You’ve probably asked yourself, “How can I gain more followers on social media?” Most business owners and marketers have asked themselves that same question. Incite Group’s State of Corporate Social Media Survey 2017 tells us that most people believe followers are the most important aspect of social media, but those people are wrong. What is the most important factor when it comes to your business’ social media presence?

Engagement.

If your business has 60,000 on social media but nobody is engaging with your posts, those followers are adding no value to your business. On the flip side, you’re much better off with 60 followers who like, comment or share your posts on social media. Jeraldine Phneah, of Socialbakers, tells us, “If your goal is brand awareness and building a relationship with your audience, then engagement is a more important KPI.” As a small, medium or large business owner, your goal should be brand awareness and building a relationship with your audience.

Why is engagement on social media so important?

Engagement Shows What Content your Followers Want to See

If you’re posting content everyday and receiving no engagement from your followers, it’s time to do some research. Of course, we know you’re not running Nike’s Facebook page, and your posts likely won’t end up with thousands of likes, comments and shares. The point isn’t the amount of engagement you’re receiving, but rather that it is quality engagement. When you post content, make sure it’s relevant to your industry and your business. When your customers engage with your content by writing comments or asking questions, be sure to respond. You will probably notice that posts which contain pictures, memes or gifs are the most well-received by your followers. If that is the case for you, be sure to keep that up in your posts.

It’s easy to tell which social media posts your followers want to see, because they interact with the content that is interesting and valuable to them. Engagement on social media helps business owners, and those running business Facebook pages to know what content is most valuable, and how to post to keep followers involved.

Engagement Makes your Content Visible

When you post content that is engaging and valuable, your followers are much more likely to share that information with their followers. Social media has a way of circulating information to many different people very quickly, because of engagement. When someone shares something that your business posts, their followers are 50% more likely to trust your company and your information, simply because someone they know shared it. On top of that, it is suggested that 83% of people say they trust the recommendations of friends and family. When someone is sharing your information, that is them giving you a recommendation online. Of course, we know that because of Facebook’s algorithm, followers can see when someone likes or comments on another’s posts, as well. This will work in your favor if you can get your followers to engage with your posts. In turn, many of their followers will be able to see your content simply because of their quick engagement with you.

As mentioned above, don’t leave your followers hanging when they are willing to engage with you on social media! Respond to them, and build that relationship online so they will continue to engage with your content, and let you know what posts are most valuable to them.

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. If any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add, please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!