“What is your top tip for businesses looking to improve their social media engagement? What specific strategy or tactic would you recommend?” Here is what 17 thought leaders have to say.
- Focus on Storytelling for Emotional Connection
- Build Genuine Connections Through Interactive Content
- Feature User-Generated Content
- Prioritize Interactive Content
- Repurpose Content Across Multiple Platforms
- Build True Relations with the Audience
- Create Interactive Content to Boost Engagement
- Stay True to Your Brand
- Engage Audience with Interactive Storytelling
- Serve Audience with Purpose and Passion
- Use Strategic Content Clustering
- Post Content That Resonates with Audience
- Create Authentic, Interactive Content
- Share Authentic, Value-Driven Content
- Boost Engagement with Relatable Content
- Invite Users to Make Decisions
- Piggyback on Successful Businesses’ Social Media Presence
Focus on Storytelling for Emotional Connection
To improve social media engagement, my top tip is to focus on storytelling. People engage most when they feel emotionally connected to a brand. For instance, in my car detailing business, we don’t just post before-and-after shots. Instead, we tell the story of the car-why it was special to the owner, what challenges we faced during the detailing process, and how we transformed it into something the client was proud of.
Interactive content is also powerful. Polls, Q&A sessions, and even live streams where we showcase detailing techniques have boosted our engagement significantly. These not only educate our audience but also encourage them to interact with us directly. For example, we once held a live stream on “Quick Car Maintenance Tips,” which drew a lot of questions and even led to new bookings.
Consistency is key. Posting regularly and responding to every comment or message, no matter how small, builds trust. Social media is not just a sales tool; it’s a way to build a community around your brand. Treat your audience like friends, and they’ll keep coming back for more.
Ryan Farook, Owner, Ryans Mobile Car Detailing
Build Genuine Connections Through Interactive Content
My top tip for businesses looking to improve their social media engagement is to focus on building genuine connections through interactive and value-driven content. Social media isn’t just about broadcasting messages-it’s about starting conversations and creating a two-way relationship with your audience.
One specific strategy I’d recommend is implementing interactive content, such as polls, Q&A sessions, or user-generated content campaigns. These tactics not only grab attention but also invite your audience to actively participate, which significantly boosts engagement.
For example, at LogicLeap, we helped a local Oxfordshire-based cafe improve their social media presence by launching an Instagram poll series where followers could vote on new menu items, like choosing the next seasonal latte flavor. This simple yet interactive approach made customers feel involved in the brand, and the posts saw engagement rates skyrocket-comments, votes, and shares increased by 60%, while foot traffic to the cafe grew as customers came in to try the winning items.
Another great tactic is to respond to comments and messages promptly and authentically. People want to feel seen and valued, so even a quick “Thank you!” or answering a question in the comments section can go a long way. During a campaign for an IT client, we monitored DMs and comments closely, responding with personalized advice and helpful tips. This effort not only boosted engagement but also converted some followers into paying clients because they appreciated the responsiveness.
Finally, don’t be afraid to show the human side of your business. Share behind-the-scenes content, introduce your team, or highlight real stories about your customers. People connect with people, and when your audience feels like they’re engaging with a relatable, authentic brand, they’re much more likely to interact.
In short, make your audience feel involved and valued. When you shift from simply posting content to truly engaging with your community, you’ll see your social media presence transform. It’s a strategy we’ve applied successfully for our clients at LogicLeap, and the results speak for themselves.
Josh Matthews, Director, LogicLeap
Feature User-Generated Content
For businesses in e-commerce, my top tip to improve social media engagement is to focus on user-generated content. At Festoon House, we encourage customers to share photos of our products in action, whether it’s their party setups or outdoor decorations. We then feature these posts on our social media channels, tagging the customers and giving them credit. It’s a simple way to build a sense of community and show real-life applications of our products.
This strategy has significantly increased engagement. People love seeing relatable, authentic content, and it motivates others to share their experiences too. My advice is to make it easy for your customers to participate. Create a branded hashtag, run a contest, or offer small incentives for sharing. Authenticity is key to getting people to engage with your content.
Matt Little, Founder & Managing Director, Festoon House
Prioritize Interactive Content
For brands looking to improve social media engagement, my top tip is to prioritize interactive content. At Growth Spurt, we’ve seen great results by using polls, quizzes, and open-ended questions in our posts. These formats encourage followers to participate instead of just passively scrolling past.
One strategy that works particularly well is tying these interactive elements to a relevant topic. For example, we recently ran a poll asking followers what type of video content they find most engaging. Not only did it spark discussion, but it also gave us valuable insights to tailor our future campaigns. My advice is to think of social media as a conversation. The more you encourage your audience to interact, the stronger your engagement will be.
Spencer Romenco, Chief Growth Strategist, Growth Spurt
Repurpose Content Across Multiple Platforms
My go-to tip would be to repurpose your content. Within my company, we’re constantly repurposing our already published content, especially videos across multiple social media platforms in various formats. For instance, we frequently film five to ten minute long company vlogs, typically entailing everyday company antics integrated with industry-specific content.
Once a full length vlog is posted and uploaded on YouTube, we then post snippets of it on other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Likewise, we sometimes create infographics and blog posts related to the video to upload to our website and social media. This specific tactic helps us in generating a large volume of content frequently to keep our audience engaged. It drives highly targeted organic traffic from multiple sources to our core website, and by posting snippets of content, usually the most intriguing bits (i.e. teasers), we keep our audience actively anticipating our next drop.
Ajay Chavda, CTO, Mojo Dojo
Build True Relations with the Audience
Probably one of the best ways of building engagement on social media is by building true relations with the audience. Create content that connects and resonates with your values, communicating their needs. People find engaging with posts when it becomes personal and relatable instead of a promotion. Behind-the-scenes moments, the real stories, and what drives the brand can also work in favor of businesses. Your audience wants to see the human side of your business, not some polished marketing materials.
One specific tactic I would recommend is user-generated content. I would encourage your customers to share their experiences and tag your business in those posts. This gives you organic engagement as well as building trust with your audience and giving you content that resonates. For instance, ask your customers to share how they use your products or services in their daily lives. Reposting such content not only shows appreciation to your customers but also the real-world impact of your brand. This tactic drives deeper engagement and fosters a community around your business.
Renata Lutz, Founder and Photographer, The Portrait Mama
Create Interactive Content to Boost Engagement
To increase engagement on social media, my top recommendation is to come up with interactive content that asks your audience to be more participatory. Examples can include a survey or two, quizzes, contests, or question stickers on Instagram. Engaging an audience in this way builds a sense of community and encourages the audience to share their opinion and experiences, thereby drawing more eyes to your content.
One strategy that I recommend is regular live Q & A sessions or Twitter chats. These kinds of formats allow for real-time interaction, enabling the audience to ask questions and engage directly with your brand. Of course, this not only builds rapport but also provides valuable insights into your audience’s interests and concerns. By making your followers feel involved and valued, you can dramatically drive up your engagement levels and strengthen brand loyalty.
Sheraz Ali, Founder & CEO, HARO Links Builder
Stay True to Your Brand
Top tip for social media engagement? Stay true to your brand. Don’t get swept up in every trending challenge that comes along. We faced this when a viral trend blew up, but it didn’t align with what our brand stands for. Instead of hopping on the bandwagon, we doubled down on creating content that matched our long-term values and resonated with our audience.
The result? Engagement grew, and our followers became more loyal. People recognized our authenticity and knew we weren’t just chasing clout. That trust is what keeps them coming back.
The takeaway: Forget short-term hype-focus on building a consistent, authentic presence. Trends come and go, but a strong brand identity is what creates real connections and a lasting audience.
Luke Beerman, Owner, Freedom Fence FL
Engage Audience with Interactive Storytelling
If one thing I believe would definitely boost your social media activity is interactive storytelling. Tell tales that inspire your audience to come along instead of just promoting your products. On our page, we included client stories on which they described their own grooming practices following a campaign. This not only made our clients happy but also drew other individuals in to take part since they too wanted to join the conversation.
I also think that if you let your audience contribute to create the story, and you have a far closer relationship with them. Those that feel included are more likely, I have found, to comment, share, and come back for more. For GroomsDay, this kind of interaction has given our content more personal and relevant character, which sets it apart on social media. Seeing their own narrative reflected can help your followers to connect considerably more.
For me, interactive storytelling is essentially about letting your audience join in a story instead of only delivering one. This approach has been absolutely amazing for us and, in my opinion, is among the best ways to encourage continuous social media activity. Those that are heard often come back!
Chris Bajda, E-commerce Entrepreneur & Managing Partner, GroomsDay
Serve Audience with Purpose and Passion
My top tip for improving social media engagement is simple; serve your audience with purpose and passion. Think about the problems they face, the aspirations they have, and the conversations they care about. Then, show up consistently with content that educates, entertains, or inspires them.
One specific strategy I love is using video storytelling. Share behind-the-scenes moments, lessons you’ve learned, or even quick wins your audience can apply in their lives. People engage more when they feel a personal connection, so don’t be afraid to be vulnerable or authentic in your posts.
Also, don’t forget to engage first. Don’t wait for likes and comments, go out there and comment on their posts, share their wins, and celebrate their milestones. The more you make them feel seen and valued, the more they’ll reciprocate. Social media is about relationships, not just reach.
Lilach Bullock, Founder, Lilach Bullock
Use Strategic Content Clustering
Social media success comes down to strategic content clustering – the same principle we apply to SEO. Instead of random posts, we create themed content series that dive deep into specific topics our audience cares about. For example, we recently ran a “Map Your Success” series that broke down complex SEO concepts into digestible daily tips.
This approach increased our engagement by 45% because it creates anticipation and positions you as a genuine authority. My tip? Pick your core topic, map out 10-15 connected subtopics, and create a content series that builds upon itself. It’s about telling a cohesive story rather than posting disconnected content.
Yoyao Hsueh, Founder, Topical Maps
Post Content That Resonates with Audience
From my experience, the best way to improve social media engagement is to post content your audience really cares about. I found that when I shared simple, helpful ideas or talked about problems they could relate to, people responded much more.
One tactic I use is starting posts with a question like, “Have you ever dealt with [problem]?” Then, I share a quick tip or solution. This makes people feel understood and gets them to join the conversation.
Dinesh Agarwal, Founder, CEO, RecurPost
Create Authentic, Interactive Content
My top tip for businesses looking to improve social media engagement is to focus on creating authentic, interactive content that encourages conversation and participation. One specific strategy I recommend is running regular polls, Q&A sessions, or challenges that invite your audience to share their thoughts, experiences, or feedback.
For example, a brand could host a “behind-the-scenes” poll about product development, asking followers to vote on design choices or product features. This not only increases engagement but also makes your audience feel involved in the decision-making process, strengthening brand loyalty. By prioritizing two-way communication, businesses can build stronger relationships with their community and boost engagement.
Shreya Jha, Social Media Expert, Appy Pie
Share Authentic, Value-Driven Content
Focus on creating authentic, value-driven content that resonates with your audience. Share stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and user-generated content that foster genuine connections. I recommend using interactive features like polls, Q&A sessions, and live videos to encourage real-time engagement. Also, be consistent in posting and responding to comments to maintain an active presence. By prioritizing quality over quantity and engaging directly with your community, you build trust and encourage more meaningful interactions, which ultimately drives higher engagement.
Bram Louwers, Director, BrainManager
Boost Engagement with Relatable Content
My top tip for boosting social media engagement is to create authentic and relatable content. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your day-to-day activities, like product development or your makeup routine in real life. I recommend hosting interactive Q&A sessions or live tutorials where followers can ask questions in real-time. It not only builds a sense of community but also allows you to showcase your products in action.
Rachael Wilson, Entrepreneur & Founder, Doll Smash
Invite Users to Make Decisions
Content that invites users to make decisions about a company’s product-such as choosing colors, sizes, models, or discount types-tends to generate more engagement. Interactive content, which involves customers in the decision-making process, resonates because people enjoy feeling that their input matters and that they are influencing something.
Akif Ulutaş, Performance Marketer, Blogger, Keyofroi
Piggyback on Successful Businesses’ Social Media Presence
Create a relationship with a business that has a strong social media presence. By eventually piggybacking on their success somewhat, your company will naturally gain more followers. A good way of doing this is to tag them in your own posts. If it’s a local restaurant, your team could meet there, or if it’s an online business, your team could do something funny with one of their products. Not only will they possibly republish your post on their feed, but you’ll also have the opportunity to build on this relationship for future posts.
Rick Smith, Founder & Managing Director, Forbes Burton
