Getting more likes and shares on social media can seem like an impossible task these days. With so many people and businesses competing for attention, how can you make your content stand out? The good news is there are proven strategies you can use to get more engagement. Here are some tips to get more likes and shares:
Create Quality Content
This may seem obvious, but high-quality, valuable content is still the #1 factor for getting shares and engagement. Post content that educates, entertains, inspires or helps your audience in some way. Share your expertise and perspectives on topics your audience cares about. Use high-quality images and infographics that add value. Spend time optimizing your posts for search visibility. The better your content, the more likely people will be to interact with it.
Leverage Influencers
Work with influencers and thought leaders in your industry to help amplify your content. Reach out to influencers who create content similar to yours and propose collaborating on a post or campaign. Offer to write a guest post for their blog. Ask influencers to share your content with their followers if they find it valuable. Partnering with the right influencers can expand your reach and credibility.
Use Attention-Grabbing Headlines
Your headlines make the first impression on readers, so make them irresistible clickbait. Use curiosity gaps like “You’ll never believe what happened when…” Use words like secret, top, best, worst, etc. Ask thought-provoking questions. Use numbers and lists whenever appropriate. Test different headlines and see which ones get the most engagement.
Engage With Your Audience
Don’t just broadcast content, connect with your followers. Respond to comments and messages. Ask questions to spark discussion. Share user-generated content. Run polls and contests. Go live on social media. Tag and thank people who engage with your content. Making your audience feel seen and heard encourages more participation.
Post at Optimal Times
Analyze when your followers are most active on social media and schedule posts for those high-traffic times. For most accounts, early morning and early evening are prime posting times on weekdays. Experiment with posting times to see what works best for your audience. Tools like Buffer and Hootsuite make it easy to schedule posts in advance.
Promote Your Content
Don’t rely solely on organic reach from the platform’s algorithm. Proactively promote your content across channels. Share your posts on different social networks. Email subscribers with links to your newest content. Run ads pointing to your best-performing posts. Outreach to relevant websites asking them to share or syndicate your content as a guest post. Paid promotion can significantly boost reach.
Analyze Performance
Pay attention to which types of content get the most engagement and why. Look at factors like subject matter, length, images vs video, time posted, etc. Use the insights to make data-driven decisions about what to post more of. Continually refine your strategy based on performance data.
Improve Shareability
Make it as easy as possible for people to share your content. Include prominent share buttons on your website and at the bottom of blog posts. Shareable images and quotes that stand alone from the full post also help. Using shareable headlines and meta descriptions in links will improve social sharing.
Leverage User Psychology
Take advantage of cognitive biases that influence people to share online. These include negativity bias (people are more likely to share negative news), humor effect (funny things are more viral), personality bias (we share things that reinforce our self-image), and deja vu bias (familiar ideas feel more trustworthy). Knowing these psychology tricks can help craft more compelling social content.
Join Conversations
Hop into trending conversations and topics on social media. Adding your voice to hashtags and stories that are already buzzworthy can expose your content to new audiences already interested in those subjects. Just make sure your contributions add value to the discussion.
Reward Sharing
Consider giving small incentives to your audience for sharing your content. These rewards don’t need to be expensive or extravagant. Even small discounts, limited-edition gifts, or loyalty points can motivate people to spread the word. Just make sure to follow FTC guidelines when promoting giveaways and contests.
Stay Relevant
Pop culture, current events, and seasonal topics make for great social content hooks. Tie your posts and angles to things that are timely and relevant. This helps capitalize on existing buzz while showing your brand is on top of what’s happening.
Use Visuals
Posts with images and video consistently outperform text-only updates. Use visually compelling photos, graphics, illustrations, charts, infographics, and videos in your content. Make sure imagery reinforces your messaging. Attention-grabbing visuals are more likely to stand out in feeds and get engagement.
Tell Stories
Storytelling connects with audiences on a deeper, more emotional level. Find ways to weave compelling narratives into your content strategy. Share your company’s origin story, customer success stories, employee spotlights, or behind-the-scenes looks at your product or service. Powerful storytelling helps content resonate.
| Tactic | Example |
|---|---|
| Create Quality Content | Share valuable expertise, how-tos, insights etc. |
| Leverage Influencers | Collaborate on co-created content |
| Attention-Grabbing Headlines | “10 Uncommon Strategies for [Topic]” |
| Engage With Your Audience | Respond to follower comments and questions |
| Post at Optimal Times | Early morning and early evening for most accounts |
| Promote Your Content | Share posts across different networks |
| Analyze Performance | Study engagement metrics and optimize based on what works |
| Improve Shareability | Add prominent share buttons on sites and posts |
| Leverage User Psychology | Use cognitive biases that encourage sharing |
| Join Conversations | Add your voice to trending hashtags and topics |
Conclusion
Getting more likes and shares requires both art and science. You need compelling, high-quality content combined with audience understanding, tested strategies and continual optimization. Pay close attention to performance data and customer engagement metrics to refine your approach over time. The more value you can provide, the more your content will resonate. With a mix of creative content and shareable formats, strategic promotion and social listening, you can build an audience that actively engages and spreads your message.