Does this sound familiar? You’re posting on social media 3-4 (maybe 5) times a week, but you’re getting nothing but crickets. Each post feels like you’re screaming out into the void.
The problem probably isn’t your content. It’s how you’re presenting it.
If you want to boost your engagement, you need to get people’s attention and keep them hooked. And it’s not as complicated as you may think to do this.
I’m going to break it down step by step to show you how to reach more people, build your community and create the impact you’re meant to create.
Short on time? Watch my video instead: https://youtu.be/asFglTg_Kpc
But First…
Before we get into the tactics of it all, it’s super important to understand one thing: social media today is interest-based. It’s not follower-based.
That’s an amazing thing for you because prior to this change, it was all about follower counts. Content was primarily shown to your followers. This meant that new creators or people with smaller follower bases had a harder time reaching more people.
Today, your content can be seen by any user who may be interested in your topic. It doesn’t matter if you have 10 followers or 100,000. Everyone has a chance at getting their content seen today.
Now, with that out of the way, let’s dive into how you can improve your reach and engagement.
4 Ways to Boost Your Social Media Engagement in 2026
1. Hooks That Stop the Scroll
If your goal is to get more engagement, the first thing you need to think about is how you get someone to stop and consume your content.
How do you stop the scroll?
Think about this: what state of mind are you in when you’re scrolling on your phone? If you’re like me (and most other people), you’re probably:
- Sitting on the couch
- Waiting in line at the store to check out
- At the gym on the treadmill
- Taking a moment to unwind before bed
There are so many thoughts going through our minds when we’re scrolling that we need something to pull us out of that trance-like state and grab our attention.
For this to happen, you need a strong hook.
Now, there are two parts to a hook:
- A visual element
- A written element
Let’s start with the visual.
Movement can be a great visual hook. This could look like you:
- Sitting down in a chair
- Picking up your phone
- Spinning around really fast
- Using a whiteboard or something similar
The goal is to get the viewer to be like, “Whoa, okay, what is happening?”
The written element should evoke curiosity.
Let’s say that your video’s thumbnail says “Are we doomed?” That immediately hooks someone in.
Are we doomed? Why? What’s going to happen?
People are going to watch that video because they’re curious.
Now, hooks don’t have to be clickbaity or misleading. But you do want someone to think, “Should I stick around and continue the story?”
A good hook will get people to say, “Yes, I should.”
Let me give you another example.
Instead of saying, “Hey, here are three ways to save on taxes,” you’d say, “Here are three things we did to help our client save $X on taxes.”
That second hook? It’s really specific. Anyone watching it will think, “Okay, how did they do it? I want to know.”
That’s how you get people to stop scrolling and consume your content.
2. Build Connections Through Storytelling
We’ve pulled the person in. Now what? Your next goal is to build a connection with them.
You’ve hooked them into your story, so how do you make that connection? Do you want to make them feel inspired? Motivated? Do you want them to feel like they learned something because you educated them?
You want that person to walk away saying, “Okay, this is a good thought to consider,” or “This is a good strategy to implement.” You want to make them better in some way after they consume your content, even if that’s just to entertain them.
So many firms overlook this critical step. They think about their content as a path from content to sales.
Think about it this way: people are not on social media to see ads.
So, instead of promoting outright, pull people in through storytelling.
For example, you could share a story about how a business increased revenue but they still had low profitability, so you helped them eliminate products that weren’t as profitable and restructure things to improve their performance.
If I’m a business owner and I’m in a similar situation, you’re going to have my attention. I’m going to be hooked in, and I may even take the next step to contact you.
To get similar results, I want you to think about the stories you have to share and the changes you’ve made for your clients.
Think about your own life. What’s going on in your day-to-day? What’s changed for you?
Sharing these stories is how you build trust with potential clients. Because people want to work with people they trust, especially in the accounting industry.
Beyond client outcomes, you should also share content that helps people get to know you. Tell people:
- Why you started your firm
- Why you’re on this journey
- Why you do what you do
If you start with a strong hook and follow that up by building a connection, you’ll be well on your way to improving your engagement on social media.
3. Experiment with Different Topics and Ideas
Now, the next step is to experiment with different topics and ideas. The goal is to answer this important question: What does my audience like?
I’m talking about the audience you already have and the one you want to build and reach.
What types of topics interest them?
Once you have an idea, take that concept and rework it.
Here’s an example. I recently shared a post talking about why people follow you. It was just a photo of me with text, and people liked it. So, what I did was film a video with the same concept. Then, I created a carousel on the same topic, but it was just a swipe through.
If you can take the same post, the same idea and rework its formats, this is one way to experiment with your content.
You can also test new hooks on it or a new spin. Add a different story.
Once you find what your audience likes, double down on it and create multiple versions in numerous formats. Not only are you creating engaging content this way, but you’re also experimenting to see what types of content and topics work best for you.
Something to consider here is a post I recently saw from Caleb Ralston about how clips, when you pull them from long forms, may have a really good idea, but it’s not presented in the right way.
You can find really good ideas from long-form clips, but you may need to recreate and repackage them in a way that lands better.
Try experimenting with content in this way, too.
4. Amplify with Paid Ads
Now, here is the final piece of the puzzle. You have a piece of content that works really well. You’re recreating it, repurposing it, doubling down with different hooks, angles and formats.
To boost your engagement even more, you can amplify its performance with paid ads.
Organic and paid can and often do work well together.
We have clients that have never touched paid ads and are getting amazing results. But there are also some people who are like, “Hey, I want to do this faster, or I have this piece of content that went viral. People really like it, so let’s supercharge it.”
Here is where paid ads really shine.
They reach more people. They help you build your following. And on platforms like Instagram, there are different types of ads you can run.
- Ones to get people to DM you
- Ones to increase your followers
- Ones to get people to sign up on a lead form
There are so many different types of ads you can implement based on your goals to not only reach the right people but get them to take a specific action, too.
The Takeaway
To improve your social media engagement, you really need to take a multi-prong approach. Hook people in. Build a connection. Find what works for your audience, and drill down on it. Repurpose and reformat to maximize your reach and engagement.
If you’re not sure where to start with this type of strategy or what may work best for your firm, we can help you with that.
Book a consultation with us. We’ll have a quick chat to see if we’re a good fit to help you reach your goals.
