10 Proven Tactics to Increase Social Media Engagement for Your Brand

Spray and pray tactics are a thing of the past if what you want is social media engagement. 

B2C and B2B audiences are becoming increasingly sophisticated consumers of social content. They can spot generic posts, AI-generated content, and recycled tactics from a mile away. 

But while most social marketers still want engagement, most are using outdated playbooks that generate vanity metrics instead of results.

Today we’ll look beyond the basic tips and tricks to provide you platform-specific approaches that will help you drive meaningful engagement.

What do we mean by social media engagement?

Social media engagement is the full spectrum of interactions between your audience and your brand’s social presence, from passive consumption to active participation. 

Likes, shares, and comments still matter, but true engagement goes further. It’s when someone saves your post for future use, shares it with their team, or weaves your insights into their own content. Think an executive screenshotting your data visualization for a board meeting, or a manager adapting your framework into their team’s workflow.

For B2B brands, engagement is also a trust signal. 

Each meaningful interaction strengthens your brand’s relationship with potential customers, and moves them closer to a decision. Consistent engagement shows prospects you understand their challenges and helps them self-qualify.

Strong engagement also drives business outcomes. It can improve algorithmic reach and lower paid acquisition costs. It compounds over time as employees become advocates, customers become case studies, and your content becomes an industry reference point.  

So how do you get that kind of engagement? 

10 Tactics to Boost Social Media Engagement for Your Brand

To help you level up your social media engagement, we’ve pulled together 10 strategies that increase engagement and drive business impact. The insights come straight from Foundation’s Senior Social Specialist, Ari Paulin, who manages B2B social strategies across multiple platforms. 

Drawing from real client work and hands-on testing, Ari shares what actually works when building engagement, and what to avoid.

Want to jump ahead? Here are the 10 strategies we’ll explore:

• Choose the Right Channel for Your Audience
• Craft Scroll-Stopping Hooks
• Create Platform-Optimized Visual Content
• Remix and Repurpose Top Longform Content
• Optimize Posting Cadence for Maximum Social Media Engagement
• Use Humour and Trends Strategically (with Caution)
• Build Engagement Through Intentional Interactions
• Leverage Platform-Native Features
• Match Your Content to Each Platform’s Culture
• Measure What Actually Matters

Before we dive in, remember that you need to apply these tactics within your brand’s context, industry, and audience. Some will drive stronger results than others. As Ari notes, “not everything suits every brand.”

With that in mind, let’s look at the 10 plays shaping B2B social media engagement right now.

1. Choose the Right Channel for Your Audience

The first step is simple: make sure you’re on the same platform as your audience. If you’re not sure, stop right now and confirm with audience research tools like SparkToro. Posting to the wrong platform means wasted effort, no matter how strong the content. Tools like this allow you to regularly monitor how your audience shows up across different social media channels, something that built-in platform analytics can’t do.

Your specific platform mix will depend on industry, audience, and whether you’re B2B or B2C. For a quick snapshot, here’s what Sprout Social reports about the major players: 

• Instagram: Gen Z’s and Millenials’ favourite social media platform, the mix of static images, videos, and reels is used by over 2 billion people.
  
• TikTok: The short-form video platform is used by over 2 billion people and is a leading source of product (77%) and news (63%) information among Gen Z. 
• LinkedIn: The most popular professional network, with over 1 billion members, including over 10+ million business executives.
• Reddit: Over 400 million information-hungry, tech-savvy users who self-select into topic specific communities .
• X/Twitter: Over 600 million users with a strong presence from the tech and SaaS community.

The demographics of these platforms are constantly shifting. For instance, the team at The Drum reports that a TikTok campaign helped CDW, a B2B IT service company, beat their traffic targets by 182%. 

“If you know who you’re talking to and you choose the right channel, then the rest will follow…. But you have to adapt your message so it aligns with the channel.”

-Ari Paulin, Senior Social Specialist, Foundation

2. Craft Scroll-Stopping Hooks

The first line of your post decides whether people keep reading or scroll past. To pull them in, you need a hook that sparks curiosity, delivers value, or provokes emotion.

There’s an art and science to effective hooks. You need to know your audience’s needs and tap into them in a sentence or less. Three formats work especially well:

• Data/Insight Hook: Start with a stat or data point that proves the value of your content.

• Question Hook: Open with a thought-provoking question your audience wants answered.

• Contrarian Hook: Lead with a hot take that challenges assumptions and sparks discussion. 

Remember, visuals matter too. The image or video paired with your copy should grab attention as quickly as the words do.

A few best practices:

• Make the first 125 characters count (that’s what shows before “see more”).
• Put the value upfront, save context for the body or comments. 
• Keep it clear and concise.
• Test different angles for the same content (3 versions over 45 days can reveal what works best for your audience).

Over time, this testing builds a dataset you can use to refine future hooks and consistently increase engagement.  

3. Create Platform-Optimized Visual Content

Visuals play a massive role in driving social media engagement, but not every platform values them equally. TikTok and Instagram that are inherently visual and reward video-first brands. LinkedIn, Reddit, and X use a mix of formats. 

The formats worth prioritizing are: 

• Carousels: The golden child of brand accounts on LinkedIn and Instagram. They require active participation and reveal exactly engagement drops off. 

• Infographics: Clean, data-rich visuals with strong titles that tell a clear and compelling story.

• Screenshots: Quick, cost-effective content, especially when showing analytics dashboards or familiar interfaces. 

All you need is access to a Canva or Adobe account. 

• Short Form Videos: Short snippets of video that provide information or entertainment in ~30 seconds, are mobile-friendly, and have a much lower budget. 

Video content creation may feel resource-intensive, but it doesn’t have to be. A single 90 minute interview with an executive or subject matter expert can yield enough video content for a quarter. No need for fancy scripts or studios. Just prepare smart questions, record in good lighting with a clear mic, and cut into short segments.

Plenty of brands also see good engagement with company- and culture-centric content like “a day in the life of a…” or office lifestyle content. It’s a good way to humanize your presence.

4. Remix and Repurpose Top Longform Content

Repurposing your top content is a perfect way to fill out your social calendar. Blog posts, ebooks, webinars, and demos can all be broken down into smaller assets that fuel engagement across platforms.

Repurposing works because the content has already proven audience interest. One strong asset can generate dozens of posts.

For example, a data-rich report can become:

• A LinkedIn native article
• Infographics/carousels for Instagram
• 3+ Reddit posts

Webinars and product demos can be repackaged into:

• A 30-second preview video for LinkedIn
• A 5-10 minute educational YouTube video
• Multiple <1 minute snippets for TikTok

To structure this at scale, Ari Paulin uses the 40-40-10-5-5 approach for B2B brands with large content libraries: 

This content distribution strategy keeps your social calendar full of high-quality, low-lift content that consistently drives engagement.  

5. Optimize Your Posting Cadence

Social media algorithms reward more content, but posting more often isn’t always better. The sweet spot for most B2B brands is around five posts per week — enough to maintain visibility without overwhelming your audience or sacrificing quality.

A sample schedule:

• Monday: Thought leadership content that positions your executives and brand as industry authorities.
• Tuesday-Thursday (peak engagement): High-value assets like reports, case studies, and data visualizations.
• Friday: Lighter content on company culture or celebrating team wins.

Consistency matters far more than volume. Posting three times a week on a reliable schedule is better than flooding feeds one week and going silent the next. An inactive profile raises questions about a brand’s relevance.

Tools like Buffer, Metricool, or native schedulers help you post at the right times and track engagement patterns. 

But social media isn’t a one-way street. You need to respond to posts in a timely manner — especially on Instagram and TikTok — to build a community. 

According to HootSuite, 41% of organizations are testing proactive social media engagement strategies by engaging with posts from relevant niches. The first 12-24 hours are critical to engagement:

6. Use Humour and Trends Strategically (with Caution)

Smartphone-native generations now dominate social platforms, and it’s changing how brands communicate. On LinkedIn, nearly half of all users are 25-34, followed by 18-24 (29%) and 35-54 (21%).

But not every B2B company should use memes. As Ari Paulin notes, “Only use what suits your brand.” When humour lands, it builds connection and memorability brilliantly. 

Brands like Hootsuite, SEMrush, and Social Insider mix analytics with humour to make complex topics entertaining. “They share a lot of analytics and data, but still, they just find a way to be so funny and silly,” says Ari.

Safe approaches to humour in B2B include: 

• Self-deprecating jokes about industry struggles 
• Customer success celebrations that spotlight wins without bragging
• Industry-specific observations your audience will immediately recognize and relate to

Trendjacking — tying your brand to a pop culture moment — can also work, but timing is critical. You usually have a 24–48 hour window before a trend becomes stale. And each platform has its own culture: what feels natural on TikTok or Instagram may fall flat on LinkedIn.

7. Build Engagement Through Intentional Interactions

The conventional wisdom is that the more active you are on social media, the more engagement you’ll get. But with AI slop invading all corners of the internet, people are looking for more thoughtful, human content. 

Today’s audiences can spot generic, automated responses immediately, and they’re increasingly selective about their attention and trust. 

Every post and comment should have an educational, entertaining, or empowering angle that provides value. Former Foundationite and current content strategist at Influent Social, Leigha Henderson, has a great formula for building an audience with intention: 

Practical ways to do this:

• Target relevant accounts by tagging them directly. Engage with complementary brands and thought leaders in your space, and prioritize those that are responsive. HootSuite data shows that comments get 1.6x more engagement when the original poster responds. 
• Leverage employees. Cross-amplification between company and personal accounts boosts reach, especially in early growth stages. This works particularly well on LinkedIn, but it applies to Instagram and TikTok as well. 

Intentional engagement signals authenticity, strengthens relationships, and makes it easier for your content to spark meaningful conversations.

8. Leverage Platform-Native Features

Social media platforms prioritize content that keeps users on-site. Using native features is one of the fastest ways to expand organic reach and engagement.

Here are some of the biggest platform-native features that can help boost social media engagement (when used correctly): 

Instagram

• Reels: Short-form video feature optimized for discovery, with trending audio and creative edits to reach broad new audiences. Interactive elements like comments and likes drive additional engagement.
• Stories: Temporary content with polls, questions, sliders, direct links, and behind-the-scenes access to spark immediate reactions and real-time audience feedback.
• Live: Real-time video broadcasts for Q&As, launches, or events. Offers instant audience interaction and increases community trust and loyalty.
• Channels: Dedicated message threads to broadcast updates and share exclusive content directly. Encourage direct engagement and repeat visits.

You can learn more about these features on the Instagram for Creators site. 

TikTok

• Studio: Analytics dashboard for managing performance insights, multiple accounts, post scheduling, and receiving creative growth recommendations.
• Playlists: Theme-based content collections that streamline navigation and encourage audience binge-watching. Increase total views, session duration, and retention rates.
• Creator Search Insights: Personalized data on what your audience is looking for. Enables data-driven content decisions and topic optimization for organic discovery.
• Trend Discovery: Tools to track popular audio, hashtag, and formats. Allows you to capitalize on viral moments and increase content exposure.

You can find a full list of features at the TikTok Creative Academy.

LinkedIn

• Native Articles: Thought leadership content in shorter formats (500-1,000 words) that establishes authority while potentially improving visibility in search results.
• Native Video: Direct video uploads that consistently outperform YouTube links in the algorithm, maximizing reach and engagement within the platform.
• LinkedIn Newsletter: Strategic newsletter publishing with multiple optimization approaches for building subscriber relationships and thought leadership.
• LinkedIn Live: Real-time video broadcasting to your network, enabling live interaction and expanded reach through authentic engagement.

You can learn more about these features on the LinkedIn Creator Tools hub. 

Reddit

Engagement here works differently. It depends on authentic contributions within niche communities. For a deeper dive, see our guide on Reddit marketing.

Mastering these features ensures your content gets preference in platform algorithms and positions your brand as active, relevant, and in-tune with how audiences consume content today.

9. Match Your Content to Each Platform’s Culture

Social media isn’t monolithic. What works on one platform may flop on another, and it takes research and testing to see what resonates.

Ari Paulin experienced this firsthand when she tested the same Cardi-B meme across LinkedIn and TikTok. The LinkedIn post drew little engagement; the TikTok version earned more than 40,000 views.

“I posted on the same day with the exact same content. The same post that has almost no engagement on LinkedIn has over 50,000 views on TikTok. So it depends on the platform and who you’re talking to.“

Each social media platform has its own distinct culture, communication style, and user expectations:

• TikTok is the bleeding edge of social media trends and an educational space for video-first learners.
• Instagram continues to excel at visual storytelling and behind-the-scenes content.
• LinkedIn has evolved into “professional but loosening up” territory. It’s a space for thought leadership and industry insights with increasing room for personality. 
• Reddit thrives on authentic, value-first contributions within highly niched communities.
• X remains the home of quick takes, breaking news, threaded conversations, and (of course) controversy. 

A great way to see how your content plays across these platforms is through testing systematically.  Compare content formats across platforms to see what sticks and refine your approach over time.

10. Measure What Actually Matters

Focus on social media metrics tied to business outcomes — don’t get lost in the hunt for likes, comments, and follows. High bounce rates from social traffic are completely normal. People are browsing, not buying, when they’re scrolling through their feeds. 

What matters is the quality of followers you’re attracting. Track whether new followers match your ICP, and prioritize engagement from decision-makers at target accounts.

Asset sharing, for instance, consistently drives higher-quality followers than generic engagement bait because it attracts people actively seeking professional resources.

Useful social media KPIs help you understand what’s really working. Here are the ones to track, according to Sprout Social: 

• LinkedIn: Engagement rate, follower growth rate, click-through rate (CTR), impressions, conversion rate.
• Instagram: Engagement rate, follower growth rate, reach, shares & saves, clicks/story link clicks.
• TikTok: Average watch time, engagement rate, video completion rate, impressions/views, follower growth rate.
• Reddit: Upvotes/engagement, mentions/brand volume, audience sentiment, subreddit activity & growth, traffic to site.
• X/Twitter: Engagement rate, impressions, volume of mentions, share of voice, profile visits.

For B2B brands selling on social, focus on signals of real interest: profile views from ICP companies, meaningful comments, and clicks to pricing or demo pages.

The attribution challenge is still tricky. Platforms penalize external links, and traffic often shows up incorrectly (e.g., LinkedIn as “referral”).

Use UTMs consistently with clear naming conventions to improve accuracy. 

Transform Your Social Media Strategy Now

Following every new trend or posting more frequently might feel productive, but it doesn’t guarantee meaningful engagement. 

The tactics in this guide are starting points, not silver bullets. The brands winning on social media today know their unique strengths and play to them, instead of trying to be everything to everyone. They expand their presence strategically across platforms, build community, and turn engagement into pipeline.

Ready to take your social strategy to that level? Get in touch with Foundation, the leading social media marketing agency for B2B.