Engagement, engagement, engagement. The holy grail of social media metrics. We all post feverishly on social media for more comments, likes, shares, and clicks, but what if we told you, it’s the followers who aren’t engaging in those ways that could be making the biggest difference in conversions?
You might be thinking that the loudest followers who engage the most with your content are certainly the ones buying from you – right? It would make sense that if they’re engaging, they enjoy your posts and therefore, your product or service. However, enjoying and engaging with content is vastly different than purchasing.
The ones who aren’t engaging, the silent followers, are the ones purchasing. Let’s give that a moment to sink in.
What are silent followers?
Silent followers are the passive users who quietly observe on social media rather than engage. The kicker? They are also more likely to purchase or take the next step in the buyer journey. They are potential customers who do not leave comments or ask questions on posts, but rather watch, evaluate, and visit your website directly (hello, link in bio!). They are loyal followers who see you as a thought leader, industry expert, or community leader, taking intentional action when ready.
In contrast, commenters are active users who engage with social media posts through comments, likes, and shares. They are the ones asking questions in the comments, replying to stories, and outwardly providing opinions and feedback. They do not represent the majority of your total audience, but they still influence social media algorithms by boosting engagement signals through comments.
Is engagement a vanity metric?
Every metric helps paint the overall picture of social media performance. We’d hate to call engagement a vanity metric when interactions still provide incredible value. That said, comments do not equal conversions, but they do provide a way for users to ask and receive free information about you and what you have to offer.
Additionally, likes have moved to the bottom of the metric totem pole, with shares and saves rising to the top. Likes represent surface-level engagement, while shares (think: online word-of-mouth) and saves prove that your content was valuable and worth sharing to a greater audience.
Bottom line: engagement still matters, but how you use engagement metrics to support your marketing and business goals is what makes a difference.
What should you do?
- Shift your focus from building engagement to building a loyal community online.
- Engage in social listening to hear what users are saying about your brand.
- Always respond to comments on your posts to fill in the gaps in your story.
- Post consistently, share valuable, high-quality content, and the occasional laugh (of course).
- Track social media metrics regularly to guide strategy and evaluate performance.
How can LŪM help?
Through complete social media management, strategy, and performance tracking, our team at LŪM Studio can take your social media from good to great so you don’t feel invisible online. Reach out today to get started.
P.S. We love all of our commenters and silent followers equally! Thank you for engaging with our content in the way that serves you best. 🖤