Without fans, famous singers, athletes, and influential creators wouldn’t exist. Keeping fans engaged is difficult when there is so much competition for their attention. However, there are actions you can take to boost engagement and help retain a loyal fanbase.
When considering how to increase fan engagement, try implementing these seven fan engagement ideas.
1. Create Fan Communities
Community-building is crucial for fan engagement—on average, people spend almost 2.5 hours daily on community-focused social media platforms.
You likely have a favorite platform to which you dedicate the most time, but it’s important to commit time to multiple social media avenues to meet your fans where they spend their time.
Each platform's ecosystem attracts different people, reflected in its active monthly users (AMUs):
- Facebook has over 3 billion AMUs
- Instagram has 2 billion AMUs
- Snapchat has 750 million AMUs
- Pinterest has 465 million AMUs
- X (formerly known as Twitter) has 368 million AMUs
- YouTube has 1 billion AMUs
- TikTok has 1 billion AMUs
And while building a community through social media is effective, there is a better way. Direct SMS messaging allows for immediate interaction with fans, fostering a sense of exclusivity and community-building.
This communication ability connects your fans to you, keeping them more engaged.
2. Be Responsive
To engage fans, you must interact with them. When they leave comments, share content, and take other actions, make sure to respond to them. You can thank them for their support, compliment them on their work, or even ask them questions.
This is where SMS marketing channels really shine, because not only are you able to engage fans, but you can make them feel like you’re connecting with them one-on-one. It elevates the relationship from fan and creator to something closer to friendship.
You can also use text-based communications to tell fans and followers when new content is coming, just like a friend would when they’re excited about something.
Celebrities do this frequently—one example is when Miley Cyrus used Subtext to inform fans about her upcoming single, Flowers. Using SMS marketing, she sent multiple messages to fans, letting them know about shows, when her new single would drop, and when merch was available. This fan engagement strategy made her song’s release even more successful.
3. Foster Authentic Connections
Authenticity is crucial for connecting with fans. If interactions are only goal-based, fans will eventually figure it out and may hesitate to trust you. Creating a genuine connection with fans can be as simple as sending personalized messages to them, including their first names. Doing this fosters a closer connection than using a generic template.
You can also create an authentic relationship with fans by listening to their feedback and making changes. You can’t please everyone, but it's worth considering if a problem seems to impact a large part of your fanbase.
If you want to create an even closer relationship, use SMS marketing channels. As mentioned above, texting acts as a one-on-one form of communication that is far superior to social media platforms and emails. It’s inherently more intimate and, therefore, feels more authentic.
Connection in Action
1 Minute Talk Show (1MTS) used Subtext to do exactly this. They wanted a way to connect with their audience (the superfans, more specifically) in a personal way. They also wanted to get to know their fans and get feedback.
Using Subtext, they interacted with their super fans—with a 37% engagement rate on the highest-performing text. Feedback from super fans even inspired the creation of a new series, “Behind the Curtain,” because fans wanted to know more about their process.
4. Create Shareable Content
Staying on fans’ minds is essential to maintaining engagement, so you need to create interesting and shareable content regularly. Incorporate photos, videos, polls, and other tools to grab fans’ attention.
Don’t forget to ask your fans for input on what types of content interest them the most. Using SMS marketing, you can provide fans with two-way communication and receive instant feedback about what content is interesting (and what can be left behind). This effort will help you curate content that will surely encourage more shares.
You should also take advantage of user-generated content. Not only does sharing that type of content improve fan engagement within your community, but it also gives you a break from creating content. User-generated content also supports efforts to grow your fan community because people who haven’t heard of you will see your fans gushing about you on their own profiles.
Real World Application
Maggie Rogers did this. Working with Subtext, she created a phone tree where fans could choose their own adventures. Not only did such a unique event generate a lot of buzz and free promotion, but Rogers reacted to fans' voicemails, creating even more content.
5. Leverage Interactive Elements
Fans want to interact with you, not just cheer from the sidelines. With the availability of remote interactive techniques such as live streams and text lines, there’s no reason not to interact with them.
And the good news is that these efforts don’t have to be high production—fans will be happy to chat with you in real time. You could host Q&A or Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions or just spend time chatting with them. The effort aims to interact with fans naturally and encourage them to participate.
6. Offer Exclusive Access
Everyone likes feeling special, and fans are no different. Creating exclusive events, clubs, and contests will enhance your relationship with your followers. Consider offering special meet-and-greets, behind-the-scenes content not available anywhere else, and exclusive merchandise to engage fans.
An Exclusive Access Success Story
Nessa Barrett used Subtext’s phone tree feature to allow her fans an exclusive listen to her unreleased single from her new album.
To provide fans with access to these exclusive events, you can request feedback through polls, surveys, or by calling a specific number like Barrett. By talking to your most dedicated fans, you can ensure you’re giving them what they want to boost engagement rates.
7. Host Fan Events
It’s also important to remember that some fans may be unable to participate in exclusive events because of financial or time constraints. General fan events are just as important as exclusive ones.
Depending on the size of your fan base, you can host physical meet-ups so fans can befriend one another or host online events, like contests or live streams for larger communities. During these events, mingle and meet as many fans as possible. Making an effort will often improve how they feel about you, thus increasing the likelihood that they will interact with your future content.
How to Increase Fan Engagement: Human Connection
What do all the seven best fan engagement campaigns above have in common? They’re built on human connection. While people may love someone’s voice or athletic prowess, they become true loyal fans because they love a creator and their personality.
Why do you think sports fans are dedicated to a single player and wear their uniform to every game? Why do they have such passionate (even negative!) feelings about the opposing team?
Dedicated fan engagement occurs because they feel a human connection with the person who entertains them. Think about one of the most powerful fandoms in the world: Swifties. Do you think their ferocious dedication to Taylor Swift is purely for her music?
No—it’s because they feel connected to her.
Engage Fans Every Day with Subtext
Emotional connection is the foundation of every dedicated fanbase; to create that relationship, you need to engage with fans. Implement some of these effective fan engagement strategies and make communication easy with Subtext. Our texting service lets you intimately engage with fans while retaining your privacy.
We also offer the option to create a custom voicemail line that fans can call to hear your voice. Browse our case studies to explore how we’ve helped other entertainers with their SMS marketing needs.
Find out how easy it is to connect with your fans and book a demo with Subtext!