A recent report from Buffer examined more than 2 million posts across social platforms to explore how replying to audience comments affects overall engagement.
Key Findings
- On average, creator replies to comments correlate with about 42 % higher engagement across platforms.
- The uplift varies by platform:
- On Threads it’s the highest.
- For Instagram, replying adds ~21 % engagement.
- On LinkedIn, replying adds ~30 %.
- Platforms like X and Facebook show smaller gains (~8 % and ~9 % respectively).
What This Means for Creators & Businesses
If you’re creating content for your brand or business, it’s not enough to just post. Engaging with your audience by replying to comments helps extend reach and activity because algorithms tend to reward posts that stimulate interaction.
By prioritizing comment replies, you can:
- Amplify your content’s visibility without extra ads
- Strengthen your community by showing you’re listening
- Make each post more meaningful and interactive
Practical Tip
Block out time after you post to reply to the first 10–20 comments. This early momentum may help the platform algorithm boost your post.
Since the effect is stronger on some platforms (like Threads), tailor your reply‑strategy based on where your audience is most active.
