In this guide, we'll share tried-and-tested ways to boost social media engagement. These tips are applicable whether you’re a social media manager at a global brand or a small business owner posting from your kitchen table.

We’ll unpick the jargon surrounding the most important engagement metrics and look at how you can encourage activity through community building. 

By the end, you’ll be equipped with practical steps to foster more chatter on your social media posts, expand your reach, and keep your channels thriving.

In this guide:

Benefits of social media engagement

Social media engagement is about more than just getting more likes and comments. 

At its core, engagement reflects how actively your audience interacts with your social media content, whether it's short-form videos, polls, stories, or user-generated content. 

High engagement implies that people are genuinely invested in what you share rather than passively scrolling by your posts.

Strengthening brand visibility and loyalty

High engagement can raise your brand’s visibility in users’ feeds by propelling you to the top of the algorithm – an essential advantage on crowded social channels. 

The more people interact with your posts through likes, shares, comments, or saves, the more social media platforms’ algorithms tend to showcase your content to an even broader audience. 

In addition, when followers actively engage with your brand, they’re more likely to become loyal advocates who share your content on other platforms, recommend your products, and help grow your follower count.

Boosting conversions and revenue

Social media engagement often translates into tangible business outcomes, too. 

Companies that focus on fostering a genuine, engaged audience tend to see higher conversion rates – spanning everything from online sales to registrations or downloads. 

This is because a more engaged community trusts your brand’s messages and is more willing to convert when prompted.

Staying ahead in a competitive space

Most social media platforms continually evolve. Features like interactive elements, short-lived stories, or in-app shopping experiences give businesses new ways to stand out. 

Regularly thinking about ways to elevate your social media engagement strategy means that your brand isn’t just present but actively thriving in this ever-changing environment. 

Staying on top of those changes helps you keep up the momentum and adapt quickly to new trends – and that's great for maintaining your competitive edge.

Key social media engagement metrics

There are so many social media engagement metrics, and it's important to understand how they differ.

Knowing what each metric indicates will help you refine your social media strategy and allocate resources where they’re most needed.

Key engagement metrics to track

  1. Likes or reactions: The meaning of likes is pretty straightforward. Reactions give you a fundamental indicator that shows users appreciate or identify with your post content.
  2. Comments: These reflect a deeper level of engagement, as commenting requires more effort and interest than a quick like.
  3. Shares or reposts: One of the strongest signs of advocacy. When people share your content, they’re telling their own networks, “This is worth your attention.”
  4. Saves or bookmarks: Saving a post for later often indicates content that’s valuable enough to revisit, such as educational content, tutorials, or recipes.
  5. Direct messages: Private conversations are a particularly unique kind of engagement because they can reveal user pain points and key questions about your products or services.
  6. Click-through rates (CTR): This metric measures how often people click on links you post, guiding them to your website or landing pages – another important kind of engagement.
  7. Conversion metrics: Tracks how many users complete a desired action, like signing up for a newsletter or purchasing a product.

Why media engagement matters over vanity metrics

Vanity metrics, such as overall follower count, can be misleading. 

You might have thousands of followers, but if they don’t interact with your content, it could be that they're not even seeing your posts. If they are, it seems your content isn't speaking to their interests. 

Either way, it's likely that your social media presence isn’t actually helping you achieve your business objectives. 

Focusing on in-depth engagement metrics gives you a clearer picture of what resonates and where you need to adjust course.

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Strategies to improve social media engagement

In order to improve social media engagement, your overall social media strategy should include a few tactics that will help you achieve this goal.

These can range from small tweaks, like posting at optimal times, to larger initiatives, like running full-scale social media campaigns. 

Let’s explore some tried-and-true methods.

1. Post consistently (but don’t spam)

Everyone has heard the advice to “post consistently” across social media channels, and with good reason. If you post sporadically, you risk being forgotten. On the other hand, overwhelming your audience’s news feed with too many updates might annoy them or prompt unfollows. 

The trick is to strike the right balance by analyzing your audience's online behaviors: When are they most active? When do they most likely want to see new posts?

Use a social media calendar to plan your schedule in advance, experiment with different posting times, and measure the results. 

Pay attention to each platform’s analytics for best-performing time slots – you might need to switch it up occasionally.

2. Engage proactively

Proactive engagement goes beyond waiting for people to comment on your posts. It involves actively encouraging conversations, responding quickly to mentions, and showing genuine interactions with your followers and industry peers. 

It also helps to start discussions around trending topics relevant to your niche, prompting your audience to share their opinions.

3. Harness user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) is one of the most powerful ways to encourage engagement and lighten your content creation load. 

For instance, you could run a hashtag campaign asking customers to share photos of them using your product or service, then repost some of these submissions with credit. 

UGC celebrates your engaged audiences and fosters community and trust, proving that you value your customers’ experiences.

The secret to successful UGC campaigns lies in creating a branded hashtag that’s memorable and relevant to your brand and then prompting fans to share stories or images that relate to a specific theme.

Just remember – it's best practice to obtain permission before reposting user content.

4. Offer interactive content

Polls, quizzes, and interactive content are great for boosting engagement metrics because they transform passive scrollers into active participants. 

Most social media platforms allow you to create polls in stories or posts. This feature isn't just good for engagement; it can be genuinely helpful in gathering quick feedback, running fun quizzes, or crowdsourcing ideas for new product features.

5. Make some short-form videos

Short-form videos are everywhere these days. They’re quick to consume, highly shareable, and can pack a punch when done right. They also tend to appear more frequently in platform algorithms. 

Whether you’re demonstrating how your product works, offering a quick tip, or spotlighting a behind-the-scenes moment, short videos can help you boost social media engagement quickly.

>> Read more: Tips to Increase Social Media Engagement Rate

Cross-platform tactics to boost engagement

Each social media platform has its unique quirks, but some universal tactics can help you boost social media engagement across the board. 

Whether you manage a Facebook page for a clothing store or a LinkedIn profile for a B2B software company, these strategies can reinforce your brand presence and drive more interaction.

Promote content across multiple channels

If you have an engaging blog post or a podcast episode, promote it on all relevant social media channels to maximize reach. 

The secret to success lies in tailoring the caption and visuals for each platform – what works on LinkedIn might need a more casual tone on Facebook or Instagram. 

Customizing your approach makes followers more likely to engage with the content. This could mean clicking through to your blog, saving it for later, or sharing their thoughts in the comments.

Use branded hashtags

Branded hashtags are a good way to categorize and make your posts discoverable. 

But they also invite your followers to participate by using the same hashtag for their own content – which can be especially useful for encouraging UGC. 

When used consistently, these hashtags can increase engagement and help you track conversations around your brand or campaign.

Run social media campaigns

Brands often launch social media campaigns across multiple platforms in order to achieve maximum engagement. For example, you might coordinate a campaign theme – like a holiday sale or a cause-based initiative – across X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

This cohesiveness can capture different audience segments and spur more interaction, especially when your followers experience multiple touchpoints as a reminder.

Collaborate with influencers and partners

Collaboration can open you up to new audiences. Influencers, in particular, have loyal followers who trust their recommendations. 

By working with them in a genuine, value-driven way (rather than just a pay-for-play approach), you can attract more engagement from a whole new audience and show your brand in a fresh light. 

Similarly, partnering with complementary businesses for co-branded content can bring your brand in front of potential customers who already trust your partner’s recommendations.

Just make sure you manage your influencer campaigns with a tool like Influence.

Monitoring and refining your engagement strategy

Your social media engagement strategy isn’t a “set it and forget it” endeavor. Ongoing monitoring and timely adjustments will increase your chances of success.

Social media platforms provide built-in analytics dashboards that shed light on reach, impressions, profile visits, and more. You can go beyond these basics by focusing on social media engagement metrics like comments, saves, and shares. 

If you need a more in-depth view, social media management tools like Brandwatch Social Media Management can consolidate data across different channels, giving you a bird’s-eye view of your performance.

For a more robust look into sentiment, audience demographics, and trending keywords, consider using Brandwatch Consumer Research. You’re able to delve deeper than typical social media metrics and pinpoint emerging topics, identify brand perception shifts, and optimize your social media content strategy in real time.

Don’t ignore the data you gather. If your audience engages more with behind-the-scenes content than product shots, create content accordingly. If short-form videos or interactive polls generate more interaction, focus on those elements in your upcoming posts. 

Evolving your strategy based on real-time feedback is the key to staying relevant and keeping your audience interested.

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Encouraging more engagement through community building

Great social media engagement often springs from a vibrant community. When people feel valued and heard, they’re more likely to voice their opinions, share your posts, and advocate for your brand.

Nothing discourages potential fans like a brand that doesn’t respond to questions or feedback. 

Whether it’s a comment praising your new collection or a direct message asking about product details, a timely, polite response can go a long way in fostering loyalty and higher engagement.

Live interactions – be it a live video Q&A, a webinar, or an Insta chat – are a great setting for immediate, two-way conversation. As a bonus, these events also build anticipation, encourage engagement in real time, and give you a chance to address audience questions as they arise.

Another big part of community building is encouraging user-generated content. While this is powerful in itself, you can take it a step further by creating full-blown narratives around your customers. 

For instance, you might highlight a “customer of the month” or ask followers to share their success stories using your product. 

Remember, storytelling deepens emotional connections, making your audience feel involved in your brand’s journey.

Tapping into community groups and niche discussions

Sometimes, the best way to increase engagement is by diving into spaces where your target audience already gathers – like niche Facebook groups or Reddit forums.

The trick is to find niche communities or groups relevant to your industry or interests. And once you're there, answer questions, provide insights, and position your brand as a helpful resource. 

Over time, members in these groups may follow your social media accounts for more detailed updates.

Creating a dedicated group for your brand can also work really well, too. For example, consider all the podcasts with dedicated (and active) Facebook groups or Discord communities. 

A space like this lets fans and customers exchange ideas, get product support, and share user-generated content. 

By keeping the discussion lively and moderating with a light touch, you can nurture an active community that results in more engagement on your social channels with minimal direct marketing.

Cultivating long-term engagement and loyalty

Building a thriving social media presence isn’t just about momentarily piquing interest; it’s about forging lasting relationships.

If you want to develop a content creation culture that lends itself to engagement, you'll need to ensure your team understands this goal. And if you outsource design or copywriting, have a clear pipeline so fresh, relevant content never runs dry. Aim for a variety of posts – some purely entertaining, others more educational content, and a few that are promotional – to keep followers interested.

Rewarding existing followers can make them more likely to stay engaged. This might mean offering exclusive discounts, sneak peeks, or giveaways to your most loyal followers – all of which can do wonders for brand advocacy. 

People who feel appreciated often become unofficial brand ambassadors, actively promoting your brand to their networks, which naturally leads to more engagement.

From there, try to evolve your brand story.

Remember – it's natural for things to change. Keep your engaged audiences updated and involved in this journey. 

Ask for feedback, celebrate milestones together, and express gratitude for their support. This open dialogue will help you build a community that cares about your brand’s future.

Time to sustain and grow your engagement

Knowing how to increase social media engagement is an ongoing journey. It involves blending creativity with data-driven strategies, understanding your audience’s pain points, and consistently delivering compelling, relevant content. 

If you pull all the levers – everything from user-generated content to interactive polls and more formal social media campaigns with influencers – you’re more likely to build a level of visibility that captures both new and existing followers.

If you’re ready to take your social media efforts to the next level, consider exploring powerful analytics and listening solutions from Brandwatch. For instance, Brandwatch Consumer Research offers deep insights into consumer sentiment and industry trends, helping you refine your social media strategy and stay ahead of the curve.

Don’t wait for your audience to magically appear – go out there, post consistently, and invite people into a conversation that benefits both them and your brand. With the right mix of authenticity, responsiveness, and strategic planning, you’ll boost social media engagement in ways that foster genuine connections and sustainable growth.