7 Ways to Engage With Your Audience on Social Media

Do you have a plan in place for what you’re going to share and how you are going to engage with your audience on social media? Or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type, posting whatever you feel like in the moment?

The beauty (and the curse!) of social media is that anyone can post anything they want. This means there is a constant stream of information, opinions, and thoughts going out – which may or may not be particularly engaging to your audience.

Do you know what your audience finds most engaging? If not, keep reading because I have a few ways that have worked well for me and may work well for you too!

7 ways to engage with your audience on social media:

1. Share more of what your audience loves

How do you know what your audience loves? This is where your social media analytics come in. Facebook Insights, Twitter Analytics and even Google Analytics can show you exactly which types of content are resonating with your audience. Regularly consult your analytics to see which topics and posts are getting the most likes, comments, retweets, and shares, and share them more often.

2. Address the problems and pain points of your audience

When in doubt, help your audience solve a problem or address a common pain point. Put yourself in the shoes of your ideal customer or client, and ask yourself, “What’s the #1 problem or issue I’m struggling with right now?” Even better, ASK and or LISTEN on social media to find out the pain points are for your audience. Make it your goal to help them solve this problem(s).

3. Share industry data, research and trends

Remember that you may be one of the only sources of industry info for your audience. Not everyone will have the time, skills or desire to research the latest industry trends or data. Become a trusted source of industry information, and regularly share your own insights into current trends.

4. Show your audience how to do something

According to research from Fractl and BuzzStream, “how-to” type posts drive just over 18% of all social shares. Demonstrations, tutorials and step-by-step guides are always popular choices, as they provide practical, hands-on advice to your community.

5. Encourage and inspire your community

Bringing value to your community isn’t just about sharing industry-related content (although that’s a HUGE part of it!). Encouraging, inspiring and motivating your followers can also provide a ton of value. The internet is filled with negativity, and your posts may be the bright spot in someone’s day. Always remember that your audience is made up of real, multi-dimensional people – not just ‘fans’ or ‘followers’.

6. Answer questions

What questions do your customers want answers to? Fortunately, your blog and social media accounts are a treasure trove of frequently asked questions – if you know where to look. Mine through the following sources to find FAQ’s:

• Comments left on your blog
• Facebook ‘posts to page’
• Questions asked on Twitter (look at your mentions)
• Engage in some social media monitoring to see what questions are being asked by your target market

7. Share your own valuable thoughts and insights

Always remember that there are insights only YOU can share with your audience. Sharing industry information is great, but what value can YOU add to this? What have you learned over the years that perhaps no one else knows? How are you uniquely positioned in your industry, and what information can you share that no one else can?

Once you start posting content your audience actually wants to engage with, great things start to happen. Your audience grows to trust and rely on you, and turns to YOU when they need help or information. Focus on creating engaging content that provides value, and watch your influence – and your audience – grow!

What would you add to this list? What are some other ways we can engage with our audiences on social media? Share below!

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