Building a Loyal Social Media Following: Tips for Authentic Engagement

Building a loyal social media following is more than just accumulating likes and shares. This article presents practical strategies for authentic engagement, drawing on insights from industry experts. Discover how to create meaningful connections, foster trust, and cultivate a community that values your content.

• Embrace Authenticity to Build Genuine Connections
• Strengthen Real Human Connections Through Interaction
• Be Consistent and Build Trust
• Solve Problems Publicly to Attract Followers
• Share Genuine Experiences to Foster Engagement
• Practice Active Listening for Authentic Connections
• Prioritize Relationship Building Over Audience Growth
• Create Sustainable Content for Your Audience
• Engage Before Posting to Build Community
• Deliver Consistent Value in Your Niche
• Lead with Empathy and Show Vulnerability
• Focus on Real Conversations, Not Algorithms
• Provide Unique Insights from Work Experience
• Treat Social Media as a Two-Way Conversation
• Share Transparent Stories to Build Trust
• Invite Audience into Your Brand Journey
• Be Genuinely Transparent and Deeply Engage

Embrace Authenticity to Build Genuine Connections

If you’re looking to build a genuine following, my advice is simple: just be yourself. Authenticity is key in a world overflowing with curated personas. Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not—embrace who you truly are.

Let your emotions shine through. If you’re feeling frustrated, let that frustration show. If sadness creeps in, acknowledge it. Celebrate your happiness openly, and don’t shy away from sharing when you’re not at your best. The reality is, social media is saturated with inauthenticity, and it can be exhausting to sift through the facade.

I’d much rather embrace my true self and admit when I’ve made mistakes than wear a mask of perfection. We all experience days filled with mixed emotions; it’s part of being human. Those who portray life as a constant state of bliss are simply not being honest.

In the end, authenticity attracts genuine connections. Let’s break down those walls and show the world our real selves. Be unstoppable, be motivated, and above all, be you!

Jimmy Clare
Professional Keynote Speaker, Podcaster, Live Stream Host, and Autism Advocate, CrazyFitnessGuy

Strengthen Real Human Connections Through Interaction

The best way to build a genuine, engaged social following—regardless of algorithm changes—is to treat your followers like a weighted graph, not a headcount. Your job isn’t to rack up likes; it’s to strengthen the real human connections (edges) between you and your community.

Here’s the method I use:

1. Identify your real supporters

Run a weekly scan of your DMs, comments, likes, and shares. Assign weights (e.g., shares = 5x likes), and tag your top 5%. These early engagers are who the algorithm looks to first—build around them.

2. Start meaningful micro-conversations

Send a short, no-ask voice note: “Hey [Name], your comment about X really made me think—how do you approach Y?” It’s not scalable, but that’s the point. One genuine, specific DM outlasts a dozen feed posts.

3. Co-create and spotlight

Turn responses into story reposts, polls, or content collaborations. If someone completes this loop 3+ times, tag them as a “co-creator.” These people become natural amplifiers—and platform-proof.

4. Maintain the graph, don’t just post

Block two 25-minute slots a day for replying to comments and messages. Use the “oldest first” rule so nobody gets ignored. Consistency builds trust—more than any hashtag trick.

Try This Today:

Voice-note 3 followers. Use their name, mention something they posted, ask one sincere question. No links, no pitch—just show up.

Do that 5 days a week, and by year’s end you’ll have 300+ real relationships. Algorithms change. Relationships stick.

Bottom line: If you build your presence around authentic interaction, not just content output, you’ll stay magnetic—no matter how the feed reshuffles.

Ahmed Yousuf
Financial Author & SEO Expert Manager, CoinTime

Be Consistent and Build Trust

Firstly, it is important to differentiate between personal and business brands.

If it’s a personal brand, the best thing you can do is be consistent and authentic. People follow you because they connect with your personality, your story, or how you see the world.

One simple tip: reply to DMs and comments as if you’re talking to a friend. That one-to-one interaction builds trust faster than any trend.

On the other hand, if it’s a business, it’s still about being human, but with a clear sense of what your brand stands for. Show the people behind the brand, give value without always expecting something in return, and don’t be afraid to have a bit of personality.

A good tip here: build a community. Whether that’s through Stories, comments, or even just consistently showing up in the same spaces as your audience.

Alex Milner
Marketing Manager, Studio This

Solve Problems Publicly to Attract Followers

As the CEO of a growth marketing company that has built social followings for over 200 clients, I’ve learned that authentic engagement stems from one counterintuitive principle: stop trying to be interesting and start being useful.

Our breakthrough occurred when we shifted from promotional content to problem documentation. Instead of polished posts about our services, we began sharing real client challenges and exact solutions. One post detailing how we reduced a client’s churn by 34% using a specific email sequence generated more qualified leads than six months of branded content.

People follow accounts that help them improve at their jobs, not accounts that merely entertain them. When you solve problems publicly, your audience becomes invested in your success because it validates their decision to follow you.

My framework: every post should answer a question your ideal client asked you this week. Document real conversations, share actual frameworks, and provide implementable solutions. Comments will transform from generic praise to detailed implementation questions.

Authentic connection happens when people think, “This person understands exactly what I’m dealing with.” Algorithm changes can’t affect content that genuinely improves people’s professional lives.

The sustainable strategy: become the person your audience wishes they could ask questions to at 2 AM.

Shantanu Pandey
Founder & CEO, Tenet

Share Genuine Experiences to Foster Engagement

My best advice? Stop trying to perform—start trying to connect. The most engaged followers I’ve ever gained came from moments where I shared what I was working through: a failed launch, a hard lesson, or the behind-the-scenes truth about building a brand. One tip that’s worked consistently? Use storytelling captions that convey a clear takeaway, and conclude with a thoughtful prompt that invites your audience to share their perspective. When people feel seen—not sold to—they stick around, and they engage because it feels like a conversation, not a campaign.

Kristin Marquet
Founder & Creative Director, Marquet Media

Practice Active Listening for Authentic Connections

People don’t follow algorithms; they follow people they trust. Build that trust first, and the algorithms will follow.

Algorithms change, but human psychology doesn’t. Focus on value-driven, human-centric content instead of gaming the system. Build relationships, not just metrics.

Key Tip for Authentic Connections: Practice Active Listening

1. Respond Thoughtfully: When someone comments, reply with more than, “Thanks!” or an emoji. Acknowledge their specific point (“Your point about X resonated because…”).

2. Ask Open-Ended Questions: Turn replies into conversations. Example: If they share a personal experience, ask: “What helped you most when navigating that?”

3. Highlight Their Insights: Feature follower comments in your content (with permission). “So many of you shared great tips about Y—here’s what @User taught me…”

4. Create “Psychological Safety”: Make your space welcoming. No shaming, sarcasm, or dismissal.

Why This Works

• Algorithms Reward Engagement Depth: Meaningful back-and-forth (vs. passive likes) signals “valuable content” to platforms.
• Builds Trust: People follow you, not trends. They’ll return even if algorithms demote your posts.
• Creates Community: Followers feel heard – become advocates – attract like-minded people.

3 Supporting Actions

1. Niche Down: Speak deeply to a specific group’s needs. “Everyone” = no one.

2. Consistency > Frequency: Better to post 1 thoughtful piece/week than 7 rushed posts.

3. Share Behind-the-Scenes: Vulnerability humanizes you (e.g., failures, processes, “why” behind your work).

Remember: Authenticity compounds. It takes patience, but the followers you attract will stick with you, not because an algorithm forces them to, but because they choose to.

Vijaya Singh
Digital Marketing and Strategy Manager, D2 Creative

Prioritize Relationship Building Over Audience Growth

Because social media algorithms are constantly changing, authenticity and providing value for the audience are of utmost importance when the aim is genuine engagement and followership. Platforms will forget temporary trends, while lasting engagement comes through content consistently delivered for their real-life interests and challenges.

My advice: Switch everyone’s mindset from “audience growth” to “relationship building.” Build your content to teach, inform, or inspire, and do it consistently and with integrity. Share your customers’ stories, what you have learned, and insights that come from a unique perspective.

Another key method: Make it a two-way street. Recognize comments, ask thought-provoking questions, and make the people behind your handle feel newly recognized. People follow people, not algorithms. You gain trust by cultivating authentic conversations and showing up consistently; trust is what any solid brand community rests on.

Yaniv Masjedi
Chief Marketing Officer, Nextiva

Create Sustainable Content for Your Audience

Algorithms change. Human connection doesn’t.

That’s the mindset I try to carry with me when showing up online. My biggest piece of advice? Don’t create content for the algorithm—make it for the person who needed to hear it today. When you speak directly to your audience’s emotional experience, especially the parts they don’t always say out loud, you build something deeper than likes: you build trust.

One tip? Show up consistently in a way that feels sustainable for you. That could mean one thoughtful post a week, paired with daily Story check-ins or a carousel that blends value and vulnerability. And always—always—respond to comments and DMs like you’re talking to a friend. Authentic engagement builds a loyal community far more powerfully than any growth hack ever could.

Angela Ficken
Psychotherapist and Entrepreneur, Progress Wellness

Engage Before Posting to Build Community

I believe the smartest way to build a genuine and engaged following is to show up consistently with real value, not just content. Algorithms will always change, but trust is algorithm-proof.

One tip that works over and over again is to engage before you post. Spend 15 to 20 minutes leaving thoughtful comments on other people’s posts in your niche. Not emojis or surface-level replies, but real observations, questions, or support. It signals that you are part of the conversation, not just broadcasting to it.

That kind of consistent, human interaction builds community. People start recognizing your name, replying to your posts, and sharing your work. Authenticity is not just about what you say; it is about how you show up for others. Do that, and you will build a following that sticks, no matter what the algorithm does.

Vaibhav Kishnani
Founder & CEO, Content-Whale

Deliver Consistent Value in Your Niche

As someone who built my audience around a technical niche, I’ve learned that building a real, engaged following has very little to do with gaming the algorithm and everything to do with consistency and clarity.

My best advice? Focus on being the person your audience knows they can count on for one specific thing.

For me, that meant showing up consistently with clear, practical advice around scraping, automation, and building backend systems for scale.

I don’t try to be trendy. I try to be useful. And that has built more trust than any viral post ever could.

To foster authentic connections, I make it a habit to respond to real questions, even the small ones, and turn them into mini content lessons. This loop of engagement is what keeps people coming back. It shows I’m listening, and it gives people a reason to keep the conversation going.

Always remember that algorithms change all the time, but when people associate your name with helpfulness, they’ll seek you out any way possible.

Build that trust, and the platform can’t take it away.

Cahyo Subroto
Founder, MrScraper

Lead with Empathy and Show Vulnerability

If you want to build a genuine and engaged following on social media—regardless of algorithm changes—you need to treat your audience like a community, not just a number. What’s worked best for me is leading with empathy and consistency.

I started sharing not just polished insights or success stories, but also the messy middle: the hard lessons, the pivots, the behind-the-scenes moments. People relate to vulnerability far more than perfection. For example, when I posted about a launch that didn’t go as planned and shared what I learned from it, the engagement and DMs I got were far deeper than when I posted polished wins.

Another practical tip: I dedicate time every day to reply to comments and DMs and comment meaningfully on others’ posts—especially within my niche. Not with, “Great post!” but with actual thoughts, questions, or encouragement. Over time, people remember that you’re showing up, not just promoting.

And don’t underestimate the power of video. Whether it’s stories, short clips, or casual lives, video brings personality in a way static posts often can’t. I’ve seen even short clips sharing a quick thought or question get people to open up and engage more personally.

If I had to sum it up: listen more than you speak, share like you’re talking to a friend, and show up consistently—even when the metrics dip. That’s how real connection grows.

Oleh Stupak
CEO & Co-Founder, Mgroup Shopify Agency

Focus on Real Conversations, Not Algorithms

If you want genuine followers that actually care, stop thinking about the algorithm. I’ve found that the more I focused on being useful and honest, the more people stuck around.

What helped me most was showing up like I would in a one-on-one chat. I reply to comments, answer DMs properly, and talk about things that actually matter to the people I want to reach. Not just wins, but the stuff that didn’t go to plan too.

Most of my posts now come from real conversations I’ve had during the week. If someone asks a good question, I turn that into a post. It keeps things grounded and real.

People connect with people, not content calendars. If you make it about connection instead of performance, the right people will follow, no matter what the algorithm’s doing.

Nirmal Gyanwali
Website Designer, Nirmal Web Design Studio

Provide Unique Insights from Work Experience

The most sustainable approach to building an engaged following is consistent value delivery through your unique perspective. Instead of chasing trending topics or algorithm hacks, focus on sharing insights from your actual work experience and observations. People follow accounts that consistently teach them something useful or help them think differently about their challenges.

My strategy revolves around the “80/20 rule”: 80% valuable content that helps your audience, 20% personal insights or behind-the-scenes content that builds connection. Document your learning process, share mistakes and lessons, and respond thoughtfully to comments within 24 hours. Authenticity beats perfection every time.

The best tip for fostering genuine connections is to engage meaningfully with others before expecting engagement back. Spend 20 minutes daily commenting substantively on posts from people in your field, not generic “great post!” responses, but adding your own experience or asking thoughtful questions. This builds real relationships rather than transactional follows.

One approach that’s worked consistently is creating “response content”: when someone asks a good question in comments, turn your detailed answer into a standalone post and credit them. This shows you value your community’s input while creating content that directly addresses your audience’s interests. Genuine engagement compounds because people remember who actually contributed to their thinking.

Brandon George
Director of Demand Generation & Content, Thrive SEO Agency

Treat Social Media as a Two-Way Conversation

I believe that the most reliable way to build a genuine and engaged following on social media is to treat it like a conversation, not a campaign.

One tip that works consistently is showing up with consistency and context. Instead of broadcasting content, focus on replying to comments, joining relevant threads, and tagging people where credit is due. When people feel seen and valued, they come back—not just for the content, but for the interaction.

Forget chasing every algorithm change. Build a rhythm around posting valuable insights, asking thoughtful questions, and actually responding. We’ve seen more engagement from replying to five users meaningfully than from posting a perfectly designed graphic.

Authenticity is not a tone. It is showing up like a real person. And the people who do that always win, no matter how the algorithm shifts.

Vivek Nair
Co-Founder, BotGauge

Share Transparent Stories to Build Trust

Growing a genuine and engaged social media following starts with consistent, authentic engagement that provides real value.

We prioritize transparency and value-driven content to connect with aspiring franchisees. Sharing real stories, like our podcast “How I Franchised This,” lets potential franchise owners hear firsthand experiences, building trust and creating a community of informed entrepreneurs.

By focusing on meaningful interactions and offering valuable insights, we’ve built a following that aligns with our mission and values rather than fleeting trends.

Alex Smereczniak
Co-Founder & CEO, Franzy

Invite Audience into Your Brand Journey

Following best practices is just the baseline. Lasting engagement comes when you invite your community into a genuine brand journey that can withstand algorithm changes, economic shifts, and cultural trends.

Much of today’s social engagement content focuses on chasing trends and virality. While this has short-term value, it’s the deeper, long-term relationship with your customer base that will foster loyalty. What is your brand working towards, and how does it captivate your audience’s values? My first tip is to know this on a deep level. Don’t stop at “Gen Z Beauty Enthusiasts,” but pursue a more specific understanding of their stories, values, and the creators they follow before you align your own brand mission.

Then, continue to keep your brand story fresh through relevant formats. Emotional branded videos or stills can keep your fans engaged with the latest brand news; leverage creators to help others experience your brand from a new, personalized perspective. Take the risk to humanize your brand with memes that merge culture and your values. Furthermore, ensure your brand encourages a two-way conversation by incorporating customer feedback, moderating more personally, and listening to the niche groups enjoying your brand. This intentionality will attract the most faithful followers because real connections are built together through consistent, purposeful interactions.

MacKenzi Nelson
Art Director, Helen + Gertrude

Be Genuinely Transparent and Deeply Engage

To build a genuine and engaged following on social media that withstands constant algorithm shifts, my biggest advice is simple yet powerful: be genuinely transparent. I’ve found that openly sharing both successes and setbacks invites people into a real conversation—something deeper than surface-level engagement. When you show vulnerability, admit mistakes, or simply express genuine excitement, you become relatable and human. Followers appreciate seeing authenticity and real emotion because it mirrors their own experiences.

Beyond this transparency, consistently interacting with your community matters tremendously. Listen, respond thoughtfully, and encourage meaningful conversations rather than simply chasing likes and views. Engaging deeply with your audience’s comments, messages, and stories helps build trust and genuine connections. Over time, this approach naturally cultivates an authentic community around your content—one that stays loyal regardless of how social media platforms tweak their algorithms.

Bruno Bašić
Gtm, DualEntry