Behind every famous singer, successful athlete, and influential creator is a community of loyal fans. The mere existence of a devoted audience is increasingly impressive in today’s oversaturated attention economy. Keeping fans engaged is difficult when there is so much competition. However, there are proven strategies you can implement to boost engagement and build a fiercely loyal fanbase.
When considering how to increase fan engagement, the most successful creators and brands focus on one key element: creating genuine, personal connections that make fans feel heard and valued.
7 Strategies to Increase Fan Engagement
Top brands don’t rely on luck. They rely on strategic fan engagement ideas to deepen fan rapport and drive long-term engagement. These seven strategies focus on ways to engage fans so effectively that they become genuinely invested in your success.
1. Create Fan Communities
Community-building is the very foundation of lasting fan engagement—on average, people spend more than 2.5 hours daily on social media platforms because they’re driven by an innate desire to engage with networks they care about.
Meeting your fans where they spend their time means committing to multiple social media avenues. Each major platform serves different audiences, with huge potential to strengthen a collective force that amplifies your brand:
- Facebook: 3+ billion users (broad demographics)
- Instagram: 2+ billion users (visual-first engagement)
- YouTube: 2+ billion users (long-form video)
- TikTok: 1+ billion users (short-form, trending videos)
- X (formerly Twitter): 563+ million users (quick thoughts)
- Pinterest: 553+ million users (discovery focus)
- X (formerly known as Twitter) has 368 million AMUs
The secret? The most successful brands don’t just blast content across every platform and hope something sticks. They understand that, while building a community through social media is effective, there is a better way.
Real community happens when fans feel personally connected to you.
There’s no better way to meet fans exactly where they are than in their personal digital space: their devices. Texts deliver a sense of exclusivity and community-building that acknowledges fans as more than just another face in the crowd. Direct SMS messaging allows for immediate interaction that connects your fans to you, keeping them more engaged.
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2. Be Responsive
Knowing how to increase fan engagement means never treating interactions as an afterthought. This is a massive missed opportunity. For every comment, share, and other action, make sure to respond. Thank them for their support, compliment their work, or even ask follow-up questions that keep conversations going.Generic responses kill engagement, but you don’t need to craft individual replies to every action. Instead, focus on small upgrades:
- Acknowledge their action with gratitude—and specificity.
- Address fans by name to make it truly personal.
- Leverage data you already have, like location and engagement history.
Scalable responsiveness calls for the right strategy. This is where SMS marketing channels really shine—not only are you able to engage loyal fans, but it can feel like you’re connecting one-on-one. It’s selective, but genuine, and 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.
The Miley Cyrus Strategy
Miley Cyrus proved this approach works when she 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 the separating factor for those who successfully connect with fans and those who struggle to maintain consistent engagement. If interactions are only goal-based, fans will eventually figure it out and may hesitate to trust you.
Creating a genuine connection with fans starts with personalization:
- Including their first names
- Remembering their stories
- Responding to specific feedback
- Making changes based on input
These are the backbone of effective fan engagement strategies. It fosters a much closer connection than a generic template ever could.
For even closer relationships, use SMS marketing channels. 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 super fans, more specifically) in a personal way.
Using Subtext, they interacted with those loyal followers—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.
Book a demo to start your success story.
4. Create Shareable Content
When learning how to increase fan engagement, many creators focus on posting more—but the real secret is posting meaningfully.
Staying on fans’ minds requires creating genuinely interesting and shareable content regularly. Incorporate photos, videos, polls, and other tools to grab fans’ attention—but more importantly, to encourage engagement.
Don’t hesitate to take advantage of user-generated content. This goes a long way toward improving fan engagement within your community while giving you a break from constant creation. 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.
The smartest brands lean on their audience where it counts. 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 engaging (and what can be left behind).
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 are many avenues brands can take to interact.
But there’s a common dilemma: How do you give thousands of fans personal attention without burning out or spending 12 hours a day responding to interactions?
The solution is smart, high-impact, and scalable fan engagement strategies that create personal connections while reaching large audiences simultaneously.
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.
Read Subtext’s Ultimate Guide to Boosting Engagement with Automated SMS Messages.
6. Offer Exclusive Access
Everyone likes feeling special, and no one deserves this more than your most dedicated fans. Creating exclusive events, clubs, and contests will enhance your relationship with your followers. To increase fan engagement like this, consider offering:- Special meet-and-greets
- Behind-the-scenes content not available anywhere else
- Exclusive merchandise to engage fans
Managing exclusive fan relationships without the time drain is exactly what Subtext was designed for.
An Exclusive Access Success Story
Talking to your most dedicated supporters really works. Nessa Barrett used Subtext’s phone tree feature to allow her fans an exclusive listen to her unreleased single from her new album.
With Subtext, you can follow suit. 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
Not all fans may be unable to participate in exclusive events because of financial or time constraints. Take an exclusive approach here. 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 with as many fans as possible. Making an effort like this dramatically improves fan relationships, increasing the likelihood that they will interact with your future content.
The best part is that it really doesn’t take much to make a major impact. Virtual fan events solve the biggest challenges of traditional events: geography, cost, and capacity. Shared experiences are huge for community-building, and direct messaging platforms elevate these events further thanks to real-time updates and follow-up texts.
It’s audience growth and career growth at the same time. Browse our case studies to explore how we’ve helped other entertainers with their SMS marketing needs.
How to Increase Fan Engagement: Human Connection
What do all the best fan engagement strategies have in common? They’re built on human connection. While people may initially discover you for your talent—your voice, creativity, or athletic prowess—they become true loyal fans because they connect with you as a person.
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. They feel seen, heard, and valued because she’s mastered the art of sharing personal moments in ways that make millions feel like they’re part of her inner circle.
Now, it’s your turn.
Increase Fan Engagement Every Day with Subtext
Talent gets you noticed. Human connection builds empires.
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 easier than ever with Subtext. Our powerful texting platform lets you intimately engage with fans while retaining your privacy and controlling your time investment.
Beyond texting, we also offer the option to create a custom voicemail line that fans can call to hear your voice.
The creators who thrive aren’t just talented. They’re the ones who build loyal fandoms with proven, available solutions. Find out how easy it is to connect with your fans and book a demo with Subtext!