Want more social media engagement? Research suggests changing the message, not your personality
Want more engagement on social media? Stop repeating yourself. Just don't change who you are in the process. That's according to new Case Western Reserve University research suggesting that public figures can increase engagement by varying their topics and wording while "maintaining a consistent psychological voice."
New research from Case Western Reserve University suggests that public figures can boost their social media engagement by varying their topics and wording, without altering their core personality. The study, published in the Journal of Marketing, examined over 17,000 tweets from 13 Democratic presidential candidates during the 2020 election.
Researchers Christian Hughes and Jillian Hmurovic found that candidates who discussed different subjects more frequently received about 70% more engagement, as measured by retweets. Similarly, using varied language to express ideas led to roughly one-third more retweets. However, reducing psychological consistency resulted in a 20% decrease in engagement, indicating that audiences still prefer a recognizable voice that reflects the individual.
The study emphasizes that while people appreciate fresh topics and varied expressions, they also value consistency in positivity, expressions of power, and whether someone focuses on the past, present, or future. Additionally, the research found that the most effective approach depends on the competitive context, such as primary or general elections.
While the study focused on political leaders, its findings are applicable to other public figures and brands. The researchers caution that as artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent in communication, maintaining a unique and engaging voice will be crucial for standing out in the digital space.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
