Is there anything more frustrating than posting what you’re *sure* is going to be social media gold, only to have it wither away with only a few likes and maybe a comment or two?

If getting engagement on social media — i.e., likes, reactions, comments, clicks, shares and saves — is a struggle for you, you’re not alone.

According to the latest data from Rival IQ, the average engagement rate per post for brands on Facebook in the last year was 0.09%. On Instagram, it was 1.22%, and on Twitter, a mere 0.045%. Yikes.

Aside from the obvious frustration, chronic lack of engagement can become a vicious cycle: the lower your past engagement rates, the less likely it is that social media algorithms will feature your posts prominently in the future — in your own followers’ feeds or anywhere else.

Need helping getting out of a slump? Here are seven actionable tips to boost your engagement rates now:

  1. Set a baseline: You’ve got to start somewhere, right? Use a free tool like the Phlanx Instagram Engagement Calculator to see what your engagement rate is now. And while you’re there, check out a few other businesses or organizations in your category to use as benchmarks.
  1. Show up consistently: Whether you’re posting three times a week, five times a week or seven days a week, be consistent. Algorithms tend to reward consistency — and your followers will, too.
  1. Create likeable, shareable and saveable content: Before you post, ask yourself two questions: “What do I want my audience to do with this?” and “If I were them and I read my post, would I do that thing?” If the answer is no, it’s time to take another look. And be sure to use a scroll-stopping image — if you want people to engage with your post, they need to notice it first!
  1. Ask questions: Can’t decide between two products to stock? Post both and ask your followers to weigh in on which they prefer. Not sure how to caption a particular image? Ask your followers to do it for you with a “caption this” or “wrong answers only” challenge. Looking to post something light on a Monday morning? Ask your followers to share how they feel about the week ahead replying only in GIFs. The lesson: ask for engagement and you shall receive.
  1. Take advantage of Instagram Story stickers: Polls, questions, quizzes and emoji sliders are easy and fun to use — and every interaction helps boost your engagement quotient in the eyes of social media algorithms.
  1. Give first in order to receive: Social media shouldn’t be a one-way conversation between you and your followers — it’s meant to be social! Make sure you’re following relevant accounts and hashtags for your business, and take time every day to engage with other people’s content in meaningful ways. The more you’re out there engaging with other people, the more likely they’ll be to engage with you.
  1. Don’t give up: At the end of the day, the numbers of likes, comments, shares and followers you have are just vanity metrics. The most important metric: is your business succeeding? You don’t need to reach everyone — you just need to reach your ideal customer or client, the person who is ready to purchase your product or service today. Show up consistently, and create likeable, shareable and saveable content for that person, and the results will follow.

Want more tips? At Good + Social, we love helping brands find creative ways to engage with their target audience on social media. Send us a message and let’s chat!