If you work in the world of social media, you have no doubt heard the phrase “engagement rate” by now. And sure, you may think you know what engagement rate means, but it’s an important subject that a lot of marketers still don’t fully appreciate. Let’s break down its definition, how to calculate it, and why it is such an important metric in influencer marketing.
What Is Engagement Rate?
At its most basic definition, engagement rate is “the rate at which a user’s followers interact with their content”. Likes, comments, shares, saves, clicks, or messages can all be counted as engagements on a post, depending on the platform. It is a great way to determine the post’s performance relative to its reach. Engagement rate can also refer to an influencer’s average engagement across their entire account.
For more popular influencer marketing terms and their definitions, be sure to take a look at our Influencer Marketing Dictionary.
How Do You Calculate Engagement Rate?
To calculate engagement rate, you can follow this formula:
the total amount of engagement a post receives divided by the poster’s total number of followers, multiplied by 100.
You can bookmark this graphic for easy reference:
We should mention that some like to calculate this as total number of engagements divided by the post’s reach. However, industry standard is to consider post engagement against an influencer’s following count.
What Is Considered A Good Engagement Rate?
A “good” engagement rate varies from platform to platform. It also can vary based on following size. As a general rule, anywhere from 2% to 5% is considered a good engagement rate, and anything over 5% would be considered amazing. You can see a breakdown of average engagement rates across different platforms and industries here.
Why Does Engagement Rate Matter?
This is one of the best metrics for determining how an influencer’s content is performing. With the increase in video content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, view counts are exciting, flashy metrics to obsess over, but they don’t always tell the whole story. A video may be viewed by millions but receive relatively few engagements. This would indicate that viewers aren’t actually interacting meaningfully with the content. Likewise, an influencer may boast millions of followers but a low engagement rate. This could indicate an inactive or even fraudulent following.
For brands partnering with content creators, you want to work with creators who achieve high engagement. After all, the end goal is reaching new audiences and potential customers. Engagements indicate that viewers are interested in the content and might even become fans of a product featured. Working with creators with high engagement rates sets your brand up for success when it comes to meeting program KPIs.
Ready to work with creators with strong engagement? The Digital Dept. can connect your brand to the perfect influencer partners. Let’s plan your next campaign!
