Engagement Rate
The percentage of an audience that interacts with a piece of content.
Definition
Engagement Rate measures the level of active interaction an audience has with content — combining likes, comments, shares, saves, and other reactions into a single percentage relative to the audience size. It is the primary metric for evaluating influencer effectiveness and organic social performance. Unlike reach or impressions which measure passive exposure, engagement rate measures active participation. Brands use engagement rate to vet influencers (high follower counts with low engagement often indicate fake or disengaged followers), and creators use it to demonstrate audience quality.
Formula
Engagement Rate = (Total Engagements ÷ Total Followers) × 100%Add up all engagements (likes, comments, shares) and divide by total follower count, then multiply by 100.
Example
An influencer has 50,000 followers. Their last post received 1,200 likes + 300 comments = 1,500 total engagements. Engagement Rate = (1,500 ÷ 50,000) × 100% = 3%.
Key Points
- Instagram average: 1–3.5%; TikTok average: 3–6%; LinkedIn average: ~2%
- Micro-influencers (10K–100K followers) typically have higher engagement rates than mega-influencers
- Engagement rate by reach (ER reach) is more accurate but requires access to analytics
- Benchmarks vary significantly by niche — beauty and fitness typically outperform B2B
Industry Benchmarks
Above 6% is considered viral
Naturally higher engagement platform
Professional, more passive audience
Based on views, not subscribers
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