There’s a reason why ‘social’ is included in social media’s name — in addition to providing a space to share valuable content for your community, it’s also a space to create connection.

Just as it is important to create on social media, it’s important to communicate, meaning you need to actively build and nurture your following!

So, how do you create content that encourages communication? You have to speak to and engage with your audience in a way that makes them want to be social! We’ve got a few tips to help you do just that.

1. First, start by taking a closer look into your target market’s interests.

What other activities are they into? What types of content and accounts do they like and follow? Researching these kinds of details will provide you with a clearer window of how to tailor your content so it resonates with your community.

2. Next, examine the accounts that are aligned with your brand.

Click on their latest posts and get a feel for who’s liking and commenting. Take note of what kind of questions they’re asking, what topics they’re talking about most often, etc.

3. Once you’ve done the groundwork it’s time to start being social yourself!

In addition to creating your own content where you can generate engagement, you should be engaging with your followers' content, too!

In the world of social media, you get what you give — so if you’re reaching out to your audience on THEIR feed content and doling out likes and comments, you’re much more likely to receive the same in return!

Start by liking those users’ content and posting personalized comments — not just a simple “love this!” dive a little deeper than that!

Humans are social, and everyone feels that their content is important, so it makes sense that people generally respond well to these kinds of positive interactions. We also tend to be a curious species, so most people are interested in checking out your account once they’ve seen that you’ve liked/commented on their content. This method generates organic curiosity that also helps your community members find you!

Pro tip: Pay attention to the type of content your community posts and the language they use. This can help you when it comes time to create your content because you want to make sure it will resonate with them — you want to speak their language!

4. The more you engage with others the more they’ll engage with you!

This means the more social you are the more you’re likely to see an increase in socialization on your feed and content!

As you begin to increase your engagement — and ultimately your following — don’t forget to stay engaged!

Be sure to respond to your messages and comments in a timely manner so that your audience feels heard. This fosters a stronger relationship if your followers know that they can expect an answer to a quick question, for example.

Better still, set aside a few minutes every day to check out new posts from your followers, and be sure to hit that “like” button and leave an original comment. This is a great way to build customer relationships, AND it’s a valuable way to create the type of unique and loyal relationships that both you and your customers can enjoy!

For more helpful tips to help you build an engaged audience, and a loyal following, be sure to follow us on Instagram @amr_digital!