Week 6 - Post Reach Vs Post Engagement

Post reach represents the number of people who see a post in their newsfeed. Post engagement refers to the number of people who act on that post in anyway beyond viewing, such as liking and commenting. Understanding the differences between reach and engagement is critical to the outcome of your marketing plan.

Post reach helps achieve brand recognition. People start to think of a company name in relation to a product or service because they see it so frequently. In comparison, post engagement builds brand loyalty. If a customer provides solicited opinions and comments through Facebook, he or she can begin to feel committed to a brand or company. Post engagement allows the business to gather insight on these key customers, and refine their marketing strategies even further. Engagement enables companies to reward consumers with free items and discounts, further strengthening their customer relationships.

I relate post reach to traditional television commercials or direct mail. Both have the capacity to capture the attention of the multitudes. However, unless this appeal to the masses prompts an action, such as a "call now," the business never gets that engagement or feedback from their customers.