Move Over Likes. Engagement Is the Name of the Game!

It is not a secret that at McLernon & Co., we believe that keeping social media social is the heart and soul of social media.

For us, social media is a powerful platform to engage with human beings and cultivate loyalty, intimacy and closeness.

It’s undeniable that social media is also a place for brands to interact with their audience and build a community.

There are several indicators to measure social media strategies success. While some may focus on the number of followers or likes, our social media agency puts emphasis on engagement, relationships and community.

What is social media engagement?

Social media engagement is whenever someone interacts with your social media platforms. The exchanges can be:

1. Likes: We all like to be popular. The more likes a post has, the higher the chances of engagement. A little known secret:

2. Comments: Relevant, interesting and informative content will spark a conversation with your audience.

3. Shares: When your customers know, like and trust your brand, they’ll tell their friends about it. They trust you, they are loyal to you and they spread the word.

4. Clicks: Clicks are one of the simplest forms of engagement metrics. This means you’re starting to cultivate qualified leads, instead of traffic.

5. Mentions: These are people that are not your followers but talk about your brand. This shows that they are aware of you and keep you in mind.

6. Direct Messages: A DM is a private mode of communication between your brand and your community. Their power is undeniable because they are private, intimate, personalized and help build relationships.

7. Reactions: Facebook algorithm ranks reactions higher than likes because they enable audiences to express more than a “like.” Reactions offer a new way to measure sentiment and gauge how an audience is reacting to your content.

Why is social media engagement important?

A high level of social media engagement means that you are sharing a message that resonates and that your brand has the power to engage and connect with people, build meaningful relationships, grow a loyal community.

Pro-Tip: When engaging, present yourself or your product in an authentic way. A brand with a human touch, with which the consumer can relate, generates more confidence and encourages people to respond and talk about you positively.

Engagement and authenticity will help you build meaningful relationships.

Changes in the social media landscape

At McLernon & Co., we are all about being genuine, conversational and engaging on social media. Changes in the social media landscape confirm that we are onto something.

Early this year, Facebook announced that they would change their post ranking algorithm to prioritize personal posts over brand page posts.

This update will prioritize posts that spark conversations and meaningful interactions between people. Such as posts that inspire back-and-forth discussion in the comments and posts that you might want to share and react to.

Samples of engaging posts are:

1. A friend seeking advice
2. A friend asking for recommendations for a trip
3. A friend sharing a news article or video prompting discussion

In June 2019, Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, tweeted that some users in seven countries will not be able to see the number of likes that other users’ pictures have received or the number of times that other people’s videos have been viewed.

According to a Time article, the purpose of this update is to have people worry less about the number of likes they’re getting on Instagram, and spend more time connecting with the people they care about.

How do updates to Facebook and Instagram impact your brand?

Brands will reach fewer people on social media and will get less traffic from social media through organic means.

On a straightforward announcement, Facebook states that: “As we make these updates, Pages may see their reach, video watch time and referral traffic decrease. The impact will vary from Page to Page, driven by factors including the type of content they produce and how people interact with it. Pages making posts that people generally don’t react to or comment on could see the biggest decreases in distribution. Pages whose posts prompt conversations between friends will see less of an effect.”

In other words, engagement is the name of the game. Posts with more active and meaningful interactions will get more reach.

At McLernon & Co., we see these changes as an opportunity to improve the user experience, and to leverage social media platforms to serve audiences what they want.

We got this!

While others complain about the updates and changes in the algorithm, at McLernon & Co. we have long known that social media is about connecting with people by engaging in meaningful conversations and not just pushing out marketing messages.

At McLernon & Co. our team of experts develops social media strategies and relevant content that resonates, increases engagement and lets your brand be seen and heard. We know that audiences who know, like and trust you are more likely to convert.

Are you ready for a strong social media strategy and high-quality content that encourages interaction? Content that looks good, stops mindless scrolling, and encourages conversations? Attention-grabbing content that turns into conversions? Schedule time with us. We are based in Denver and would love to grab a coffee and get to know you.

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