Feel like you are posting and consistently getting crickets?
You could take hours obsessing over every word, yet it’s tumbleweeds.
Maybe you blame the algorithm, your audience, or your ads or funnels aren’t good enough.
You have tried different tactics, yet they are not working, and the lack of engagement could make you want to quit.
But don’t give up.
They still notice you even if you don’t see likes or comments.
Following the 99:1 principle, 90% of any audience are lurkers who watch the content but don’t comment, 9% engage with comments or likes, and 1% are raving fans.
So even if you have no feedback from your audience, they still notice you are there!
(Trust me, I get tons of ideal clients booking calls that have been watching my content for a long time, yet there are zero traces of them).
Despite knowing that, the point of all of this is to drive more engagement. So how do you do this?
Step 1: Who are you talking to, where are you talking to them, and how often do you show up?
Okay, that’s a mouthful of a step, but these three points are essential.
Who
Before posting, you must know who you are talking to. Your network may have 5,000 people, but are they the right people?
Saying the right things to the wrong audience is like teaching a small child how to build a CRM.
It just won’t land.
Speaking directly to your ideal client by understanding their needs, desires, and pain points will help you build a know, like, and trust factor.
Don’t believe it? If you feel I am talking directly to you and find this helpful, doesn’t it establish some rapport?
Read this blog post or watch this free training to learn how to hone in on your ideal client.
Where
Are you on the right platform? Do your ideal clients hang out where you are posting? Because if you are at the grocery store trying to find a new car, you will have some problems.
So, how do you know which platform to choose?
The first step is to ask them directly.
And before committing, notice if other posts on that platform are getting engagement because if you are in a dead zone where everyone is getting crickets, it’s time to move on.
How often
Most importantly, do YOU like to hang out where you are posting?
Are you actively engaging on this platform or willing to in the future because consistency shows reliability and creates trust. And, well, the algorithm knows.
Especially when posting on algorithm-based platforms (like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tik Tok, etc.), it’s essential to participate frequently so your content is served more often.
Connect with your ideal client by adding them to your network, regularly liking and commenting on their posts, and speaking to them via messenger.
Example:
Here is a breakdown of my platform usage and engagement:
As illustrated, my Facebook Group, Rising Female Entrepreneurs, has the highest engagement. Consistently participating in posts, others’ comments, and Facebook messenger creates a much higher reach and has enabled growing this group to over 6.5K women in under nine months. There is much lower engagement when posting the same content on LinkedIn because I don’t hang out there much. (Sorry, LinkedIn)
To find out where to post, how often to post, when to post, and how to make posting non-negotiable, read Tips to Maintain a Consistent Social Media Presence or watch this free training.
Pro Tip:
Focusing on growing one platform at a time will help rapidly grow that platform.
Yes, it’s easy to have FOMO, but once your leading platform hits a level you are happy with, you can move on to the next.
Step 2: Shift your energy
It can feel deflating to have low engagement. I get it. Perhaps you spent a long time preparing or feel personally rejected.
Know that it is normal. Having low engagement will happen sometimes. It happens to everyone. It can take some time to grow a following. Even when you do, every post won’t land for many reasons. It could be poor timing, the wrong content, or bad messaging.
Become unattached to the outcome by following the tips below.
Create a positive mindset.
How do you feel when you post? Are you trying to get it over with, saying things like “here goes nothing!”?
Do you feel it’s a waste of time because “this won’t get any engagement anyway”?
Or are you afraid that you will be rejected or look stupid?
If so, it’s time to shift your energy.
First, imagine if hundreds of people are interested in your post or offer. What comes up for you?
Are you excited, or do you feel worried that you are not good enough?
Do you fear they will be disappointed and you will let them down?
More importantly, do you feel you can be successful and honestly want more engagement?
If you don’t believe in yourself and your offer or don’t want this entirely, you won’t show up to move forward with the energy you need.
Tap into what is coming up for you by reflecting on why you feel this way to understand the root cause.
How can you reframe this more positively?
And how can you shift your mindset to believe that?
Crickets can be a gift from the marketplace, illuminating an excellent opportunity for a mindset shift. How can you use this information for your highest good?
Create an irresistible offer that sells by reading this article or watching this free training.
Sell with confidence by reading this article or watching this free training.
Shift your energy to a place of giving.
Creating and sharing value from the spirit of giving versus taking is essential.
Why are you doing this in the first place? If you instantly check your posts to see if they have likes or comments, it’s a good indicator that you are coming from a place of ego.
Instead, visualize helping one person in a meaningful way by imagining how your content will impact their life. Send positive energy with the intention to create value in the world.
Focus on being happy helping even one anonymous person. Remember, 90% of people are lurkers, so although you don’t know your impact, you are still making one. How does this feel?
Post and let it go.
Step 3: Create value by helping solve your ideal client’s problems
Knowing your niche on a deeper level is key to increasing connection.
What are your ideal client’s deepest desires, goals, and pain points?
What are they asking for help around? Give value and solve problems.
Example:
This article stems from three separate posts in the Rising Female Entrepreneur Community this week asking how to drive more engagement.
The community was interested in training and TaDa! Here it is!
What types of questions do your ideal clients ask?
Where do they struggle? Help people feel seen and heard by providing tips and answering questions so you can develop stronger relationships.
But how much value do you give?
I get it. You are afraid of offering too much value. Do not be scared of giving too much. If you are helping people, trust that money will come. If you solve a problem for someone, they are more likely to trust you and hire you to help them with their next step.
Think of creating value like putting money in the bank.
You wouldn’t try to take money out of your account if you hadn’t deposited money first.
That would be called bank robbery.
Make deposits so you can take withdrawals.
What topics to include?
The easiest way to know what to write is to hone in on your expertise and supporting areas, generate content ideas, and create your content pillars.
Check out this article and free training to learn how to write original content that converts.
And make sure to write “sexy” scroll-stopping content.
Standing out amongst the noise is critical. Make an impactful first impression using a great visual and attention-grabbing headline with an excellent hook.
Solve problems using simple language or storytelling to convey a compelling message. Cap it off with a clear CTA (call to action), giving one straightforward instruction on the next step. And always answer the question of what’s in it for them.
Read How to Write “Sexy” Scroll Stopping Content or watch the free training to learn more tips.
Step 4: Create authentic connection through conversation
Engagement is merely creating personal, authentic relationships with your audience. Be genuine and be yourself so people can get to know you.
Create dialogues vs. monologues.
Imagine meeting a friend for coffee, and they talk the entire time. They tell you about their experience, what they think you should do with your life, and how you should do it. They go on and on, taking up all the airtime and making it all about them.
How would you feel?
My guess is not great. Certainly not engaged.
Imagine instead you sat down, and your friend was curious about you, listened intently, and even gave you insight or a solution to a problem you have been having. My guess is that would be a much more rewarding experience.
Your content is no different. It is a relationship that you are building. Treating this like a friend you meet for coffee will create strong connections. Reflect on what you heard, be curious, ask questions, and give insight. Remember, it is a two-way street.
Example:
What part of this article resonates so far? Email me back because I would love to hear from you. (See how easy that is?)
Here are some great ways to develop authentic engagement:
Be yourself:
Be you. Never try to be someone else. Authenticity is key to developing relationships. Stay in alignment with who you are and let your unique qualities shine. If you are funny, showcase that. Are you edgy, creative, wild, or quiet? Bring more of your personality through whatever medium possible.
Pro Tip: Emojis, gifs, and photos can be a great way to bring extra flair to your conversations. 🎉
Make it all about them:
Imagine you are hosting a dinner party. Your role is to ensure your guests feel special, taken care of, and have a good time. Your part is not to make it all about you.
Pro Tip: Using someone’s first name in a conversation creates a stronger bond.
Reflect back on what you heard:
This shows you are listening (or reading in this case), helping your audience feel seen, which creates a stronger connection.
Open-ended or thought-provoking questions or polls:
Being curious and asking questions encourages your audience to respond and keeps a conversation going. Whether responding to a comment or an initial conversation starter post, this is key to boosting engagement. Polls can also be a great way to connect as people love to answer in posts or stories.
Be supportive:
Celebrating wins and being empathetic creates rapport and strengthens connections.
Provide solutions:
Offering solutions or connecting your ideal client with other services or providers that can help shows you care.
Remember, you do not need to have all of the answers. Offering a great resource is an excellent way to build trust and connection!
Keep post type relevant to the platform:
Stay up to date with type of content that drives the most engagement on your platform. Example: Reels have an extensive reach on Instagram as it competes with Tik Tok. Carousels do not belong on Facebook as people do not want to click through multiple pages like on Instagram.
Mix it up:
Keep your posts interesting by mixing up the type of content you provide. Mix entertainment, inspiration, education, conversation, connection, and promotion. See below for more details:
Take it private:
Connecting in the messenger is a great way to take your relationship to the next level.
Messaging the link to your lead magnet or asking permission to message on a post thread is a great way to start this conversation.
And make it personal by using their first name and reflecting on what you heard.
Psst. Sending unwarranted messages feels gross and spammy, so steer clear of this.
Post posse:
Having a pod of friends and business besties who can support important posts (not all posts) can be an excellent way to boost and increase engagement. Having your pod like and comment more than five words within thirty minutes of the post time is best.
Recap:
Driving more engagement on your posts can take some adjustment, but it is well worth the effort. Showing up with the right energy and consistently creating value and authentic connections will be game-changing.
Take time weekly to evaluate your post stats to adjust messaging, timing, or types of content performing well, and remember that this takes time, so be patient.
Step 1: Who are you talking to, where are you talking to them, and how often do you show up?
Step 2: Shift your energy
Step 3: Create value by helping solve your ideal client’s problems
Step 4: Create authentic connection through conversation
I look forward to you creating more engaging content that helps you build connections and establishes your business success!
Michele x
*BONUS*: Download this free tracker to show you exactly what to post to get more leads to your business.
