Want to write engaging tweets, snaps and posts? We have a few tips.

First, engagement refers to action and interaction that users have with posts. That includes retweeting or sharing a post; liking or favoriting a post; replying to or commenting on a post; and, of course, clicking on a link in a post. Many factors can affect engagement: timing; voice and tone; competition from other news, conversations or events.

Twitter

The best tweets include:

• A photo or video
• A hashtag — especially important with sports events
• A quote — especially important with news stories
• A number
• A link

Instagram

The best posts:

• Share high-quality and eye-catching images. It’s about quality, not quantity.
• Include hashtags (within reason)
• Include mentions of other users
• Include a location
• Include thorough cutlines that enhance the photo and tell a story

Snapchat

The best snaps:

• Share high-quality content
• Avoid far-away images
• Tell a story, and keep that story moving

Facebook

The best posts:

• Include photos
• Include analysis of an event
• Include a call-to-action, but don’t get greedy. Facebook’s algorithm, which affects who sees what, will ding you for click-bait. That means “click to see more” is a no-no.
• Include a conversation prompt, such as “tell us about your first trip to the ballpark.”
• Have thumbnails with links. (That means the content you’re linking to needs a photo.)