In Social Media, What is Engagement?

For me, this is a big question.  I have my own opinion of course, but let's look at this issue.

I see many articles and blog discussions on this topic.  Many center on engagement being about how many "Likes" are attributed to a brand page or a specific post on a brand page.  Similarly people also look at how many shares a post has, to judge whether or not there is engagement.

I look at engagement differently however.  Let's go old school for a moment while I dust off the old 'New Collins Dictionary" and look up engage. There are 11 different definitions, some related to marriage, but here is the one relevant to this discussion: "to involve (a person or his attention) intensely."  If I look at engagement, the definition relevant to this discussion is: "a promise, obligation, or other condition that binds."

When we look at these definitions then, it becomes more apparent that engagement in  is much more than a "Like" or a "share".  A like does not involve two or more people being intensely involved in anything.  A "Like" doesn't involve an obligation or a promise to do anything.  I can say that I "like" Land Rovers, but I have no connection to the brand or any individual behind the brand.  I am  simply stating, here in this blog post, that I "like" Land Rovers.  Even if I visited their Facebook page once in my entire life and liked the page, what does that mean?  I may never return to the page and more importantly I may never buy a Land Rover.  My preference in "dream car" might change as well.  It has before.  So, while "Likes" are nice, it does not, in my opinion, mean engagement.

The other side of that equation is how does a brand respond/engage with someone who likes them?  Do they say "thank you for liking us?"  Probably not.  So, again there is no real engagement.

For me, engagement really comes down to people interacting with one another.  It is about a relationship.  It is about a conversation or multiple conversations.  Hmmm...what does this sound like?  It sounds like the goal and objective behind social media. In the words of Erik Qualman, it is about relationships and not technology.  The technology is just making it easier for us to connect as people.  Engagement is all about someone responding to a post and either asking or question or starting a discussion. Sharing a post comes a little closer to engagement. It is assumed that the person sharing was interested enough in the post to share with his or her friends/followers.  


I stress that engagement is about the relationship and wanting people that you care about to read something that could be relevant/helpful to them.  It is about them conversing with you about your brand, your product or even the friendship that you have developed.  Engagement is a relationship.  

Do you agree or disagree with my definition on engagement? 

For more reading on social media, check out The Ostrich Effect.  

3 Communications Lessons Learned from Miss Ann and Romper Room

Firstly, I apologize to my younger friends.  They didn't have the pleasure of meeting Miss Ann and being a part of Romper Room everyday and therefore missed out on these experiences.  However, now that Wikipedia is back up - thankfully- you can learn about Romper Room by visiting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romper_Room.

Now back to Miss Ann and what she taught me:

1.  Always listen - she was amazing to not only listen to the little people in her studio, but she also listened to her little viewers too.  I can't tell you how many kids I knew that sent letters to Miss Ann.  By listening she was absolutely loved by all kids, whether you were in the studio or not.  Of course this brings me to my next lesson learned.

2.   Always recognize others - how many of you gathered around your television at the end of the show with anticipation and the hope that she would call your name?  For those not familiar, at the end of each show Miss Ann would pick up a mirror - with no glass of course and like the picture you see here- and look into it and say, I see Danny, I see Steve, I see Donna and I see Heather.  Wow and YAHOO when she said your name.  It was like she could ACTUALLY see you. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world.  Lesson learned?  Remember to always recognize others.  Whether we seek the lime light or not, it is human nature to want to be a part of something.

3.  Be a good sharer - Miss Ann was wonderful at telling stories.  She captivated her young audience and made us feel included in who she was as a person, even though we never really met her.  She told us stories and shared experiences.  It was all good.  Lesson learned?  We can all share different tidbits of our lives with others, but when we come across something that might be useful to help another person, we should definitely share with others.  By doing so, we are building a relationship, even with strangers.

So, I thank Romper Room and I thank Miss Ann (who passed away a couple of years ago) for making positive lasting impressions on thousands of children!

Do you have a Romper Room memory you would like to share?