Standing on stage, surrounded by eager faces, is both exhilarating and terrifying. The hours of preparation mean nothing if my message doesn’t resonate. This might be a similar fear that haunts many of you when trying tobuild an engaging online presence in the world of social media. You’ve prepared and you’re ready to share your expertise, but will anyone listen?

I’ve been there myself, feeling like my voice was lost in the digital noise. But remember in the era of digital noise, engagement is the currency of social success.

01 THE POWER OF ENGAGEMENT 🤝 

For better or worse, the 90s helped define my musical preferences. One of the many catchy songs that came out of that decade was Naughty By Nature’s “O.P.P.” and their memorable phrase, “You down with O.P.P.?” Go ahead, feel free to sing the answer—I’ll wait. 

While Treach sang about an entirely different subject, the O.P.P. I’m referring to is Other People’s Posts! This is one of the most powerful ways to get more results from your efforts on social media.

When we talk about engagement on social media, we often think about how to get more likes, comments, and shares with our own content. Engagement can be just as powerful a tool when applied to the giving of attention to the content of others. 

By this, I simply mean liking, sharing, and commenting. It’s the equivalent of a digital high-five to your connections, and it will mean a great deal to them.

02 TOP REASONS TO BE DOWN WITH O.P.P. 📲

Each day, I spend time navigating and reviewing the social media feeds of my clients, customers, and prospects. When I find meaningful and compelling content, I will engage and interact. 

Sometimes, it may be a like or a share, but mostly, I am very intentional about spending quality time absorbing their content, and will often ask a related question in the comments or add my own comment to strike up meaningful conversation. This is my way of giving them a digital high-five and letting them know that I am invested in them and care about the content they are creating and posting.

Here are just some of the reasons engaging in O.P.P. is critical to your social media success:

• Community Building: Engagement fuels a sense of community around your brand.
• Algorithm Love: Social media platforms favor content with high interaction.
• Humanizing Your Brand: Answering questions/comments makes your brand relatable. It’s a conversation, not a monologue.
• Valuable Insights: Conversations unlock audience needs and preferences.

03 READY TO TAKE ACTION? 🥊

We can all improve our engagement! Here are some starting points:

✔️Respond Promptly: Show you care by replying to comments and messages.

✔️Ask Questions: Spark interaction by asking questions about your industry or their experiences.

✔️Polls & Surveys: Utilize features like polls to gather fast feedback.

✔️Show Appreciation: Thank your audience for their contributions.

Make it a priority to engage with the content of your customers, prospects, and those that can be a referral source for your business.

If you remember nothing else, just be down with O.P.P.! My version, of course.

Now let me ask you . . . 

What’s your biggest hurdle when it comes to engaging with your audience on social media? What’s holding you back from starting the conversation?