The digital world is constantly evolving, but some core principles remain crucial – like meaningful interactions with your audience and organic engagement. This article presents 10 ideas to increase organic engagement, featuring examples of brands effectively growing their followers and cultivating online communities. You can use these tips to instantly enhance your own engagement strategies.
Here’s a rundown of 10 tips to elevate your social media engagement in 2020:
- Closed Facebook groups
- Interactive games and contests
- Video-based challenges
- GIF-based conversations on Twitter
- Content created by users
- Events held virtually
- Joint efforts and account takeovers
- Augmented reality filters
- A blend of various media formats
- Increased in-app activities But first, let’s ensure we have a clear understanding of why organic engagement holds such significance as a metric.
The importance of organic engagement on social media
Occasionally, you’ll hear claims that announce and paid advertising reigns supreme. The precision of targeted ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok is undeniable. However, ad expenses are also on the rise, and more individuals, particularly now, rely on digital platforms to connect with friends and foster meaningful relationships.
TikTok alone saw 87 million times just in the past month. This highlights the enduring importance of genuine, organic engagement, more so than ever. For your brand to flourish on social media, nurturing an engaged and authentic community that benefits your followers is essential.
10 social media engagement hacks for 2020
These engagement hacks stem from strategies and tools I’ve personally used with success for various companies across the globe. Explore and find inspiration!
1. Private Facebook groups
Facebook has been promoting the use of groups for a while. While your main Facebook page is great for sharing information broadly, groups let you cultivate a focused, close-knit community where members can connect, discuss, and collaborate around your brand. Anyone can request to join a Facebook group, but you can implement screening questions to ensure your group aligns with your target audience.
I highly recommend exploring Facebook groups, as they offer a practical way to boost engagement for almost any business. Brands generally utilize three types of Facebook groups:
- Support-focused groups: Members exchange ideas, knowledge, and guidance.
- Socially oriented groups: Members connect, share projects, and organize events.
- Exclusive groups: Members gain special access to branded content, releases, and events. Take this fashion brand as an example, using a private Facebook group to host a book club.
Meanwhile, this SaaS company employs a support group for its users. Here, members discuss the application, exchange work, and even propose new features. Utilizing Facebook’s “Mentorship” feature, the group connects seasoned users with those seeking assistance. The active presence of brand admins makes members feel valued and heard.
Lastly, observe this example of an exclusive Facebook group managed by a brand. If you’ve ever taken a HubSpot content marketing course, you likely received an invitation to this group.
HubSpot leverages it for exclusive webinars and product announcements, simultaneously reaping the engagement benefits of social and support groups.
2. Games and giveaways
It’s remarkable how rapidly social media has evolved. We started with written status updates, transitioned to photos, then videos gained dominance. What’s next? Interactive video, playable ads, and mini-games. Large corporations with substantial budgets are embracing increasingly ambitious content: platform games, interactive video narratives, and more. This interactive content boosts time spent on your profile, possesses viral potential, and can subtly generate leads. The most recent example I’ve seen (via Mobile Marketer) is this game from Burberry, a game blending dress-up elements with classic platform gameplay, surprisingly addictive.
This game is accessible on Burberry’s site, other shopping platforms, the WeChat app, and even in-store. (More on the significance of this in hack #10!) Completing the game grants access to exclusive Burberry-branded gifs for online sharing. While this level of game development exceeds most content marketers’ budgets, the concepts can be adapted on a smaller, more manageable scale. Ready-to-use apps, game platforms for marketers, and simple puzzles are gaining traction. Ideally, any branded game should tap into existing trends. Take hidden object games, popular for decades. With off-the-shelf apps, you simply provide your graphics, and the game is ready to go.
“Spin the wheel” games, inspired by the TV show “Wheel of Fortune,” are another hit. They’re engaging, foolproof, and allow for major promotions without breaking the bank on rewards. I believe the rise of interactive content is partly attributed to the lockdown, where distractions, for ourselves or our home-schooled children, are highly sought after. Ironically, this benefits brands as consumers reward creativity and entertainment value.
3. Video challenges
Even if you haven’t participated in a video challenge, you’ve certainly encountered them: the ice bucket challenge, the cinnamon challenge, the Renegade dance challenge. Most video challenges share common traits: quick, easy to do at home, often with signature soundtracks or phrases. Their short video format allows them to effortlessly jump between social platforms, boosting viral reach. Creating your challenge involves a fun concept and an active audience. Avoid overly complex, time-consuming, or unoriginal challenges; borrowing ideas can backfire. Here are a couple of illustrations. Remember the early 2020 lockdown when everyone was whipping up that coffee?
The Dalgona coffee challenge, originating from a Korean TV show, gained momentum on YouTube before spreading to TikTok, a boon for instant coffee brands. While many challenges emerge spontaneously, some brands have successfully engineered viral challenges. Take the NYX cosmetics challenge promoting their Butter Gloss Pop product.
Image source At last count, the hashtag amassed 10.8 billion views. These challenges aim to increase reach and brand awareness. While not ideal for lead generation or niche targeting, they can expose your brand to a wider audience.
4. Gif conversations on Twitter
Let’s face it, some marketers have dismissed Twitter, but they’re missing out. Twitter remains vital for customer service, feedback, and online discussions. It’s also effective for reaching specific demographics, including B2B audiences. For a quick engagement boost, initiating a gif thread on Twitter can be effective. Pose a question or prompt and ask for responses using only gifs. This tactic is particularly popular within sports communities.
Why does it work? Like many successful social media strategies, it’s easily accessible, promoting engagement. Secondly, it blends text with visuals and pop culture, aligning with how people already communicate on Twitter and garnering attention. Showcasing your understanding of online culture, especially for brands targeting younger demographics, is beneficial.
5. Sharing user-generated content on brand hashtags
This enduring trend continues to thrive in 2020. The concept is straightforward, similar to video challenges: create a brand-specific hashtag and encourage sharing. However, instead of challenges or showcasing products, you invite users to share their personal experiences with your brand. Fashion and cosmetics brands, often at the forefront of consumer-focused social media, excel in this area. Rothys, a footwear brand, utilizes the #rothysinthewild hashtag to curate customer-posted photos and videos. This user-generated content acts as free advertising, expanding Rothys’ reach and building social proof.
The key to attracting such posts is rewarding participation. Reshare content from your hashtag to your feed or dedicated Instagram highlight, acknowledging contributions. Once your hashtag gains traction and consistently receives posts, it fosters online community building. Users connect through the hashtag, addressing the limitation of group creation on platforms like Twitter and Instagram.
6. Virtual events, chats, and networking
Building upon the concept of social media groups or hashtag communities, the next logical step is real-time interaction: webinars, live chats, interactive livestreams, and networking. Social media platforms are rapidly introducing features to support this. Live video broadcasting is now ubiquitous, often with real-time comment and reaction features. Earlier in 2020, Facebook launched Messenger Rooms for live video chats, elevating live broadcasts by allowing a select group to actively participate. When creating a room, you can choose specific invitees or open it to all, even scheduling “unlock” times, beneficial for busy social media managers. This feature is available on Facebook Messenger and Instagram, with WhatsApp integration anticipated soon.
Facebook continues to refine Rooms, a feature with vast potential. You can create private rooms within Facebook groups, and it also functions on Instagram via the video camera icon in private messages. The majority of brand events in 2020 have been virtual out of necessity. However, as normalcy returns, don’t abandon these channels. Virtual events, or at least livestreaming in-person ones, broaden your reach to those unable to attend due to distance, commitments, or accessibility limitations. (Speaking of accessibility, remember follow these tips in your videos for those with hearing impairments. For frequent video use, invest in reliable automatic captioning software.)
7. Collaborations and takeovers
The term “collaboration” often evokes thoughts of costly influencer campaigns, which have their place. However, as always on social media, simpler, more budget-friendly options exist. We’ve seen the immense value regular customers bring by sharing brand-related content. Why not offer them temporary control of your account? Collaborate with customers, local businesses, or complementary companies (e.g., a brewery partnering with a snack company). A prime example is the Paperchase ambassador program. Annually, the stationery company selects university students to represent their brand, granting them day-long control of social media accounts and access to new products.
Collaborate with influencers, customers, or partner brands to host Twitter chats, Facebook Live sessions, split-screen Instagram Lives, or TikTok takeovers. Partnering with someone with an established audience can significantly expand your reach. It also generates excitement among your existing followers. Transform a routine Q&A session into a sought-after event by introducing a fresh face and perspective.
8. Augmented reality lenses
Don’t be intimidated by the futuristic term; augmented reality is already integrated into our lives. If you’ve used an Instagram Story effect, you’ve experienced it. Augmented reality lenses are evolving rapidly, and both social platforms and brands are recognizing their potential. Single Grain has identified augmented reality as a dominant Facebook Ads trend in 2020, while SnapChat is busy adding new features for crafting AR lenses. Many young creators, artists, and influencers are exploring these surprisingly user-friendly lens creation tools. Seek assistance from a graphic designer or reach out to a creator whose work you admire if you’re unsure where to start. For example, search for AR effects by theme within Instagram’s Story editor using the magnifying glass icon with stars. Each effect is attributed to a creator you can then contact.
What makes these lenses engaging? Like other hacks discussed, users already enjoy interacting with them. By participating, you connect with your audience and demonstrate shared interests. Create AR filters relevant to your followers’ passions, allow them to interact with your products virtually, or even reflect your brand values.
9. Mixed media
One aspect I appreciate about social media is its adaptability. Before Twitter integrated a camera, users shared videos from external sites. When Instagram felt limiting with text, people started sharing screencaps of Tweets and notes. However, this DIY approach can sometimes appear less polished. While repurposing content saves time, ensure your design remains top-notch. My go-to app for this is Remix by Buffer, offering efficient design tools and speed. Input any website URL, tweet, or even a Shopify product listing, and the app allows you to add backgrounds, adjust image dimensions, and select visually appealing designs.
This offers a creative way to share news, customer feedback, testimonials, or even humorous tweets that caught your attention. Always credit external content; if it’s your own, share away!
10. More in-app actions
Finally, let’s consider the future of social media. Judging from emerging features, the trend is towards accomplishing more within social platforms. Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest all introduced in-app shopping features in 2020. Instagram now offers Story stickers for gift card purchases, donations, and food orders. Snapchat’s new SnapChat Minis scheme empowers brands to create mini-apps within the platform.
The Chinese social media giant, WeChat, serves as inspiration for many of these developments. You can pretty much live your entire life inside WeChat, encompassing messaging, social sharing, shopping, food delivery, bill payments, and appointment scheduling. The success of this approach with Western audiences remains to be seen. While convenient, in-app features necessitate sharing more data with social media giants. Striking the right balance and maintaining transparent, accurate, and updated data policies is paramount.
Elevate your social media engagement today
The key to thriving on social media is consistency in posting, engaging, and experimenting with new approaches. This time next year will likely bring 10 new engagement hacks to explore! In the meantime, I’m eager to learn about your experiences and results with these strategies.