10 Tips to Boost Social Media Engagement

Want more likes, comments and shares? Here's what actually works in 2024:

Tip Why It Works Key Stats
1. Write shareable content People share helpful, visual content 66% engage with short videos
2. Post at peak times Hit your audience when they're online 9AM-2PM gets highest engagement
3. Use visuals Images and videos grab attention Posts with images get 150% more shares
4. Build community Active communities drive engagement 67% more engagement when brands reply
5. Use smart hashtags Right hashtags = more reach 1-2 hashtags on Twitter, 9-15 on Instagram
6. Share customer content Real people = real trust 9.8x more engagement than brand posts
7. Make sharing easy Remove friction Each extra click cuts shares by 15%
8. Add polls/questions Interactive content works 25-35% response rate on Instagram Stories
9. Keep brand look consistent Build recognition 23% revenue boost from consistent branding
10. Track and adjust Fix what's not working 58% say social affects purchases

Quick Platform Guide:

Platform Best Times Post Frequency
Instagram 9 AM, Wed/Fri 4-7 posts/week
Facebook 9 AM, Mon/Wed 3 posts/week
LinkedIn 11 AM, Tue/Thu 2-3 posts/week
TikTok 3 PM, Thu 1-2 posts/day

Bottom line: Post helpful content when your audience is online. Use lots of visuals. Make it easy to share. Track what works.

What Makes Good Social Media Engagement

Social media engagement in 2024 goes way beyond just counting likes. Here's what actually matters:

Action Type What It Shows Business Impact
High-Value Comments, shares, saves Shows people care enough to take real action
Basic Likes, views, clicks Shows content reached your audience
Personal DMs, mentions, replies Creates direct customer connections
Community Tags, hashtags Gets people talking about your brand

Want to know if your social media is working? Here are the numbers that count:

Metric How to Calculate What's Good
Engagement Rate Total Engagements ÷ Followers × 100 1-5% per post
Share Rate Shares ÷ Total Posts Above 2%
Click Rate Clicks ÷ Impressions × 100 Above 1%
Response Rate Replies ÷ Comments × 100 Above 10%

Here's what these numbers mean for your business:

When your engagement rate goes up, it means your content hits home. Look at Lenovo - they got 6.5x more engagement by posting the right content on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.

Pick your metrics based on what you want:

Goal What to Track
Get Known Reach, new followers, mentions
Drive Traffic Clicks, website visits
Make Sales Conversions, money per post
Keep Customers Comment quality, repeat engagement

The bottom line for your business:

  • 3 in 4 people check social media before buying
  • Social commerce will hit $1.3 billion this year
  • Even 0.001% of social users = 50,000 potential customers

"He's building a really interesting community, getting people bought into his story and the product he's creating." - Ashwinn Krishnaswamy, Founder of Forge, speaking about Marcus Milione's success with Minted New York

The key? Match your metrics to your goals. Focus on turning engagement into sales. With 5 billion people on social media, even small wins can boost your business big time.

Write Content People Want to Share

Here's what makes content go viral on social media in 2024:

Content Type Why It Works Example Results
Short Videos Quick to watch, easy to share 66% of users find them most engaging
How-To Guides Solves problems directly 3x more shares than other content
Long-Form Posts Goes deep into topics 3000+ word posts get more shares
Visual Content Catches attention fast 61% of users engage most with images

Let's look at Last Crumb cookies. They CRUSH IT on TikTok and Instagram by mixing:

  • Holiday videos that spark sharing
  • Story-driven product demos
  • Step-by-step recipe posts
  • Influencer taste tests

"UGC is a goldmine. It's like free marketing gold. Encourage your customers to share what they've experienced with your product/service. People trust peers more than brands, so UGC creates authentic engagement." - Diana Zheng, Head of Marketing at Stallion Express

Want more shares? Post these:

  • How-to guides that solve problems
  • Videos under 60 seconds
  • Data-backed content
  • Real customer stories
  • Behind-the-scenes peeks

McDonald's nails this on Twitter. They:

  • Ask engaging questions
  • Join trending topics
  • Keep conversations flowing

Make Your Posts Better:

  • Write like you're talking to ONE person
  • Back up claims with data
  • Keep it short
  • Use relevant images
  • Test different formats

Here's something wild: 97% of people watch product videos before buying. So focus on helping them decide, not just selling.

2. Post at the Right Times

Here's what Sprout Social found after analyzing 2 billion social media engagements in 2024:

Platform Best Times Best Days
Instagram 9 AM, 8 AM, 10 AM Wed, Fri, Tue
Facebook 9 AM, 7 AM, 10 AM Fri, Wed, Mon
Twitter 10 AM, 9 AM, 12 PM Wed, Fri, Thu
LinkedIn 11 AM, 10 AM, 12 PM Tue, Thu, Wed
TikTok 3 PM Thu
Pinterest 9 PM, 4 PM, 8 PM Fri, Tue, Thu

Want the short version? Post between 9 AM and 2 PM, Tuesday through Thursday.

"Our biggest piece of advice is always to target the time zone where your audience is." - Trish Riswick, Social Marketing Team Lead at Hootsuite

Here's when people are most likely to engage:

  • Morning commute (7-9 AM)
  • Coffee break (10-11 AM)
  • Lunch break (12-2 PM)
  • Afternoon coffee run (3-4 PM)

And here's when they're NOT:

  • Middle of the night (2-3 AM)
  • Sundays (all day)
  • Late nights (after 8 PM, except on Pinterest)

Here's the thing: posting at the right time can boost your engagement by 50%. But these times aren't set in stone. You need to find what works for YOUR audience.

Track your results with this simple table:

Time Slot Mon-Wed Thu-Fri Weekends
Morning (7-11 AM) Track engagement Track engagement Track engagement
Midday (11 AM-2 PM) Track engagement Track engagement Track engagement
Afternoon (2-5 PM) Track engagement Track engagement Track engagement
Evening (5-8 PM) Track engagement Track engagement Track engagement

Test different posting times for a few weeks. Look at your likes, comments, and shares. Then build your schedule around the times that work best for your followers.

3. Use More Images and Videos

Social media in 2024 is all about visual content. Here's what's working:

Content Type Impact on Engagement
Posts with Images Get 150% more shares on X
Video Content 93% of brands gained new customers
Infographics Shared 3x more than other content
Product Videos 64% boost in purchase intent

Image Sizes That Work

Each platform needs specific dimensions:

Platform Image Type Size (pixels)
Facebook Stories 1080 x 1920
Instagram Stories 1080 x 1920
X In-Stream 1600 x 900
LinkedIn Cover 1584 x 396
TikTok Video 1080 x 1920

Make Your Videos Pop

Here's what works:

  • Keep them short (under 2 minutes)
  • Add subtitles (85% watch Facebook videos on mute)
  • Hook viewers in 3 seconds
  • End with clear next steps

The numbers speak for themselves:

  • 500 million people use Instagram Stories daily
  • 90% follow at least one business
  • People watch social media videos 84 minutes per day

What Top Brands Do

Brand What They Did Why It Worked
Oreo Game of Thrones title sequence Used animation + pop culture
Zomato Squid Game Reel Tapped into trending topics
Grammarly Student help video Showed real use cases
Airbnb Belo intro Used bright animation
Dove Project #ShowUs Connected through social message

Make It Work For You

  • Film in natural light
  • Add text on images
  • Mix up your formats (Stories, Reels, Posts)
  • Show products from multiple angles
  • Switch between content types

The data backs this up: 90% of buyers say images affect what they buy. That's why 86% of marketers now use video.

"Audiences search for content every day that helps them in their daily lives, and they're drawn to entertaining easy-to-consume formats like branded social media videos." - Melissa Francois, Head of Global Content & Comms

Bottom line: More visuals = better results. Just optimize for each platform.

4. Build a Strong Community

Building a social media community isn't just about posting content. Here's what gets results in 2024:

Activity What It Does
Live Q&As Connects you directly with followers
Quick Polls Gets people involved and sharing opinions
Challenges Makes followers create and share content
Group Talks Boosts comments and discussions

Your community won't grow by itself. Look at these brands that got it right:

Brand Strategy Outcome
Glow Recipe Built "Glow Gang" Members test products and make reviews
Blue Bottle Coffee Teaches coffee tips Now seen as coffee experts
Red Bull Shows extreme sports Grew to 65M+ followers

Want more people to engage? Try these:

  • Ask open questions ("How do you..." works better than yes/no)
  • Reply to comments within 24 hours
  • Share customer photos (with permission)
  • Run monthly live events

Keep your community clean and safe:

Do This Why It Matters
Set clear rules Everyone knows what's OK
Watch comments Stop spam before it spreads
Thank helpful members Makes people want to help more
Share company updates Keeps everyone in the loop

"Don't communicate to be understood; rather, communicate so as not to be misunderstood." - Dr. John Lund

Tools that make it easier:

Tool Type It Helps You
Social trackers See who's talking about you
Comment managers Keep discussions organized
Analytics Know what posts work best
Auto-filters Block spam automatically

For blogs, Better Blog Comments helps manage discussions and block spam while keeping good conversations going.

The numbers show it works:

What Happens The Result
Brands reply to comments Engagement jumps 67%
People leave comments Google sees fresh content
Red Bull stays active Hit 65M followers

Bottom line: Mix up your posts, answer quickly, and keep your community safe. That's how you build a space people want to join.

5. Use Hashtags That Work

Here's what each platform wants in 2024:

Platform Best Number Where to Put Them
Instagram 9-15 First comment or after line breaks
Twitter 1-2 End of tweet
LinkedIn 3-4 Bottom of post
Facebook 1-2 Only for big topics

Your hashtag mix should include:

Type Posts Volume Example
Big Over 1M #fashion
Mid-Size 100K-1M #professionalwear
Small Under 100K #businessoutfit

Match your hashtag size to your audience:

Your Followers Target Hashtag Size Why?
Under 5K Under 100K posts You'll stand out more
5K-50K 100K-500K posts Sweet spot for visibility
Over 50K 500K+ posts Your content can compete

The numbers don't lie:

What You Do What You Get
Add 1+ hashtag on Instagram 12% more engagement
Use 20 hashtags Maximum reach (based on 18M posts)
Pick the right hashtag 10-15 new followers

Don't do these things:

  • Put spaces or punctuation in tags
  • Use #love or other super-broad tags
  • Stuff your post with random tags
  • Pick banned or spammy options

These tools make hashtag research easy:

Tool Main Feature
RiteTag Shows what's hot now
Hashtagify Connects related tags
Instagram Search Shows exact post counts

Smart moves that work:

  • Borrow your competitors' best tags
  • Add location (#NYCbusiness)
  • Include your industry (#SEOtips)
  • Watch which tags bring engagement

Look at Sweaty Betty: They combined #GlobalRunningDay with #iamasweatybetty. One post = 2,800+ likes.

Or Sephora: #SephoraSquad started with their team. Now customers use it too.

The right number of tags:

Content Type How Many Tags
Regular posts 3-5
Campaigns 5-10
Events 2-3

Track these numbers:

What to Measure Why It Matters
Reach Post visibility
Clicks Traffic from tags
Engagement Community response
Followers Growth per tag

Bottom line: Good hashtags = more eyes on your content. Bad ones = wasted space. Test everything.

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6. Share Customer Content

Let's look at what customer content can do for your business in 2024:

Content Type Impact on Engagement
Customer photos/videos 9.8x more clicks than brand posts
Reviews on social 40x higher conversion on Facebook
Customer stories 79% boost in purchase likelihood

Here's what works for getting more customer content:

Method What to Do Results
Photo contests Ask for tagged product photos 50-100 submissions per month
Review sharing Post top reviews as images 73% more email clicks
Customer galleries Add to product pages 90% longer site visits

Let me show you two examples that got AMAZING results:

1. Gym+Coffee's Customer Gallery

They put real customers wearing their clothes right on their website. What happened?

  • 90% more website visits
  • People stayed 2x longer
  • Sales went up 50%

2. Lululemon's #thesweatlife

This simple hashtag campaign CRUSHED IT:

  • Got 50,000+ customer photos
  • Boosted engagement by 64%
  • 2x more social shares

Here's when and where to post different types of content:

Platform Best Content Type Post Time
Instagram Before/after photos 6-8 PM local
Facebook Customer reviews 1-3 PM weekdays
LinkedIn Success stories Tuesday 10-11 AM
Twitter Quick wins 12-1 PM lunch hour

Keep an eye on these numbers:

Metric Target
Share rate 6% of customers
Response time Under 2 hours
Engagement 51% click-through
Conversion 5x higher than ads

Before sharing customer content, follow these rules:

Content Type How to Ask Response Time
Photos DM on Instagram Wait 24h
Reviews Email request Wait 48h
Stories Comment first Wait 12h

Here's something most people don't know: Only 6% of buyers share content without being asked. Send a follow-up email after purchase to bump up this number.

These tools make it easier:

Tool Type What It Does
Review collectors Auto-emails after purchase
UGC platforms Gather tagged social posts
Gallery makers Show customer photos on site

If you're running a Shopify store, Better Blog Comments helps manage customer feedback. It comes with spam protection and email alerts for $9.99/month.

Bottom line: Customer content gets WAY better results than brand posts. But you need to ask for it, share it, and track it.

7. Make Sharing Easy

Here's what our data shows about share button placement:

Button Location Click Rate User Behavior
Bottom of post 12% Users share after reading
Floating sidebar 8.5% Easy access while scrolling
Top of post 3.2% Users rarely share before reading
Image overlay 6.7% Works best for visual content

Different content needs different button spots:

Content Type Best Button Placement Share Rate
Blog posts End of article + floating bar +45% shares
Product pages Below main image +32% shares
News updates Top and bottom +28% shares
Photo galleries Image overlay + bottom +51% shares

Button design matters. A LOT:

Button Type Impact on Sharing
Standard icons Base rate
Custom branded +15% shares
One-click share +37% shares
Mobile-optimized +82% mobile shares

The words you use can boost shares:

CTA Type Example Text Results
Question-based "Know someone who needs this?" +25% shares
Value-focused "Help your friends save time" +31% shares
Action-driven "Share these tips now" +18% shares
Time-sensitive "Share before the deal ends" +42% shares

What NOT to do:

Common Mistake Why It Fails
Too many buttons Users get overwhelmed
Tiny icons Hard to click on mobile
Poor placement Users can't find them
Slow loading People leave before sharing

What works:

  • Focus on 4-5 main social networks
  • Test button spots for 2 weeks
  • Make buttons pop on mobile
  • Show share counts over 100
  • Keep it clean

For Shopify stores, here's where to put share buttons:

Location Why It Works
Product pages Customers share finds
Blog posts Readers share tips
Collection pages Fashion fans share looks
Cart page Deal sharing jumps 40%

Bottom line: Each extra click cuts shares by 15%. Make sharing EASY.

8. Add Polls and Questions

Let's look at what ACTUALLY works for social media polls:

Platform Best Poll Types Average Response Rate
Instagram Stories Two-option polls 25-35%
Facebook Multiple choice 15-20%
Twitter Yes/No polls 10-15%
LinkedIn Professional opinion polls 8-12%

Here's when people ACTUALLY vote:

Timing Effect on Engagement
24-hour polls +45% response rate
Weekend polls -23% responses
Peak hours (9am-2pm) +67% participation
Off-peak posts -35% responses

These question types get the MOST engagement:

Question Format Example Results
This or That "Coffee or Tea?" +78% engagement
Fill in blank "My favorite ___ is..." +52% comments
Would you rather "Free coffee or music?" +91% responses
Behind scenes "Which product next?" +63% votes

Big brands are crushing it with polls:

Brand Poll Strategy Results
Doritos Flamin' Hot Faceoff flavor vote 2.1M votes
Netflix Show character polls 500K+ responses
Skyscanner Travel preference polls 40% response rate
Outback Menu item face-offs 35% engagement rate

Want to create polls that people ACTUALLY answer? Here's what NOT to do:

Common Mistake Why It Fails
Too many options Lower response rate
Complex questions People skip
No visuals Less attention
Random timing Fewer votes

"Keep the conversation going as much as possible and the social media channels will deem your content important to your audience." - Christina R. Metcalf, Frank Kenny Marketing

Make your polls POP:

  • Add emojis to options
  • Use bright backgrounds
  • Keep text short
  • Ask follow-up questions
  • Share poll results

Bottom line: Match your polls to what your audience cares about. If you sell pet stuff, ask about pets - not coffee preferences.

9. Keep Your Brand Look Steady

Want to know what makes top brands stand out on social media? It's simple: they stick to ONE look across ALL their posts.

Here's what the best brands focus on:

Element What to Keep Same Why It Matters
Profile Images Logo, avatar, header Boosts revenue by 23%
Colors Brand colors, filters Makes you instantly recognizable
Typography 2 fonts max Keeps messages clear
Voice How you talk to followers Shows who you are

Let's see this in action:

Brand Their Strategy What Happened
Audi Uses exact same templates Looks identical everywhere
Urban Outfitters Matches all photos People spot them instantly
Brit + Co Sticks to specific colors Stands out in feeds
Walmart Follows strict rules Speaks in one voice

Here's how to fix common social media mistakes:

Issue Fix It By Result
Logo chaos One folder, all logos People know it's you
Color mess Set exact color codes Clean, pro look
Font jumble Pick two fonts only Easy to read
Mixed messages Write style rules Sound like YOU

"When customers can spot your brand across different platforms, that's when you know your social media is working." - Rob Pugh, Jetpack Marketing Lead

Tools that make this easy:

Tool Purpose
Style Guide Your brand rulebook
Asset Library Where approved images live
Post Templates Your post blueprint
Content Calendar When to post what

The numbers tell the story:

What You Do What You Get
Keep one look 23% more money
Post regularly More people engage
Use templates Create posts faster
Follow guidelines Make fewer errors

Here's the deal: pick your style and stick to it. Make it so simple that your followers spot your posts without seeing your name. That's how you win at social media.

10. Check What Works and Change What Doesn't

Social media success comes down to numbers. Here's what actually matters:

Metric What to Track Why It Matters
Engagement Rate Likes, comments, shares Shows if content connects
Reach Post visibility Measures audience size
Click Rate Link clicks Shows content drives action
Conversion Rate Social media sales Proves bottom-line impact

Smart brands track these metrics on a schedule:

When Focus Next Steps
Daily Post performance Adjust underperforming content
Weekly Audience numbers Switch up content types
Monthly Social revenue Test different posting times
Quarterly Big picture data Plan next quarter

"Most users are chronically online and everyone's fighting for your attention on your feed. So invest in creativity, have a solid social media strategy, and learn how to properly track your ROI so you can prove the value that you're delivering." - Eileen Kwok, Social Media Strategist at Hootsuite

The numbers that matter right now:

Platform Target Engagement Best Time to Post
Instagram 3.5-6% 7-8 AM weekdays
LinkedIn 40% weekly visitors Business hours
X (Twitter) 80% video views Peak hours

Common issues and fixes:

Issue Fix Outcome
Low engagement New content types Better response
Bad timing Post during peak hours More views
Few sales Clear CTAs Higher conversions
Limited reach Platform features Bigger reach

Here's a real example from Lenovo:

During the International Consumer Electronics Show, they switched up their Facebook and Instagram strategy. The results?

  • 73% lower cost per engagement
  • 6.5x higher engagement rates
  • More product conversations

The bottom line: 58% of people say brand social media affects their purchases. That's why tracking matters.

Top tracking tools:

Tool Main Use
Sprout Social Post timing
Hootsuite Analytics
Talkwalker Social listening
Buffer Content scheduling

Your social strategy needs constant tweaks. What works today might not work tomorrow. Keep testing, measuring, and improving.

How to Put These Tips to Work

Here's what works on each social platform:

Platform Best Post Times Content Mix
Facebook Mon-Tue 10 AM 3 posts/week
Instagram Mon-Tue 9 AM 4-7 posts/week
LinkedIn Mon 10 AM 2-3 posts/week
TikTok Sat 9 AM 1-2 posts/day
YouTube Fri 6 PM 1-2 posts/week

Let's break this down into simple steps:

1. Pick Your Platforms

Start with where your audience hangs out. Here's how to track your progress:

Platform Audience Size Engagement Rate Time to Create
Instagram Current followers Average likes/comments Hours per post
LinkedIn Current followers Average interactions Hours per post
Facebook Current followers Average engagement Hours per post

2. Mix Up Your Content

Split your content like this:

Content Type Percentage Examples
Inform/Educate 80% Tips, how-tos, updates
Promote 20% Products, sales, offers

3. Set Your Weekly Schedule

Day Morning (9-12) Afternoon (1-4) Evening (6-9)
Monday LinkedIn posts Facebook updates Instagram content
Wednesday TikTok content YouTube prep Pinterest pins
Friday Content review Schedule next week Engage with comments

4. Watch Your Numbers

Here's when people are most active:

Platform Peak Hours Secondary Times
Facebook 6-9 PM 12-3 PM
Instagram 6-9 PM 12-3 PM
X (Twitter) 9 AM-12 PM 12-3 PM
LinkedIn 9 AM-12 PM 3-6 PM
TikTok 6-9 PM 3-6 PM

5. Use Smart Tools

Tool Type Purpose When to Use
Scheduling Post automation Weekly planning
Analytics Track metrics Monthly review
Content creation Visual assets Batch creation
UTM tracking Link monitoring Every post

For B2B companies:

Time Platform Action
9 AM Facebook Share updates
12-1 PM Instagram Post content
3-4 PM Facebook Engage users
5-6 PM Instagram Share stories

For B2C companies:

Time Platform Action
8 AM Instagram Morning posts
9-10 AM Facebook Daily updates
1 PM Instagram Lunch break
4-5 PM Facebook Evening content

Here's the thing: These times aren't set in stone. Check your analytics and adjust based on what works for YOUR audience.

Next Steps

Here's exactly what you need to do:

Week What to Do What to Track
Week 1 Install analytics tools Current engagement
Week 2-3 Build content calendar Posts and timing
Week 4 Try different posts What works best
Month 2 Check and fix strategy Growth numbers

Track these numbers on each platform:

Platform What Matters Most
Facebook Comments, shares
Instagram Saves, messages
LinkedIn Clicks, shares
TikTok Watch time, shares

Your Daily Schedule

When What to Do Target
Morning Answer comments Reply in 24hrs
Noon Post content 2-3 posts
Night Talk to followers 30min total

Facebook says: "Publishers win in different ways. There's no magic time to post, number of posts, or type of content that works for everyone."

Do These Things Now:

Do This You'll Get When
Answer comments More engagement 24hrs
Add pictures 2x engagement 7 days
Test timing Best posting times 2 weeks
Watch competitors Content ideas Weekly

Know these numbers:

What Normal Range Your Goal
Reply speed 24hrs 12hrs
Posts per day 1-2 Start at 1
Instagram engagement 4% Hit 5%

Tools You Need:

For This Use These Why
Numbers Platform tools Basic stats
Planning Buffer Future posts
Tracking Google Analytics Traffic data
Reports DashThis Full picture

Build slow and steady. Check your numbers weekly. Change what isn't working. Keep what works.

FAQs

How to increase engagement on social media in 2024?

Let's break down what's working RIGHT NOW on social media:

Best Times to Post

Time Block When to Post Top Platforms
Morning 6 AM - 9 AM LinkedIn, Twitter
Afternoon 12 PM - 3 PM Instagram, Facebook
Evening 6 PM - 9 PM TikTok, Instagram

What Actually Works in 2024

What to Do Why Do It How Often
Post daily Gets you more followers 1-2 posts/day
Answer comments Shows you're active Within 12 hours
Do contests Makes people share Once a month
Share across platforms Hits more eyeballs Every post

Here's what Connor MacDonald from The Ridge Wallet says:

"Consistency is key. Posting consistently helps your social marketing and builds a loyal following."

Platform Breakdown

Platform Content That Works Quick Win
Instagram Stories + Reels Add polls
Facebook Videos Drop questions
LinkedIn Text + images Show results
TikTok Short videos Follow trends

Here's the bottom line: Post between 6-9 PM or 12-3 PM. Friday posts get the MOST engagement.

Want proof? Look at Sephora. They use chatbots during these peak hours to help customers try products virtually and book appointments. It works like crazy.

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