Maintaining Facebook engagement is crucial for any social media strategy. But trends are suggesting that it’s harder than ever to keep users engaged. Rival IQ released a study that showed that the median engagement across all industries was 0.16%, but in 2019 this figure has dropped to just 0.09%. Cleary the battle for engagement is heating up. So it’s time for you to give your Facebook engagement strategy a boost! Follow these 10 easy-to-implement strategies to start driving more Facebook engagement today.

1. Experiment with posting frequency

There are many online resources that claim to have found the “optimal” publishing frequency for posting on Facebook. Some say posting less can increase engagement, whereas some maintain you should post at least 5 times a week. So how do you know who to believe? The answer is, you need to find what works for you. The best way to do this is to experiment. Try varying the frequency that you post, and measure the average engagement per post.  In general, you should try and post at a rate that you can keep up with. Look at your content calendar and see how much content you have ready for the month ahead.

2. Optimize the times you post

One of the easiest ways to boost your average Facebook engagement is by optimizing the times you post. Similarly to tip 1, there is no universal best time to post on Facebook, as some sites may claim. The only way to know the best time to post is to look at your data. Again, try experimenting by posting at different times and monitor your average engagement.  Pro Tip: Use Metigy’s ‘Best Time AI’ feature to find the best performing time for your post to maximize engagement. Try it now.

3. Don’t just cross-post, tweak content for Facebook

It may be tempting to just cross-post the same content across Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. But taking the time to consider what works best on each platform can boost your engagement. Hashtags may work great on Instagram, but they often make Facebook posts look like afterthoughts. On Facebook, text plays a greater role than Instagram, so try crafting an engaging headline. For example, if you are sharing a blog post about marketing metrics, try asking a question in the headline. Don’t forget to add a CTA encouraging users to take the desired action such as sharing the post, or reading more. Platforms like Metigy allow you to preview your content across all major social platforms, making cross-posting much easier.

4. Boost top posts with paid promotion

Paid reach is a great way to increase engagement. That being said there are a few important guidelines that you should follow if you want to maximize your social ROI.

• Only boost posts that have a proven track record of performing well organically. This is really important for maximizing your social ROI. 
• Before any promotion, decided on a specific goal for each post, i.e. web traffic or ebook downloads.
• Once you have decided on the goal, make sure your post has the correct CTA for this goal and that the text is optimized to encourage users to take action.
• Choose a target audience as similar as possible to the organic users that read the post the first time. Check your analytics data to get as much insight as possible.

Pro Tip: Metigy can identify which posts you should boost to maximize your results. You can also boost your best performing posts inside of Metigy. Try it now.

5. Recycle top content

Often reposting your best content will get a similar level of engagement as the first time. This can make each content piece more valuable. But reposting is just a question of posting again. Try thinking of a new angle for your content. For example, if your followers, loved a quick tips listicle, why not create a short infographic with the tips or even a video. This keeps the content feeling fresh and provides value.

6. Create fast-paced video content

After YouTube Facebook has the highest reach in terms of video content. This makes it a great place to post video content. And social platforms are really pushing video at the moment. The reason is that videos take longer to watch and this boosts user engagement. Facebook is no exception to this trend. Hootsuite recently found that the average engagement rate is a healthy 6.13%, and if the video is mobile-first even higher. So when creating videos ensure they are optimized for mobile. Most users watch without sound so use captions and keep the content fast-paced and concise. For some inspiration check out Shopify’s Facebook page. The brand is really good at making Facebook-friendly videos.

7. Host live video sessions

Live video is a really great way to boost user engagement. In fact, according to Facebook Live usage data, live videos get around 10 times more comments than pre-recorded videos, so well worth the effort! But where to start? One common Facebook live idea is an “ask the expert series”. This is where you invite your users to ask one of your thought leaders questions. This creates a direct dialogue between your users and your brand and is excellent for driving engagement. Another idea is that if your brand hosts a podcast, why not stream it on Facebook live.

8. Share content

Here are a few pointers:

• Only share content from highly credible sources
• Ensure what you’re sharing adds value to your users
• Craft a text that provides an insight from the post

9. Ask for opinions

They may sound obvious but a lot of brands forget this one. If you’ve just released a new feature, or you are planning an upcoming release, ask your followers what they think on social media. These types of posts don’t always have to be tied to your product or service. If you share content as in tip 8, why not ask what your users think about it.

10. Take the time to reply to comments

Replying to a lot of messages can be tricky particularly across multiple social platforms. However, replying to your followers creates a sense of community and loyalty. Social media platforms like Metigy can help you answer all your comments across all platforms in one place. This is much easier than constantly switching profiles. One final tip is to sign off with your first name to come across as more personable. 

Are you ready to increase your Facebook Engagement?

We hope you enjoyed these tips for boosting your Facebook engagement. Measuring Facebook metrics accurately is a key requisite for a successful social media strategy. It’s important to know the essential Facebook metrics and track them to optimise and refine your social content strategy. Check out how Metigy can help streamline your social media workflows today.  And let us know in the comments below which tips you have tried and what effect it has on your Facebook engagement.