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How to Increase Engagement on Social Media: Real Tactics That Work

Crescitaly Staff

Crescitaly Staff

— 3 min read

In 2016, when TikTok didn’t exist and Instagram Stories were still a novelty, a small herbal tea brand in Milan posted a simple image of their hand-packed product. It somehow racked up over 12,000 likes. No ads. No influencers. Just timing, authenticity, and a spark of luck.

Fast forward to today—organic reach is decreasing, follower count doesn’t mean automatic visibility, and algorithms are increasingly hard to decipher. Yet, despite these challenges, marketers, creators, and entrepreneurs are achieving real, repeatable engagement across social platforms. How?

This isn't about going viral once. It’s about understanding the frameworks behind sustained social engagement. Let's break it down across the platforms that matter most right now: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Telegram.

Defining Engagement Beyond Likes and Views

Before we dive into tactics, it’s critical to define what engagement actually is. At its core, engagement is any public or private interaction your content generates. That includes:

  • Likes, comments, shares, and saves
  • DM replies and story interactions
  • Click-throughs, email signups, or purchases from posts
  • Community participation (think Telegram polls or YouTube comment threads)
"Treat your content like a conversation, not a broadcast." — Social strategist at Crescitaly

Tell Stories, Don’t Just Post

Instagram’s algorithm favors interactions. Stories that prompt DMs and sticker interactions (polls, quizzes, sliders) keep your audience active. These small taps signal relevance to Instagram.

Put Carousels to Work

According to Crescitaly's dashboard data, carousel posts outperform single-image posts by up to 30% in average engagement rate. Why? More swipes = more time-on-post = better algorithm boost.

Use Collab Posts to Hack Reach

Posting with a collaborator means your content shows up on two feeds at once. This boosts likes, saves, and cross-audience exposure. The trick is picking collab partners who share your niche—not just huge follower counts.

TikTok: Engagement Is the Game

Start with the Hook

The first 2-3 seconds of your TikTok determine whether someone will keep watching. A good hook might ask a question, tease a payoff, or spark curiosity:

  • "This is why your skincare isn’t working…”
  • "I tried working remotely from 5 countries—here’s what happened."

Leveraging trending audios or formats is vital—but don’t just copy and paste. Put your spin on it. That's what sparks comments like “This is so true” or “I didn’t even think of it that way."

Reply to Comments with New Videos

This feature is golden. Take a fan question or feedback and turn it into a post. It’s a double win: the original commenter feels valued, and others see that you’re active with your community.

YouTube Engagement: Think Beyond the Upload

Longform Is Back (Yes, Really)

While Shorts are hot, creators are seeing surprising success by leaning back into educational or story-based longform content. Videos between 8–12 minutes often hit the sweet spot for retention.

YouTube Community Tab: Underused Goldmine

Polls, images, and status updates on your Community tab can generate discussion in between video uploads. These posts don’t require editing—but they invite feedback and keep your channel sticky.

Encourage Comment Threads

Don't just ask viewers to "comment below." Ask specific questions like:

  • “What’s your favorite underrated marketing book?”
  • “Which strategy should I test next week?”

This leads to more thoughtful replies—and more replies to those replies. Hello, engagement loops.

Telegram: The Community You’ve Been Ignoring

Telegram isn't just for crypto or news groups anymore. For creators and marketers focused on high-LTV interactions, it's becoming a go-to.

Turn Channels into Two-Way Spaces

Instead of treating your Telegram channel like a broadcast feed, activate discussion features. Let followers react to posts, participate in polls, and even join group chats.

Offer What Doesn’t Exist on Social

Use Telegram to:

  • Share exclusive promotions or early content drops
  • Test product concepts with core users
  • Gather informal feedback quickly

Using Crescitaly’s advanced SMM panel, marketers have driven consistent growth on Telegram by pairing content automation with human-led group curation. It’s the mix that matters.

Common Mistakes That Kill Engagement

  • Posting and ghosting: Engagement demands responses. If someone DMs or comments, reply within 24 hours.
  • Over-editing: Raw content often performs better than over-produced video. Authenticity wins.
  • Ignoring analytics: Platforms like Crescitaly.com give detailed post-by-post metrics. Use this data to iterate.

Conclusion: Focus on Depth, Not Virality

The creators and brands winning in 2024 aren't just chasing the algorithm—they're building durable systems to engage their audience daily. That means leveraging tools like Crescitaly to identify winning content, engage thoughtfully, and scale sustainably.

If you’re trying to increase engagement on social media, don’t spread yourself thin. Master your core platform, build in public, ask better questions, and iterate based on feedback. The more human your interactions feel, the more rewarding your results.

Engagement might seem like a metric—but at its heart, it’s relationship building. Make it count.

Meta Title: How to Increase Engagement on Social Media

Meta Description: Proven strategies and tools to increase engagement on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Telegram. Real tactics every creator and marketer should know.

Tags: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube strategy, Telegram growth, SMM panel, Crescitaly, influencer marketing

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