How I Helped a Brand Boost Engagement 200%

When I first started working with brands, I thought the secret to engagement was perfect content. I believed that if I picked the right aesthetic, trending audio, and sharp edits, the numbers would automatically go up. One of my first real tests of this belief came when I worked with a small lifestyle brand.

For one of our first posts together, I did everything “by the book.” The video had clean lighting, a popular sound, and text on the screen. I was sure it was going to perform well. When we checked the numbers later, it completely flopped. The views were low, the likes were flat, and almost no one commented.

The next week, we tried something different. Instead of hiding behind a polished video, I filmed the owner talking about why she started her business. She opened up about the moment she decided to create products that actually meant something to her and the fear she felt putting them out into the world. The lighting was not perfect and she stumbled over a few words, but it felt real.

That video doubled, then almost tripled the engagement compared to the polished one. People commented things like “THIS is why I love small businesses” and “I feel so connected to this story.” They were not reacting to the product alone. They were reacting to her.

Later, I saw the same pattern when helping a med spa with their social media. Their feed was pretty and aesthetic, but the engagement was flat. When we shared a simple video of a provider talking about her own experience with acne and why she cared so much about her clients’ confidence, the post took off. Again, it was not the fanciest video. It was just honest.

That is when I realized something: engagement starts with connection, not perfection.

People do not connect with brands first. They connect with people. They want to see faces, hear real stories, and understand the “why” behind what you do.

Ever since then, whenever I create content for a brand, I ask one question: “Where is the human in this?” That one shift has led to some of the biggest jumps in engagement I have seen. Not because of a secret hack, but because people feel something.