Elon Musk, the owner of engagement social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), took to his account to threaten that “Any accounts doing engagement farming will be suspended and traced to source”.
Well, to a large extent, we all go to social media either for or to give attention. It is in this context that this phenomenon known as engagement farming crops up. It’s the art of cultivating interactions through cunning tactics rather than genuine content. Let’s break it down for you.
Take social media platforms to be gardening fields where content flourishes like crops. Each post, a seed waiting to be sown. But unlike traditional gardening, where patience and care yield plenty of harvests, engagement farming employs shortcuts to create growth.
What engagement farmers do
Leading questions. These are the baited hooks of social media, designed to provoke a response. Questions like “Who else thinks pineapples don’t belong on pizza??” aim to trigger a flood of impassioned replies.
Inflammatory content. Bold statements such as “This celebrity is the WORST!” are akin to digital grenades, lobbed into the social sphere to ignite heated debates and generate engagement.
Clickbait headlines. Like sirens luring sailors to their demise, clickbait headlines promise the world but often deliver disappointment. “This One Trick Will Change Your Life Forever!” leads users down a path of empty promises.
Desperate pleas. Phrases like “Tag a friend who needs to see this!” or “Like for part 2!” reek of desperation, begging for validation in the form of likes and shares.
The motivations behind engagement farming
Brand popularity. For many, engagement farming is a calculated business strategy. Brands seek to boost their online presence, appearing more popular to attract potential customers. It’s a numbers game where perception often trumps reality.
The quest for influence. Influencers, too, are drawn to the temptation of engagement farming. They strive to inflate their follower counts, enhancing their perceived influence in the digital world. But behind the entire show lies a quest for validation and recognition.
A craving for attention. At its core, engagement farming is driven by a fundamental human desire – the need for attention. We are in an era where likes and shares equate to social currency, and some individuals resort to farming tactics to bask in the spotlight of online fame.
How to spot the farmers
To avoid falling prey to engagement farming, one must learn to discern genuine content from deceptive ploys. Look beyond the surface-level engagement and question the motives behind each post.
- Verify the source of the content. Is it from a reputable account you know and trust, or a dubious person seeking to manipulate your emotions for their gain?
- Beware of emotional manipulation tactics. Is the post using strong language or dramatic scenarios to get an emotional response, rather than presenting meaningful points?
- Evaluate the content itself. Is it substantive and informative, or does it rely on sensationalism and empty promises to gain engagement?
Read About: These are the two most popular Messaging apps in Uganda
