Are you broadening or deepening engagement on social media?

If you want an instant gauge of how strategically you're using social media, see if you can answer this one critical question:

Are you trying to broaden your engagement, or are you trying to deepen it?

While there are many other questions you could ask to assess your strategy, this is a great starting point. It’s a question that forces you to define your core social media objective—and the answer to it shapes everything that follows.

Broaden engagement to increase awareness

For organisations like health departments, police, and disaster management agencies, broadening engagement is typically the priority. These entities need to speak with as many people as possible, as their messages often contain critical information that affects the safety and well-being of entire communities.

Whether it’s guidance on public health during a pandemic, updates on a natural disaster, or alerts about a public safety threat, these organisations have a responsibility to reach all demographics. Broad awareness isn’t just a goal—it’s a necessity.

To achieve this, their content needs to be wide-reaching, often relying on formats and messaging that catch attention quickly and hold it. Content that resonates broadly tends to be more entertaining or visually striking—think funny videos or shareable memes—designed to engage a broad audience with limited time or attention span.

But beyond simply sharing information, these organisations also need to build and maintain large audiences. During an emergency, a well-connected social media network can be mobilised to (literally) save lives. By growing their followers and engaging them consistently, these agencies are better positioned to respond effectively when it counts the most.

Deepen engagement to build loyalty and connection

On the other hand, deepening engagement is more about building a meaningful relationship with a focused audience. This approach is ideal for organisations, businesses, or causes that benefit from cultivating a tight-knit community. It’s about connecting more intimately with a smaller group of people who are invested in your message or mission.

Take niche industries, non-profits, or community organisations—these groups thrive on trust, loyalty, and advocacy. For them, having a massive audience might not be as valuable as having a highly engaged, active group of supporters who are more likely to take action, donate, or advocate on their behalf. This audience wants substance, depth, and a reason to stay.

The content strategy here is different—it’s less about broad appeal and more about creating highly relevant, in-depth, or exclusive content that adds significant value to your audience’s specific interests. It could involve deep dives into topics, longer-form posts, insider updates, or tailored community engagement events.

For organisations that focus on deepening engagement, success is measured by the quality of interactions, not just the quantity. Are people commenting, sharing thoughtful feedback, or participating in meaningful discussions? Are they advocating for your brand or cause on their own social channels?

Why the answer to this question matters

The answer to whether you're broadening or deepening engagement can set the direction for your entire social media strategy. It can impact your tone, the type of content you produce, whether you’re playing in the culture space, and which metrics you track.

• If you're broadening engagement, you might aim for high visibility and large-scale reach. Your key metrics will likely include impressions, reach, and follower count.

• If you're deepening engagement, your focus might shift to engagement rate, comments, feedback, and repeat interactions.

Neither approach is inherently better than the other. It’s all about alignment with your objectives. Many organisations (including a lot of councils) will benefit from a balance between the two, but being clear on which is your priority will ensure that your content and approach are effective and (my fave word at the moment) intentional.

So, before you rip into that next strategy session, ask yourself: Are we trying to reach more people, or are we trying to connect more deeply with the ones we already have?

Answer that, and you’ll be well on your way to a more strategic and focused social media presence.

What do you reckon? Comment below or email me@seamus.nz