If your organization has a social media presence – and what organization doesn’t have one these days? – what are you doing to keep your audience engaged? 

Not everything you try on social media will bring continued engagement and some things may not work at all. But it’s important to keep trying. Here are some strategies to keep your audience coming back for more:

• Contests. People like to participate in contests – they’re fun. Posting a funny or evocative photo and asking followers to caption it can be a lot of fun. Or post a question and give a prize for the most creative answer. Whatever type of contest you choose, just make sure that it’s consistent with the social platform’s terms of service.
• Establish a weekly post. Almost everyone is familiar with #TBT (Throwback Thursday) on Twitter. For fans of Mississippi State University, Fridays are #MaroonFriday (for the school’s colors of maroon and white) and alumni/fans are encouraged to post selfies of themselves sporting maroon clothing and gear from wherever they are in the world. Brainstorm with your team to designate a particular day and topic for your weekly post.
• Acknowledge community members. Did one of your community members post something that was particularly attention-getting? Or perhaps achieve a big goal? People love to be acknowledged, so having a regular post dedicated to spotlighting a community member can be a great way to focus on the community and keep them engaged.
• Live video. Video is perhaps the most engaging type of social media post. Everyone loves video. And going live with your audience chiming in with comments and questions can create a lively experience.
• Ask for community input. Give your audience what it wants by asking them what they’d like to see more of.
• Use content from the community. User-generated content (UGC) is one of the most engaging types of posts. People like to share and they like to see what others are sharing.
• ‘Fess up. If a mistake is made, be honest about it. Transparency goes a long way towards creating goodwill with your audience.
• Go for the heart. Emotions can be powerful. Learn your community and what makes them feel or take action to create a strong bond with them.