What is Engagement rate?

Also known as: Engagement ratio, Interaction rate

Definition

A percentage showing how much interaction (likes, comments, shares, saves) a post receives relative to its reach or follower count — a key KPI for the health of a social media account.

In-depth explanation

There are two commonly used formulas: (1) Engagement rate by reach = (interactions / reach) × 100%, (2) Engagement rate by followers = (interactions / followers) × 100%. For agencies, "by reach" is fairer — you assess whether the people who saw your content also engaged, independent of follower count.

Benchmarks (Instagram, 2025): 1-3% is average, 3-6% is good, 6%+ is excellent. TikTok runs higher (5-15% on average), LinkedIn lower (1-2% on average). Agencies should apply benchmarks per platform and per industry.

Example from agency practice

An Instagram post for client Z reaches 2,000 people and gets 80 likes, 12 comments, 8 saves = 100 interactions. Engagement rate = 100 / 2,000 = 5%. A good figure for B2C in the fitness niche.

Especially relevant for

  • Social media managers
  • Strategists
  • Agency clients
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