Social media management is about so much more than pumping out posts on every platform at the right times of the day. It’s about how many “followers” and “likes” you have! Nope, I’m absolutely joking. If you want to be more than just a player in the ever-changing social media mind-field, a focus on engagement is key. The individuals that are engaging on social media are, more than likely, the leaders in their fields.

Engaging on social media is the more active next step in the development of your social media strategy or campaign. If you are engaging on social media, you can add to the larger conversation, which is what we’re all striving for in the end. We want to be the industry leaders, the experts and the people who can innovate and ignite change in the industries we strive so desperately to make better every day. After all, how many world events have unfolded as a result of a single Tweet? In our world of 24/7 connectivity, change can spark at any moment.

Does anyone remember #Ferguson?

Pharrell Williams - #Ferguson

Matthew A. Cherry - #Ferguson

Or #BringBackOurGirls?

Michelle Obama - #BringBackOurGirls

Mary J. Blige - #BringBackOurGirls

And if your goal is not to be on the front-lines of that change, you’re doing this all wrong.

However, when you’re first starting out, posting your thoughts and ideas for all the world (and your clients) to see can be intimidating. So it might take some practice before you’re ready to take the crown as an industry expert in social media. But as you get closer, keep these tips in mind so you can wow the channels with your engagement leadership!

How to be an Engaged Leader on Social Media

  • Listen at Scale

Because we are constantly plugged into the world around us, there are a ton of voices and opinions we can tune into at any given time. The trick to quieting the deafening digital roar is to choose which voices you listen to. If you know and have set clear business objectives, you’ll discover which voices to zero in on. When you hone in on the right people, you can derive better insights for your own content and deliver meaningful information to your consumers and followers.

  • Share to Shape

Even though we don’t see our followers everyday (or ever sometimes), that doesn’t mean we don’t have a relationship with them. Our digital connection alone, is enough to constitute some sort of relationship. It’s not enough to scream product and service offerings and re-iterate your advertising message. Great leaders have excellent communication skills and it’s important that your followers and fans hear from you, personally. Now I’m not talking about sharing intimate details of your life, but share a personal experience you had with an employee every once in awhile. Do you see what I’m getting at? Sharing can be a strategic move if you do it, for instance, to show that you’re a company that cares about your employees. Am I making sense? Good!

  • Engage to Transform

That “big change” that an occur on social media that I mentioned earlier? That can also happen when leaders engage with the intent to change existing infrastructures or procedures for the better. When leaders make an effort to engage with their customers to find out their pain, problems, issues and do something about it, it’s a huge step in extending relationships, voice and starting conversations. Social gets a lot of negative press, but, in cases similar to this, it’s true value shines through because it highlights what social media can do to impact the lives of everyday people.

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