What is a Social Media Engagement Strategy for My Business?

I have to admit. For a long time, I let social media be only about sharing content from my website. About the content strategy and plan. But what I was missing was being on the platform and building a community.

You’re likely here because know you want to engage more on social media, but where do you start? What most business social media plans get wrong is not including other people and companies. Every company has team members, customers, advocates, partners and friends that help them in the bigger picture. Let’s start engaging them.

Let’s Think of Your Social Media Engagement Strategy as Building a Community of Trust

These social media engagement tips will help you get on track.

• Set clear goals for your business social media on the social media platform (not your website)
• Engage with other businesses and people to get engagement and reach a larger audience
• Make a daily or weekly check-in up to one hour to respond and repost in a timely manner
• Make a monthly check-in up to one hour to review your insights, strategy and who you follow

How Often Should I Engage With My Business Social Media?

At a minimum for smaller businesses, you should check in weekly. If you are a larger organization, check in daily. At these check-ins, here’s the top three things you should do. It should take you no more than one hour.

Respond on Each Active Social Media Channel

• Like any comments and reply to them
• Always be kind and supportive
• Check for messages and bring up concerns with the appropriate people at your company

Repost on Each Active Social Media Channel

• Any mentions of the brand in the past week
• The top-performing post from your feed last week
• 1-2 posts from brands or people you follow

Commenting from Each Active Social Media Channel

• Who is your business following on social media? More on that next.
• Comment on 5 or more recent posts from brands or people you follow inside and outside of your organization
• Rinse and repeat this on each social media platform you’re truly active on and benefiting from

The Monthly Social Media Engagement Strategy Check-In

Again, this should be simple and take you no more than one hour. The biggest thing you’ll learn when you work in social media for business is it takes consistently showing up and repetition in what you do to grow. At this monthly checkpoint, here are the top two things you should do.

Review Your Social Media Insights

• Review the past month in each platform.
• Are you trending up, down or the same?
• What worked well? Can you build further upon that in your content plan for next month?
• How many overall impressions and engagements were there?

Engagement Hack: Follow the Right Brands and People

While in your CRM or wherever you store your list of customers and emails, you can find and follow these companies and decision-makers on social media channels. Also follow your favorite associations, partners, sponsors, events, media outlets and local brands.

It’s True: Creating Compelling Content for Social Media Takes More Time Than Engagement

Creating content can vary from a few hours for the month or a couple of hours a week. Depending how far ahead you work and how quick you are to adapt and show your community you’re listening and addressing their needs. Most businesses need help with their content strategy or creative development. If that’s not an option and it’s all up to you, I’ve made a simple social media plan for business you can try.

Remember, You Don’t Have to Be Active On Every Social Media Channel 

Narrowing your focus generates better results. That’s true. If you’re working with limited resources and truly active on more than two, I think you’ll spread yourself thin and not get the results you could.

Are You Looking for More Social Media Tips for Your Business?

Here are a few more like this you may enjoy: 

1. Building more topic authority on social media that makes your business memorable.
2. Write a social media hook and call to engage in all of your posts.
3. Better understand what kinds of social media posts and formats are more engaging and effective.