Posting on social media is easy, but creating social media marketing strategy that actually get engagement is where most brands struggle. A beautiful design or catchy caption alone is not enough. What matters is how well your content connects with your audience and inspires them to react. Engagement is the real measure of success on platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook because it shows people are paying attention, not just scrolling past.

In this blog, we’ll share simple, effective strategies to help you create posts that grab attention, spark conversations, and build lasting connections with your audience.

1. Set Clear Engagement Goals

Before posting anything, decide what engagement means for your business. For some, it’s likes or shares. For others, it may be comments, clicks, or new followers. Having these clear goals gives direction to your strategy and helps you create social media posts that actually get engagement.

Why It Matters

• Give purpose to your content — You know exactly why you’re posting.
• Makes results measurable — You can track progress using simple KPIs like reach, comments, or clicks.
• Keeps your strategy realistic — Using SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) ensures you’re not just posting randomly.

How to Do It (Step by Step)

1. Choose one or two goals — Example:
   • “Increase comments by 30% this month.”
   • “Get 50 more shares per post.”
2. Match goals to business needs
   • New product? — Focus on clicks to landing pages.
   • Brand awareness? — Track reach and follower growth.
3. Track simple KPIs — Likes, comments, shares, CTR (click-through rate), or follower growth.
4. Check results monthly — Use your social analytics tools (Facebook Insights, Instagram Analytics, LinkedIn Dashboard, etc.) and refine your approach if numbers aren’t moving.

2. Understand Your Audience

You can’t create social media marketing strategy that actually get engagement unless you know who you’re talking to. Understanding your audience means knowing their age, interests, how they act online, and what they respond to.

Why It Matters

• Targets the right people — You speak directly to their interests not just post randomly.
• Saves time and effort — No more guessing; you create posts that matter to them.
• Boosts engagement naturally — When your content truly connects, more people like, comment, and share.

How to Do It (Step by Step)

1. Use Semrush’s One2Target tool
   • Enter your domain and a few competitors’ domains.
   • Check the “Demographics” tab to learn about your audience’s age, gender, and location.
   • Visit the “Socioeconomics” tab for income, education, and household details.
2. Track social performance with Social Tracker
   • Add your own and competitors’ social profiles Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.
   • Use the Overview tab to monitor audience size, posting frequency, and who’s getting the most engagement.
   • Find top-performing posts and hashtags your audience loves.
3. Check platform analytics for deeper insights
   • Use Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn’s native tools or Semrush’s Social Analytics.
   • Look at when your followers are online, where they are, and what content they like best.

3. Choose the Right Platforms 

Pick just one or two platforms where your audience is most active, instead of trying to post everywhere. This way, you can invest time and effort into building genuine engagement which helps you create social media marketing strategy that actually get engagement.

Why It Matters

• Better content, not more content: Focusing on fewer platforms lets you craft higher-quality posts tailored to that platform’s style.
• Avoid burnout: Juggling many platforms often lowers the quality of your content and response time. Instead, concentrate on the ones that matter.
• Reach the right people: Some platforms work better for visuals (like Instagram), others for B2B conversations (like LinkedIn). Choose wisely based on your audience and goals.

How to Do It (Step by Step)

1. Look at audience data
   • Check your social analytics or Semrush tools to see where your followers already engage most such as fanship by platform, post interactions, or traffic back to your website.
2. Match platforms to content type
   • If you’re sharing short videos or behind-the-scenes clips, prioritize TikTok or Instagram Reels.
   • Text tips and professional updates? Focus on LinkedIn or Twitter.
3. Start small and test
   • Begin with one or two platforms. Watch engagement patterns for a month or two, then expand if needed.
4. Watch your competitors
   • Use Semrush’s Social Tracker to see which platforms your competitors are active on and where they see high engagement.

4. Create Engaging Content Formats

Using interactive and visual formats can greatly enhance your reach and connection on social media. Formats like polls, quizzes, slides, and live Q&A sessions invite people to participate, not just passively scroll. These formats help you make social media posts that actually get engagement.

Why It Matters

• Higher participation: Audiences are more likely to engage when content invites them to react directly like voting, swiping, or giving input.
• More memorable: Interactivity makes experiences stand out. A fun quiz or a poll tends to stay with users longer.
• Valuable insights: Polls and quizzes can reveal what your audience likes, thinks, or wants so you can tailor future posts for even better engagement.

How to Do It (Step by Step)

1. Use interactive formats
   • Try polls, quizzes, sliders, or question stickers in your posts. Great for stories or feed content.
2. Add value or fun
   • Make your polls or quizzes meaningful, solve a problem, test knowledge, or spark a smile.
3. Include clear calls to act
   • In captions, guide people: “Vote now,” “Take the quiz,” or “Share your choice.”
4. Repurpose successful formats
   • If a quiz works well, try variations like creating a short video version or carousel slides.
5. Review what performs best
   • Use analytics from your platform: check engagement rates or completion rates of quizzes/polls. Post more of what resonates.

5. Leverage Content Repurposing

Instead of always creating new posts, repurpose your existing content like blog articles, videos, or webinars into different formats. This helps you reach more people and reinforce your message, while crafting social media posts that actually get engagement.

Why It Matters

• Maximizes effort: You don’t reinvent the wheel just give your proven content new life in fresh formats.
• Boosts reach and recognition: More formats mean more channels and more audience touchpoints.
• Backed by data: Semrush reports that 42% of marketers see better results by updating and repurposing content.

How to Do It (Step by Step)

1. Pick your best-performing content
   • Use analytics to spot BLOG posts, guides, or videos that already get clicks or traction.
     
2. Choose repurposing formats
   • Blog post — Checklist, infographic, short video, or social carousel
   • Webinar — Recap blog or bite-sized clips for social media
   • Podcast or article — Quote cards, polls, or interactive questions
     
3. Adapt for each platform
   • Adjust visuals, tone, and format to match each channel (more casual on IG, more professional on LinkedIn).
   • Use hashtags and platform-specific features like Stories or carousels to boost visibility.
     
4. Use AI tools to work smarter
   • Semrush’s AI Social Content Generator can turn a blog post into social captions, carousels, or videos quickly.
   • Or use general tools like ChatGPT to help rewrite content for different formats or audiences.
     
5. Track, test, and refine
   • Monitor how your repurposed content performs compared engagement rates vs original formats. Then adjust or double down on what works best.

6. Craft Clear, Snappy Captions

A strong caption should be brief, engaging, and clear especially since many users scroll quickly. Keeping captions short helps your social media posts that actually get engagement stand out and get read in full.

Why It Matters

• Short copy is effective: Hootsuite recommends captions between 10–20 words (about 138–150 characters) for the most engagement; this keeps them easy to read and attention-grabbing.
• Avoid truncation: On Instagram especially, sticking under 150 characters ensures followers see your entire message without clicking “more.”
• Punchy text holds attention: In fast-scrolling feeds, a crisp, clear caption increases the chances your audience will stop, react, or engage.

How to Use It (Step by Step)

1. Keep captions tight: Aim for 10–20 words or ~140 characters. This helps your message land quickly.
2. Hook your reader: Start with a benefit, a number, a question, or a curious statement to draw them in.
3. Include a call-to-action: Phrases like “Tell us below,” “Tag a friend,” or “Your thoughts?” invite your audience to engage and comment.
4. Use emojis wisely: A few well-placed emojis can add personality and visual appeal but don’t overdo it. Make them count.
5. Test and refine: Try two caption versions one short, one longer and measure which gets more engagement. Adjust accordingly.

7. Be Responsive – Spark Two-Way Conversation

Engagement isn’t just about making social media marketing strategy it’s also about joining the conversation. Being responsive means replying to comments and messages quickly and thoughtfully to show your audience they’re heard and valued.

Why It Matters

• Boosts visibility — Social platforms reward posts that get real interaction. Replying to comments and messages helps build engagement, which in turn makes your content more visible.
• Builds trust and loyalty — When you respond earnestly to questions, praise, or concerns, your brand becomes friendlier and more credible.
• Supports growth — Platforms use engagement rate as a ranking signal. Authentic replies help posts reach more people—growing your audience over time.
  

How to Do It (Step by Step)

1. Set reminders — Schedule time daily to check comments and inbox messages so no conversation goes unanswered.
2. Use a unified inbox — Tools like Semrush’s Social Inbox help manage messages from Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and more all in one place.
3. Reply with respect, even to negatives — Be courteous in every interaction. If someone’s upset, acknowledge their concern, apologize if needed, and offer a clear next step.
4. Engage proactively — Ask follow-up questions, prompt with “What do you think?”, or tag users to keep the conversation going.

8. Use Giveaways, Influencers & Partnerships

Partnering with influencers or hosting giveaways can spark a burst of activity on your posts bringing in likes, comments, shares, and new followers. When done right, these social media marketing strategy help create social media posts that actually get engagement.

Why It Matters

• Huge engagement boost: Giveaway posts can generate hundreds or even thousands of comments. One study found 91% of posts with over 1,000 comments were giveaways.
• Attracts new audiences: Collaborating with influencers or partnering brands helps you tap into their followers, growing reach and credibility.
• Shared excitement: Contests and giveaways create buzz and make your audience feel involved, which drives strong engagement.

How to Do It (Step by Step)

1. Define your goal
   • Decide if you want to increase comments, followers, or reach with this giveaway.
     
2. Pick a platform and format
   • Choose based on your audience, e.g., host a caption contest on Instagram, or a hashtag challenge on TikTok.
     
3. Set the rules clearly
   • Simple steps like “Follow us, like this post, and tag a friend” work best and make it easy to enter.
     
4. Partner with relevant influencers
   • Collaborate with micro-influencers who share your audience. This provides authenticity, trust, and wider visibility.
     
5. Cross-promote widely
   • Share the giveaway across your social channels, email newsletters, or website to increase visibility.
     
6. Measure results
   • Track entries, comments, shares, new followers, and post reach compare against your goals and refine for next time.

9. Plan, Schedule & Monitor

Creating content in advance and planning your posts helps you stay consistent and that consistency is how you build trust and visibility. By monitoring engagement, you can also see what works and improve your strategy over time. This is essential for crafting social media marketing strategy that actually get engagement.

Why It Matters

• Saves time and avoids mistakes: Scheduling posts in batches with a content calendar frees you from last-minute scrambles and reduces errors.
• Builds predictability and trust: Consistent posting like every Monday or at peak audience times helps followers know when to expect your content, boosting visibility and engagement.
• Helps you spot patterns: Monitoring engagement metrics (reach, comments, shares) lets you see which posts resonate and tailor your content calendar for better performance.

How to Do It (Step by Step)

1. Use a content calendar
   • Map out your posts by date, platform, format (e.g., carousel, story), visuals, captions, links, and hashtags. Lists help you stay organized and consistent.
     
2. Schedule posts with a tool
   • Use Semrush’s Social Poster (or similar tools) to plan your content in one streamlined place across multiple platforms and time zones.
     
3. Check the best time to post
   • Social Analytics tools (like Semrush’s) help identify when your audience is most active posting at these times increases engagement chances.
     
4. Track your metrics regularly
   • Measure engagement rate, reach, shares, and post interactions using analytics tools. Compare performance to goals and adjust your plan.
     
5. Optimize as you go
   • Review your calendar and metrics monthly shift content types, timing, or platforms based on what’s gaining the most traction.

FAQs

1. Why are visuals important in social media posts?

Visuals like images, videos, and infographics capture attention and increase engagement.

2. How can I tailor my content for different platforms?

Customize your messaging and format to fit each platform’s audience and style.

3. What role does audience understanding play in engagement?

Knowing your audience helps create content that resonates and encourages interaction.

4. How does posting frequency affect engagement?

Consistent posting keeps your audience engaged and aware of your content.

5. Why is interaction with followers crucial?

Engaging with your audience builds relationships and encourages more interactions.