Posting on social media is a straightforward way to build a following and find fans. However, it takes practice and effort to keep people engaged once they’ve found your content so they’ll keep following you and possibly buy your products or services . Heliya Khazaei is a TikTok and social media star, and she’s here to share her five actionable tips for keeping your audience engaged on social media.

Post frequently.

Firstly, you need to regularly post content on your TikTok or other social media profile. The more videos or posts you put out, the more chances your followers will see them on their congested feeds. “When I’m having trouble putting out new content, I create a post calendar,” said Heliya Khazaei. “I figure out how many posts to make a day, then figure out how to make that a reality.” You can change up the type of things you post, as long as they’re interesting to your audience. Don’t post just to post; have something to say.

Make use of trending topics.

On TikTok, it’s important to follow the new trends so you can make videos relevant to your audience. You can also duet videos of other creators to add to the discussion or share your opinion. “When something new comes out, everyone wants to see more of it,” said Heliya Khazaei. “Try to identify what’s hot right now and make content around that.”

Create a community.

On some sites, it’s possible to encourage your followers to engage with each other. They can find like-minded people because they both connect with you. Encourage comments and consider making a Facebook group or other place for your fans. “If you can get your fans to make their own content about you, you’re getting attention without having to make your own posts. This word-of-mouth can be extremely valuable.”

Respond to comments.

It’s vital to ensure your audience knows that you hear them, especially when you’re first starting. Respond to as many comments as you can on your posts, particularly if someone has a question. TikTok even allows you to make an entire video responding to a comment, which is a great way to engage with your fans. “You should be grateful to them for their support, and that means paying them special attention. Really make your fans feel valued.”

Encourage people to engage.

Sometimes getting engagement on your posts or videos is as simple as asking. At the end of your post, encourage viewers to like and subscribe, or whatever makes the most sense for the platform. “You might be surprised how much this grows your audience. If they like more of your videos and subscribe to you, that will make them more engaged and more likely to buy products from you in the future.” 1

Creating an audience takes hard work and lots of posts. Once you take the time to implement these strategies from  Heliya Khazaei, you should be well on your way to social media stardom.