10 Powerful Customer Engagement Strategies for 2025

Engagement has become a buzzword that means everything and nothing. What we’re really talking about is moving beyond transactions to build relationships-turning passive audiences into active participants who care about your brand.

At VideoQi, we work with companies across e-commerce, SaaS, and B2B marketing. The ones that succeed at engagement share a pattern: they treat every interaction as part of a longer conversation, not a one-off campaign. For a deeper dive into the fundamentals, this guide on increasing customer engagement covers the core principles.

Here are ten strategies that consistently work across industries.

1. Personalization that goes beyond “Hi, [First Name]”

Basic personalization-inserting someone’s name into an email-doesn’t impress anyone anymore. Real personalization uses behavioral data to deliver experiences tailored to what each person actually cares about.

Netflix’s recommendation algorithm is the gold standard. It analyzes viewing habits, ratings, and even time of day to suggest content you’re likely to enjoy. The result: according to McKinsey, personalization can drive 10-15% revenue increases for digital businesses.

Making it work

• Build a data foundation. Consolidate customer data from all touchpoints-website, app, CRM-into unified profiles. A Customer Data Platform (CDP) makes this manageable
• Start with broad segments, then refine. New vs. returning customers is a starting point. Cart abandoners who left a specific product category is more useful
• Use AI recommendations. Tools like Dynamic Yield or Optimizely can personalize in real time without custom development

2. Consistent experience across every channel

Your customers don’t think in channels. They might browse on mobile, research on desktop, and buy in-store. An omnichannel approach ensures each touchpoint knows about the others.

Starbucks does this well with its rewards app. You can check your balance, reload your card, and earn points whether you’re on your phone, the website, or in a store. Changes sync instantly across all platforms.

Building omnichannel

• Map customer journeys. Document every path customers take and identify friction points between channels
• Invest in integrated systems. A unified CRM is non-negotiable. Siloed data creates inconsistent experiences
• Train staff for consistency. Everyone from social media managers to in-store associates needs access to the same customer information

3. Community building on social media

Broadcasting marketing messages is easy. Building a community where customers connect with each other and your brand takes more effort but creates lasting loyalty.

Lululemon built their community around fitness and wellness, not just apparel. Their ambassador program, in-store yoga classes, and branded hashtags turn customers into advocates. The brand encourages users to share fitness journeys, creating authentic content that no ad campaign could replicate.

Growing community

• Define your community’s purpose. Is it for product support? Sharing creations? Connecting around a lifestyle? The purpose guides everything
• Choose platforms where your audience already lives. Private Facebook Groups for exclusivity, Instagram hashtags for broad reach, dedicated forums for in-depth discussion
• Encourage and showcase user-generated content. Run contests, create unique hashtags, feature member posts on your main channels

4. Gamification that motivates real behavior

Gamification applies game mechanics-points, badges, leaderboards-to non-game contexts. Done well, it makes engagement feel rewarding rather than obligatory.

Starbucks Rewards is a textbook example. Stars for purchases, tiered status levels (Green and Gold), personalized challenges-these create a cycle where earning the next reward feels genuinely satisfying. The program drives both frequency and loyalty.

Designing gamification

• Tie mechanics to business goals. Want more referrals? Reward referrals. Want repeat purchases? Reward frequency
• Balance tangible and intangible rewards. Discounts matter, but so does status and recognition
• Make progress visible. Progress bars, point trackers, and dashboards keep motivation high

5. Content that educates, not just sells

The best content marketing solves problems first and sells second. When you consistently provide genuine value-through guides, tutorials, industry insights-you build trust that converts over time.

HubSpot’s free resources, including the HubSpot Academy, blogs, and templates, cover nearly everything about marketing, sales, and service. They provide enormous value at no cost, building trust that naturally leads to paid conversions.

Creating valuable content

• Solve, don’t sell. Answer customer questions and address pain points without constant product pitches
• Maintain consistency and quality. A realistic publishing schedule with high standards beats sporadic bursts
• Repurpose across formats. A detailed guide becomes blog posts, a webinar, an infographic, and social updates
• Measure and optimize. Track which topics and formats drive engagement, then do more of what works

6. Co-creation and customer feedback

Involving customers in product development transforms them from buyers into partners. They become emotionally invested in your success because they helped create it.

LEGO Ideas lets fans submit designs for new sets. If a design gets 10,000 community votes, LEGO reviews it for production. Successful creators earn royalties. This generates best-selling products while building a passionate community.

Building co-creation

• Create dedicated feedback channels. Online portals, community forums, regular surveys-make it easy to contribute
• Close the feedback loop. Acknowledge suggestions publicly. Explain what you’re implementing and why certain ideas won’t work
• Recognize contributors. Feature top contributors, share credit for implemented ideas, offer meaningful rewards

7. Real-time support that actually helps

Customers expect answers now, not in 24-48 hours. Live chat and chatbots meet this expectation by providing instant assistance when questions arise.

Bank of America’s virtual assistant Erica helps customers check balances, transfer funds, and track spending through their mobile app. It handles routine tasks instantly while seamlessly escalating complex issues to human agents.

Implementing real-time support

• Define clear escalation paths. Program chatbots to recognize when a human is needed and make the handoff smooth
• Maintain your brand voice. Whether formal or casual, chatbot responses should feel consistent with your brand
• Review transcripts regularly. Chat logs reveal common issues and opportunities to improve your knowledge base

8. Events that create memories

Digital engagement is efficient, but physical (or well-produced virtual) events create emotional connections that screens can’t replicate.

Red Bull doesn’t just sponsor events-they create them. The Red Bull Air Race, Red Bull Stratos jump, and countless extreme sports events embody their brand identity. These experiences associate Red Bull with adventure and pushing limits, not just energy drinks.

Planning impactful events

• Align with brand values. A tech company might host a hackathon; a wellness brand might organize a retreat
• Design for sharing. Create photo opportunities and moments people want to post
• Bridge physical and digital. Use event apps, live streaming, and follow-up content to extend the experience

9. Email automation that nurtures relationships

Email remains one of the highest-ROI channels when done right. Automated sequences deliver the right message at the right moment based on specific triggers or timelines.

Grammarly sends weekly progress reports showing how much you’ve written and improved. These data-driven updates demonstrate value continuously, keeping users engaged and more likely to upgrade.

Building effective sequences

• Map customer journeys. Identify key moments-welcome series, post-purchase follow-up, re-engagement for inactive users
• Segment your audience. New subscribers, power users, and at-risk customers need different messages
• Craft compelling content. Strong subject lines, concise copy, clear calls to action

10. Influencer partnerships and user-generated content

Third-party validation builds trust faster than any brand message. Influencer partnerships and user-generated content tap into credibility you can’t create yourself.

Daniel Wellington grew almost entirely through Instagram influencers. By gifting watches to micro-influencers and encouraging the #DanielWellington hashtag, they created constant authentic content that drove explosive growth.

Making partnerships work

• Focus on fit, not follower count. Micro-influencers with engaged, relevant audiences often outperform celebrities
• Launch UGC campaigns. Create memorable hashtags and incentivize customers to share photos with your products
• Give creative freedom. Guidelines yes, scripts no. Authenticity requires genuine voice

Combining strategies for maximum impact

These strategies reinforce each other:

• Community content becomes fuel for UGC campaigns
• Customer feedback informs personalization
• Real-time support integrated with loyalty programs rewards your best customers

Start with one or two areas where you have the biggest gaps or opportunities. Master those, measure results, then expand. Engagement isn’t a project with an end date-it’s an ongoing conversation with the people who keep your business running.

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Ready to add interactive video to your engagement toolkit? VideoQi helps you create clickable videos with hotspots, quizzes, and personalized paths that turn passive viewers into active participants.