Dennis Yu

Why My Social Media Engagement Sucks

I asked Grok to analyze my social media engagement after seeing its insightful analysis of Robert Scoble.

And I have to say, it’s right on.

Have you tried it?

Here’s what it said: I’ll leverage available data, including insights from the web results, your public X profile, and general social media metrics. Since I don’t have access to real-time analytics for your account, I’ll base this on your public activity, the context provided about your online presence, and industry benchmarks. If you want me to dig deeper into specific posts or metrics, let me know!

To analyze your social media reach and engagement as @dennisyu’s Social Media Presence

Overview of @dennisyu

  • Identity: You are Dennis Yu, CEO of BlitzMetrics, a digital marketing expert, speaker, and mentor, known for working with brands like Nike and Rosetta Stone. You have a significant presence across platforms like X, LinkedIn (41K followers), and Instagram (17K followers), with a Favikon Rank of #107 among digital marketers globally, placing you in the top 5%.
  • Content Focus: Your posts blend professional insights on social media marketing, data privacy, and entrepreneurship with personal stories and mentorship advice, aiming to educate and inspire. You use a mix of text, images, and reels, particularly on Instagram, to engage your audience.
  • Audience: Your followers include marketing professionals, entrepreneurs, and students, with a focus on those interested in digital marketing, business development, and career growth.

Analysis of Reach and Engagement

1. Reach (How Many People See Your Content):

  • Your reach on X depends on the platform’s algorithm, which prioritizes engagement and relevance. With 60% of the world’s population active on social media, reach is critical for visibility. Your posts likely reach a fraction of your followers due to algorithmic filtering, similar to Robert Scoble’s experience, where only a small percentage of followers see each post unless engagement is high.
  • LinkedIn: With 41K followers, your reach is substantial but limited by LinkedIn’s algorithm, which favors early engagement and boosts posts to second- and third-degree connections. Your consistent posting (text, images, articles) helps maintain visibility, but only 1% of LinkedIn users post regularly, giving you an advantage in a less saturated space.
  • Instagram: With 17K followers and a 16.7% growth rate, your reach is strong, driven by visual content like reels and stories. Instagram’s average reach rate in 2024 was 4%, meaning your posts likely reach ~680 unique users per post on average, though this varies based on engagement.
  • Benchmarks: On X, organic reach averages ~1.5% of followers, while Instagram and LinkedIn perform better at 4% and ~6–8%, respectively. Your reach is likely above average due to your strategic content and network of influencers (e.g., Roger Wakefield, Larry Kim), but not all followers see your posts due to algorithmic limits.

2. Engagement (How People Interact with Your Content):

  • Engagement Rates:

    LinkedIn: Your engagement rate is reported at 0.13%, which is below the platform’s 2025 median of 8.01% but still sparks discussions within marketing communities. This suggests your content resonates with a niche but doesn’t always drive high interaction.

    Instagram: Your engagement rate is 0.14%, also below Instagram’s 2024 average of 1–3% (and 2025’s 0.5%). Reels and visual content perform better, but engagement may be limited by the platform’s shift toward reach over deep interaction. X: Engagement on X is typically low (0.15% in 2025), with most interactions via replies and quote tweets rather than shares. Your educational content may not drive viral engagement but likely fosters meaningful conversations with professionals.
  • Engagement Types: You focus on active engagement (comments, discussions) over passive (likes, shares), as seen in your LinkedIn posts sparking professional debates and Instagram reels encouraging interaction. Your mentorship-oriented content (e.g. actionable marketing advice) aligns with strategies that drive comments, which are more valuable for algorithmic boosting.
  • Benchmarks: A “good” engagement rate by reach is 10–15%, but your rates (0.13–0.14%) suggest room for improvement. Exceptional engagement (>5%) is rare for niche content, and your focus on professional topics may naturally yield lower but more meaningful interactions.

3. Factors Affecting Your Reach and Engagement:

  • Content Strategy: Your mix of educational, motivational, and personal content is effective for building trust but may not always spark high engagement. For example, posts with storytelling or interactive elements (e.g. questions, polls) tend to perform better, as seen in industry studies. Your Instagram reels leverage visual appeal, but X posts may need more calls-to-action to boost shares.
  • Platform Algorithms: X’s rapid-fire nature limits long-term content distribution, and your posts may struggle with shareability compared to viral platforms like TikTok. LinkedIn’s algorithm rewards early engagement, so posting at peak times (e.g. mornings) could increase visibility.
  • Audience Alignment: Your content targets a professional audience, which is less likely to engage passively (e.g., likes) but more likely to comment or share insights. Misalignment with non-professional followers (e.g., bots or inactive accounts) could dilute engagement.
  • Collaborations: Your network of influencers (e.g. Larry Kim) boosts credibility and reach, but engagement depends on how often you tag or collaborate with them. Influencer partnerships can increase reach by 10–20% when aligned with your niche.
  • Hashtags and Discoverability: You use hashtags strategically on Instagram, which boosts reach by making posts discoverable. On X, hashtags are less effective but still help target specific audiences.

4. Comparison to Robert Scoble

@scobleizer

  • Similarities: Like Scoble, you have a large follower base but face algorithmic challenges that limit reach. Both of you focus on niche tech/marketing topics, which may not appeal to all followers, reducing engagement. Scoble’s reach is hindered by high posting frequency and past controversies, while your lower engagement rates (0.13–0.14% vs. industry averages) suggest similar algorithmic suppression or audience fatigue.
  • Differences: Your content is more professional and mentorship-driven, while Scoble’s is often personal and opinionated, which can polarize audiences. You leverage multiple platforms (LinkedIn, Instagram) effectively, whereas Scoble’s presence is X-centric. Your influencer network and brand partnerships (e.g. Nike) likely give you a reach advantage over Scoble’s more individual-focused brand.

5. Potential Reasons for Limited Reach/Engagement:

  • Low Engagement Rates: Your LinkedIn and Instagram engagement rates (0.13–0.14%) are below platform averages, suggesting content may not always prompt interaction. Adding more interactive elements (e.g., polls, questions) could help.
  • Algorithmic Limits: Only a small fraction of followers see each post (e.g. 1.5% on X, 4% on Instagram), and without early engagement, posts are deprioritized.
  • Niche Focus: Your professional content appeals to a dedicated but smaller audience, similar to Scoble’s AI focus, limiting mass appeal.
  • Posting Frequency: If you post frequently (like Scoble’s historical 21 tweets/day), followers may feel overwhelmed, reducing engagement. Moderating frequency could help.
  • Inactive Followers: Some of your followers may be inactive or bots, inflating counts without contributing to engagement, a common issue for large accounts.

Recommendations to Boost Reach and Engagement

Based on industry best practices and your current strategy:

  1. Optimize Posting Times: Use platform insights to post when your audience is most active (e.g. mornings for LinkedIn, evenings for Instagram). This can increase reach by 10–20%.
  2. Incorporate Interactive Content: Add polls, questions, or contests to X and LinkedIn posts to drive active engagement. Contests can boost engagement by 30–50%.
  3. Leverage Reels and Video: Instagram reels and LinkedIn video posts have higher engagement (up to 3x more than static posts). Double down on short, educational videos.
  4. Engage Directly: Respond to comments and messages promptly to signal algorithms that your content is active, boosting reach.
  5. Use Hashtags Strategically: On Instagram and X, mix popular and niche hashtags to increase discoverability by 15–25%.
  6. Collaborate More: Partner with influencers like Larry Kim for cross-promotion, which can expand reach to new audiences.
  7. Track Metrics: Use tools like Sprout Social or Talkwalker to monitor engagement rates and adjust content based on what resonates (e.g. reels vs. text).
  8. Audit Followers: Periodically remove inactive or bot accounts to improve engagement rates, as these dilute metrics.

Conclusion

Your reach and engagement are solid but constrained by algorithmic limits, niche content, and lower-than-average engagement rates (0.13–0.14% vs. 1–8% benchmarks).

Your professional focus and influencer network give you an edge, but boosting interaction through interactive content, optimized timing, and strategic collaborations could significantly increase your impact.

Compared to Scoble, your multi-platform presence and brand partnerships offer more opportunities for growth, but both of you face similar challenges with algorithmic suppression and audience alignment.

If you’d like me to analyze specific posts, pull recent X activity, or compare your metrics to competitors, let me know, and I can provide a more granular breakdown!


Dennis Yu

Dennis Yu is a former search engine engineer who has spent a billion dollars on Google and Facebook ads for Nike, Quiznos, Ashley Furniture, Red Bull, State Farm, and other organizations that have many locations. He has achieved 25% of his goal of creating a million digital marketing jobs because of his partnership with universities, professional organizations, and agencies. Companies like GoDaddy, Fiverr, onlinejobs.ph, 7 Figure Agency, and Vendasta partner with him to create training and certifications. Dennis created the Dollar a Day Strategy for local service businesses to enhance their existing local reputation and make the phone ring. He's coaching young adult agency owners who serve plumbers, AC technicians, landscapers, roofers, electricians in conjunction with leaders in these industries. Mr. Yu believes that there should be a standard in measuring local marketing efforts, much like doctors and plumbers need to be certified and licensed. His Content Factory training and dashboards are used by thousands of practitioners.

Ready To Take Your Marketing Game To The Next Level?

Register today for the Dollar-A-Day Coaching Program and accelerate your growth journey!

Scroll to Top