Many companies get one very basic thing wrong about social media engagement.

The average entrepreneur thinks of engagement in terms of individual interactions. A post that gets shared and liked a lot doesn’t really engage an audience. It’s only when there’s a long-term relationship that you really start to commit.

Think of it like a real life commitment. Consider that each interaction is an appointment with your customers. You tell them what it’s about and they tell you what they like and don’t like.

After seeing each other for a while, you’re ready to move on to the next step. customers now wait to view engaging content. When you post to their media channels, they are bound by loyalty to interact with you. Now, you’re engaged.

Don’t ask what your clients can do for you
The path to the heart of any customer is through value-oriented engagement. Do not think of ways in which you can make a profit from your followers and fans. Instead, think about how you can be of use to them.

You are trying to build trust in your brand through engagement. You will never generate really engaging content if your audience doesn’t feel like you are contributing to their lives.

What does that mean in practice? Well, for starters, it means committing again. If your bosses have questions, answer them openly.

Be sure to respond quickly to complaints and concerns when they are raised publicly.

Believe it or not, social media has been people’s first choice for customer support since at least 2016. In a way, it’s people who take advantage of the public nature of the platform. Regardless, you should view every instance of customer service as a double opportunity.

You can address a customer concern while also building good faith with that customer and anyone else viewing the interaction. Customer service interactions are an absolute gold mine for engagement.

Three Ways to Really Start Engaging
There are countless tips, tricks, and inside information on how to improve engagement on social media. Try some of these tried-and-true approaches to drive authentic engagement.

1. Take the first step
Someone has to start the conversation on the first date. As a company, that responsibility falls on your shoulders.

There are many things you can provide that your potential customers want. Informative articles and blog posts are two simple ideas. Remember that it is about generating value for them.

Don’t try to promote a product on the first date. That comes later. First, show them that you care about who they are and what they want.

2. Listen more than you talk
If your relationship is going to last, you will have to listen.

Don’t guess about your customer’s wants and needs. If you try, all the information is available with a little research.

Look at social media and website analytics. Define your audience demographics and look at what competitors are doing. You have to know who you’re talking to first.

Once you know who you’re dating, you can start listening. Look at her posts on social media. What do they want, what kind of things are they dissatisfied with? Use this information to design your engagement strategy.

3. Be relevant and current
Don’t be afraid to have a voice on current events. If you want to get an answer, you need to talk about things that are relevant to your audience.

Be careful though, this requires a delicate approach and a good pulse reading on your bosses.

Start really engaging
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to social media engagement. As stated above, there are enough tips on this to fill a sizable library. However, not all tips will work for all businesses.

Start by finding out who your customers really are and put yourself in their shoes. Then start working on delivering more value through your social media engagement.