Looking to increase engagement on social media? The answer is QUESTIONS! You gotta ask ’em and answer ’em. In this post, we’ll address why asking questions will improve your social media and I’ll give you 27 questions to use to get you started!

Approach your social media captions like a conversation

The absolute best way to increase engagement and activity on your social media feeds is to approach your captions like a conversation. When you meet someone for the first time, what’s the first thing out of your mouth (besides your introduction)? Most likely, you’re asking the other person what they do, where their business is, how they heard about the event, etc. The natural ebb and flow of conversations depend on questions being asked and answered. So your social media posts should reflect a similar rhythm and cadence. And that’s why asking questions will improve your social media engagement.

Play by the rules of good conversation

Social media is SOCIAL at its core and abides by many of the same rules as social interactions. That means that if you’re not asking questions in your posts and captions, you are engaging in a very one-sided (and boring!) conversation. People lose interest quickly when someone only talks about themself and doesn’t make an effort to get to know them. Don’t be that person!

If you want to improve your engagement on social media, I recommend that you play by the rules of good conversation.

Here are my 5 Golden Rules for Good Conversations on Social Media:

1. Talk about things that interest your audience
2. Ask questions to create opportunities for others to talk about themselves
3. Listen and respond thoughtfully
4. Ask follow-up questions
5. Make it personal

Read more about these Golden Rules in this post here >>

Make sure you’re asking both personal and professional questions

Think back to the last networking event or educational opportunity you participated in. When you started talking to someone, did you only talk about business? Or did you cover personal topics as well?

Conversations rarely stick to purely business (especially in the small business world!). Topics covered could range anywhere from favorite coffee shops to your pet to networking events you’re attending and even to your personal life. You want your social media captions to mimic the natural ebb and flow of conversations, so that means asking and answering a lot of questions both personal and professional!

But remember, you don’t ONLY want to ask questions

Just like never asking questions and one-sided conversations turn your audience off, so does asking too many questions! The key is to pepper questions into your content like a fine seasoning. Don’t use too much or too little. And always pair the question with your own thoughtful answers and responses. Make sure the questions you ask are meaningful and that your answers offer value to your audience.

The best way of doing that is by pairing questions with personal stories or answers that reveal a bit of your personality, personal story or business insights.

A note of caution!

Questions are a great way to increase engagement on your social media, but again, you don’t want to make the mistake of ONLY asking questions to prompt engagement. Questions work best when they are used sporadically, mixed in with other conversational prompts.

If you need additional ideas for social media prompts that increase engagement, read my post and download my free guide, 30 Social Media Caption Ideas for Small Business Owners.

Now for the bonus: 27 Questions to Ask on Social Media to Increase Engagement

OK, now that you know that why asking questions will improve your social media, I’ve created a free downloadable list of 27 Questions to Ask on Social Media to Increase Engagement.