7 Social Media Best Practices to Boost Engagement

Ghosted. It happens to all of us at some point. You pour your heart into your social media posts, only to hear… nothing. Crickets. Nada. But here’s the deal: it doesn’t have to be that way. With a few simple changes, you can turn your ghost town of a social media feed into a bustling community that’s liking, commenting, and sharing your content. Let’s dive into the 7 social media marketing best practices to make it happen.

1. Post Like a Person, Not a Robot

It’s all about connection, social media best practices are not about perfection. Nobody connects with overly polished, robotic posts. Be real. Share behind-the-scenes moments, ask questions, or even show your sense of humor.

• Do: Write like you talk. Keep it conversational.
• Don’t: Overthink every word or image to the point it feels fake.

People crave authenticity, so give it to them.

2. Know Your Audience

Who are you talking to? If you’re trying to speak to everyone, you’re connecting with no one. Focus on your ideal customer.

• Pro Tip: Create a quick profile of your audience to grow your list more efficiently. What do they care about? What problems do they need solved?
• Engage Directly: Use polls, DMs, and comments to understand them better.

When your content hits their sweet spot, they’ll keep coming back for more. Social media marketing best practices 101.

3. Be Consistent

You don’t need to post every day, but you do need to show up regularly. Ghosting your audience is a sure way to get ghosted in return.

• Set a Schedule: Decide how often you can realistically post and stick to it.
• Plan Ahead: another key social media best practice is to craft a content calendar to stay organized and avoid last-minute scrambling.

Consistency builds trust, and trust keeps your audience engaged.

Pro tip: Add all the info to your content calendar and optimize it for your audience. However, keep your content calendar simple enough so you can understand it every time you create or publish content.

4. Mix It Up

Posting the same type of content repeatedly is boring. Mixing up your posts to keep your audience interested is a major social media marketing best practice.
Try These Formats:

• Quick tips or hacks
• Customer testimonials
• Polls or questions
• Behind-the-scenes content
• Trending memes (if they fit your brand)
• Lead magnets

Keep it fresh, and your audience will stick around.

5. Engage, Don’t Just Broadcast

Social media isn’t a one-way street. If you’re only posting but never interacting, you’re missing the point.

• Reply to Comments: Acknowledge your audience when they take the time to engage with you.
• Start Conversations: Ask open-ended questions that encourage discussion.
• Support Others: Comment on posts from your followers or other businesses in your niche.

When you engage, you’re building a relationship—and relationships are the foundation of any successful social strategy.

Pro tip: Avoid interaction-inducing posts (e.g. “like if this has happened to you”). They can get you penalized.

6. Optimize for Each Platform

One-size-fits-all doesn’t work for social media. Every platform has its own vibe, and your content should match.

• Instagram: Focus on eye-catching videos and relatable captions.
• LinkedIn: Keep it professional but approachable. Case studies work like a charm.
• Facebook: Build community with posts that spark conversation.

Adapt your content to the platform, and your audience will feel like you “get” them.

Pro tip: Keep your social media strategy aligned with other channels such as your website and your email marketing. This is how you can ultimately nurture your audience.

7. Track What’s Working

Don’t throw spaghetti at the wall and hope it sticks. Look at your analytics to see what’s working and what isn’t.
Metrics to Watch:

• Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares)
• Reach (how many people see your posts)
• Click-throughs (are people taking the next step?)

Use this data to double down on what’s resonating with your audience and tweak what’s not.

Time to Get Social

Your audience doesn’t want perfection; they want connection. By showing up consistently, posting authentically, and engaging like a human, you can build a loyal following that sticks around and spreads the word.

So, take these 7 social media marketing best practices and start putting them into action today. Your social media success story is waiting—and this time, it won’t involve getting ghosted.