You take a high-quality photo of your new product. You edit the photo just a bit, brighten it, maybe add some contrast. You craft a fun, witty caption. You post your photo, expecting to be hit with a barrage of likes and comments, and then…crickets. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. This is a common experience for Instagram and Facebook users. Nowadays, as social media platforms grow and implement new features and improve their algorithms, a nice photo and clever caption may not be enough to achieve the number of likes you want. Here are a few reasons why your posts may not be performing well, and steps you can take to improve your engagement.
Common Mistake #1 – Not Incorporating Data
Instagram and Facebook provide all business accounts with a wealth of data about their posts, called insights. Some of this data includes audience demographics, reach, impressions, and individual post metrics. This information is incredibly valuable and should be taken into consideration when planning your content. Audience demographics can tell you the age and location of your followers, giving you the opportunity to tailor your messaging. Insights even tell you what time your audience is most active, and when your content is most likely to be seen. Engagement metrics help identify which types of posts have performed well in the past, showcasing the types of posts you should consider publishing more of in the future. Reviewing the data and making adjustments accordingly is the first place to start if you’re trying to increase engagement.
Common Mistake #2 – Not Utilizing All of the Features Offered
To stay ahead of their competitors, social apps are adding new features constantly. On Facebook and Instagram, you are able to tag other accounts, geotag your location, and even add product information as part of the shopping feature. Beyond feed posts, Instagram and Facebook also have a video tab and options for posting stories. Social media platforms want their users to use all available features, so they tend to reward those who do. Try posting a variety of content types like feed posts, stories, and videos, and utilize some or all of the in-post features. The platform may begin placing your content in front of the right audiences, increasing your engagement.
Common Mistake #3 – Not Interacting With Other Accounts
Pleasing the algorithm is everything when it comes to improving your post-performance. Above all else, Facebook and Instagram algorithms favor accounts with high engagement.You need engagement to increase engagement; sounds redundant but it’s true. We recommend being active on your page by liking, commenting, saving, and sharing others’ posts. You might even consider private messaging other accounts. This demonstrates to the algorithm that you’re an active user, and in return, it may begin to show your posts to those you’re trying to interact with.
While these are the biggest mistakes we see users making, there are a number of other ways to improve your post performance. Try implementing posts that your followers can interact with: post a poll on your story, include a CTA in your caption asking for opinions in the comments, create a hashtag unique to your business and encourage followers to use it in their posts. The frequency with which you post could also impact post-performance. Posting every day or multiple times a week further proves to the algorithm that you’re active on their site. Additionally, you might consider removing inactive followers so that your active followers have a better chance of seeing your content and interacting with it. One thing we know for sure is that algorithms are always changing, so we recommend keeping tabs on current trends to ensure you’re giving your posts the best chance for success.
A final note we want users to keep in mind: reach and impressions are a much better metric of measuring post success than likes. Reach is the number of unique people who saw your content, while impressions is the total number of times your post was displayed. Just because your post only got 18 likes, doesn’t mean only 18 people saw it; in fact, your reach may have been much higher. When evaluating post performance, the best indicator of success is reach or impressions, so don’t dwell on the number of likes.
Social media best practices are constantly being revamped, and our social media team is dedicated to ensuring we’re at the forefront of emerging trends. At Paperkite, we know just how to create content that will perform well and increase your business’s online presence. Let’s talk about the ways our team can help your business reach a new audience and increase sales using the powerful tool that is social media marketing.
