Conversations That Convert

Jake

Alright folks, welcome back to Stimulating Mid-Funnel Engagement! I’m Jake, here with Madison—hey Mads! Today we’re diving into how conversations, not pitches, actually move people from “just browsing” to real community members. So, Madison, when we talk about getting the community to know your brand, why is everyone so obsessed with brand voice lately?

Madison

Hey Jake. Yeah—so, consistent brand voice is, honestly, the deciding factor in whether people even recognize you across the endless scroll. Salesforce put it well—80% of consumers say authentic content is what makes them follow a brand. When I was running marketing for a skincare brand, being ‘just another cleansers company’ wouldn’t cut it. We dialed in on a tone—a sort of “we geek out about skin, so you don’t have to” personality—and repeated it in literally everything: captions, DMs, the whole nine yards. That way, even if someone saw our post out of context, they knew it was us. Felt more like, you know, chatting with a friend than getting a sales pitch.

Jake

Exactly. And—I love this because it just works—being consistent means you’re building up trust every time without being repetitive. If you walk into, say, a Target—whether it’s their store, their memes, or even their TikToks—they always hit that playful, not-too-serious note. People want to engage with brands that don’t talk down to them but just sound... normal and fun, right?

Madison

For sure. But I think a lot of brands overthink the first step—it’s literally just getting people to engage in some way. I’m talking ice-breakers, openers. We’d throw out stuff like “Guess the caption” or “Did You Know the average person spends six years in the shower?”—which, by the way, I still can’t believe is true! But yeah, anything that gets people to comment or share a personal story. All of a sudden, you’re not just a logo, you’re someone to talk to.

Jake

Totally. My favorite is the “what’s one thing you’d put in your fridge forever?” type prompt. Gives people an entry point and makes the vibe way more casual. And did you notice—when Target, or, okay, even Wendy’s, drop those lighthearted “Caption this” posts, the replies are so much more genuine than on the polished, corporate stuff.

Madison

Right, but there’s a technical side to it: native video. If you aren’t uploading content native to the platform, you’re losing out—like, big time. Stats show native videos get 530% more comments and 478% more shares than when you just slap on a YouTube link. So, we went all-in on creating videos just for Instagram or Facebook, and engagement, like, skyrocketed. It was almost annoying how obvious it became once we switched over.

Jake

Yeah, and don’t sleep on virtual events—since the pandemic, they’ve just blown up. Hosting a summit or even a Facebook Group event, you get so many natural touchpoints, and people feel way less pressure to perform than at in-person stuff. I like to think of Facebook Groups as backyard hangouts—more about the conversations and less about racking up followers. Taxing on the host, sure, but golden for real, ongoing community building.

Jake

Okay, so we’ve built the foundation, people are hanging out—how do we keep them excited? Contests, hashtag challenges, all that—you’ve probably seen Samsung’s #VideoSnapChallenge right? I think it grabbed 32 billion views. That’s... it still blows my mind!

Madison

I mean, the numbers are wild, but I gotta ask—Jake, do you think these challenges work if they don’t actually match the brand’s values or just feel like “engagement for engagement’s sake”?

Jake

That’s a good callout. Nah, a challenge can’t just be random. The best ones double down on something the brand already represents or stands for. Samsung’s was all about using their device features, so it was fun and on-brand. Go too generic and people tune out. And iconic stuff like the Ice Bucket Challenge, that went viral because it was about both fun and awareness—so it was memorable for the right reasons.

Madison

Exactly. I found when contests or hashtag campaigns are a stretch, people smell it a mile away. When brands actually celebrate their users, though—like reposting amazing fan art or sharing a customer’s story—that’s when engagement turns into advocacy. Starbucks did this: they used a customer’s drawing as their cover photo, linked right to her Insta. It’s not just rewarding a fan, it signals to everyone: we see you, you matter here.

Jake

Yeah, one campaign I worked with blew up just because we started reposting our community’s content with little thank-yous—no prize, no contest, nothing. People love seeing themselves featured and it encourages everyone else to jump in. Makes it feel like a club you want to get into, you know?

Madison

Definitely. And for the brands that actually show off real personality, the connection gets even deeper. Peloton’s Facebook Group is the best example—what, almost half a million members? It’s such a vibrant community with people cheering each other on and sharing success stories. And seriously, if you’re not using polls, you’re just leaving data on the table. We tailored content for our audience based on what they said in a two-question poll. Response rates went up, unsubscribe rates dropped—clear ROI.

Jake

Yeah, and that’s the sweet spot: a brand that’s not just broadcasting, but actually listening and reacting to what the community wants next.

Jake

Alright, so let's say people are excited. How do you move that up to actual trust? For me, it’s all about talk-worthy content—the stuff that gets people debating or sharing actual feelings and stories. There’s this campaign, “Dumb Ways to Die”? Totally genius. They asked people to add their own ways—so funny but actually drove home a legit safety message. When you get people arguing over the best answer or sharing their experience, that’s when you’re memorable.

Madison

Absolutely, but don’t underestimate the power of real-time interaction, too. Being quick to respond shows you’re actually present and value the input—not just posting and ghosting. And those live audio chats, like LinkedIn Live Audio or X Spaces? Interesting evolution. They let B2B brands have casual, unscripted convos—way less intimidating than video, but way more personal than just another comment section.

Jake

Yeah, and honestly, dropping into those audio rooms takes the pressure off—no fancy lighting, no camera jitters. Just real voices. That kind of space invites honest feedback and brings down walls. But, okay, Madison, I have to touch on a pet peeve: engagement baiting. The whole “comment below for a chance to win!” stuff. Doesn’t that always backfire?

Madison

Oh my gosh—painful memory. We tried a ‘comment to win’ series once. On paper, it felt like ‘what’s the harm?’ but post visibility actually tanked. Turns out, the platforms penalized the posts and our regulars called us out for being too pushy. You can’t shortcut trust—people see right through it. If you’re using tricks instead of just asking good questions or creating a safe space for people to debate, you lose credibility, reach, everything. Better to ask them for their thoughts on a hot topic, or for a two-word reaction, not just push for likes or shares directly.

Jake

Yeah, and if folks remember nothing else, remember this: community is built on genuine conversation, not tactics. If you make people feel seen and heard, they’ll show up again and again—no “like to win” prompt needed.

Madison

I couldn’t have said it better. Alright, we’re out of time for today, but next episode we’re getting into how data and feedback loops actually drive the best community initiatives. Jake, as always, a pleasure—

Jake

Right back at you, Madison. Thanks to everyone for joining us, and we’ll catch you in the next conversation!