The secret formula for creating engaging social media posts

How to stop posting boring racecar pictures and start attracting loyal fans.

Social media can be one of your biggest assets as a racer, but for many, it feels unobtainable to create engaging posts that expand your reach and grow your fanbase. I’ve got some simple tips to help you overcome this hurdle and start building your following by crafting posts that consistently deliver on the promises made by your unique brand.

Here are a few things to keep in mind each time you post:

A post without a purpose doesn’t engage anyone.

I always notice when racers post a picture of their racecar with a caption that points out what day it is, as if their fans have somehow lost the ability to know that it’s Friday. I probably notice these posts because I’ve been guilty of announcing the day of the week, too, before I learned better.

These posts are not engaging. They don’t serve a purpose and they don’t tell your fans anything they don’t already know. If you’ve got a sick photo of your racecar, don’t water it down by posting it without any purpose.

Not sure what purpose you have for posting? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Give your fans an update on a milestone or achievement.
  “The car is back together, and we’ve made some changes to the suspension for added grip and more responsive handling.”
  “We just hit 1000 followers! Big thanks to our new followers and to everyone who’s been here a while.”
  
  
• Show your fans something that they normally wouldn’t be able to see.
  “Here’s what it looks like when your piston decides it wants a view of the outdoors.”
  “When the green flag drops, you might think it’s just mash on the gas and go, but there’s actually a lot of strategy involved…”
  
  
• Instead of telling, ask, listen, and learn.
  “What are your thoughts on the new wrap?”
  “Which merch design do you like better?”
  
  
• Entertain your fans with humor or creative content.
  “This is the time the white tire jumped in front of me on turn 2.”
  “Spotter told me to take a different line, so I decided to try it upside-down. It wasn’t faster.”
  
  
• Activate your sponsors by tying their products to what fans care about.
  “Want to save some money? I’ve got a discount code for…”
  “These tires don’t just get me across the finish line, they also get me to the grocery store, even when it’s snowing.”

Your values should be present in everything you post.

If you haven’t read it already, I recommend familiarizing yourself with the branding approach I outline in the blog post titled “Why would someone buy a T-shirt with your logo on it.” Identifying the values that define your brand are the foundation for all of your marketing actions, including your social media strategy. Your followers are expecting new and different content from you, but they’re also expecting consistent examples of your brand values in everything you post. Your fans are your fans because of those values, and you’ll attract more fans like them by continuing to show up in the ways they expect you to.

Before you post anything, ask yourself: does this align with the values that my brand is built around? Does this show my fans what I stand for and what they can expect from me? Does this make them feel something about me and my racing? If the answer is yes, then go ahead and post it. If not, then reconsider or revise it.

If you want fans to engage with your posts, you need to tell them that.

Social media algorithms work by measuring engagement, and they measure engagement through clicks, video playtime, reactions, shares, and comments, among other things. Those people who engage with your content are more likely to see your content again, increasing your reach and impressions. Furthermore, when fans engage with your content on social media, it’s more likely that their friends or other people the platform considers “like them” will also see your content. So how do you get people to engage with your content?

You ask them to.

Include a call to action in your posts, and make it resonate with your fans by making it about them, not about you. “Like and share” isn’t as compelling as “Like if you agree” or “tag the friend that always falls asleep during track prep.” Tell them what you want them to do and why.

Not every post is going to be a winner.

It’s happened to all of us. You work really hard to create an engaging social media post and you think to yourself, “Self, this one is going to hit hard. People are going to love it.” And then it doesn’t. You reach 12 people and one of them is your grandma.

Truth is, that’s normal and it happens to everyone. Think about the 80/20 rule. It states that 80% of your results come from 20% of your effort, meaning that if you consistently put in the effort to create engaging posts, it’s normal that only 1 out of every 5 great posts lands on target and performs well. So don’t get caught up in watching metrics and beat yourself up for posts that don’t perform well. Consistency pays off and a slow, steadily growing and engaged audience is not only normal, but your greatest asset in the long run.