3 Quick Tips to Improve Social Media Engagement

By Hillarie Holcomb, NetVU Marketing Specialist | 7/24/2017

When I began my career in digital marketing, social media was my worst enemy. Sure, I had my own personal pages and enjoyed that, but figuring out a strategy for a business seemed like a monumental task. It’s like being in a fist fight with Facebook and you’re blindfolded. Social media channels like Facebook and Twitter use crazy complicated algorithms that are supposed to enhance the user’s experience. It’s great for you personally. It can be a deal breaker for your businesses page. If it’s not bad enough, we don’t know what the algorithm is, and no one at Facebook or Twitter is willing to tell us. 

Now, it’s my goal to beat the social media algorithm. You’ve heard all the basic best practices, like using graphics and videos in your posts, but I’ve learned a few other tricks along the way that I’m happy to share with fellow social media warriors.  

  1. Use Your Analytics. Staring at numbers makes my head hurt, but it’s worth it when I see positive results. All the big three (Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn) provide you with really awesome analytics. The Facebook Insights Dashboard is incredibly helpful when you’re trying to make decisions about what and when to post. You can see what times your followers are active on the site, so you know exactly what time will get you the furthest. You’ll notice which posts are successful and which ones didn’t help you much.  Social media is a science. Use your analytics to create a formula that works every time. 
  2. Don’t Be Afraid to Boost. I get it. It’s obnoxious that to get even 50% of your followers to see your posts, you need to hand over your credit card. As I mentioned earlier, there are plenty of best practices to help your organic reach, but you shouldn’t discount the benefits of a promoted post. On Facebook, I love the Post Boost feature. It’s simple to use and allows your post to be seen by more of your followers. I’ll do this when there is something especially important I want to share with our followers, but I also like to do it every few months even if a post isn’t crucial to our membership. It’s a good reminder that you exist for people who follow your page but may not be seeing your content. Not only do I see an engagement bump for that post but also an increase in overall engagement with the page — for only $40.
  3. Loosen Up a Little. Personally, I love seeing helpful content come across my news feed, but I also love the latest funny cat video. I want it all, and so do your followers. Keep posting awesome, unique content, but don’t be afraid of a funny GIF. You’re showing that your business has a personality, and people like that. Our page always gets tons of engagement from silly posts, and I notice that our numbers stay consistently high for the next week. You can also find a way to use trending hashtags in your posts. As people are looking through those posts, there you’ll be!


Social media can be a huge asset for your business, and you have all the tools you need to make it a success. Do what’s best for your pages, and you’ll win the social media battle.