Everyone has their own goals on Instagram but tracking your engagement rate is something we all need to do. It’s one of the key factors in assessing your success – regardless of what you do on the platform.
Whether you’re a big brand with a large budget or an up-and-coming micro-influencer wondering how effective your Reels are, knowing how to calculate Instagram engagement rates can be the real difference in how successful your content is.
Ultimately, you need to create content that resonates with your audience. In this guide, we explain the best practices for calculating engagement rates and some tips on improving it overall. Understanding this is crucial because your goal should be to build not just a larger audience, but one that actively engages with your content over time.
In this guide:
What is the Instagram engagement rate?
The Instagram engagement rate is a measure of how many of your followers interact with your Instagram posts. It’s more than just a number; it’s a reflection of how well your content resonates with your audience.
Engagement can include likes, comments, saves, shares, and even actions like Instagram Stories interactions and taps on interactive stickers. By understanding your engagement metrics, you can gauge if your Instagram business accounts are delivering the impact you need them to.
For many brands, the engagement rate on Instagram is calculated by dividing the total interactions (likes, comments, saves, and so on) by their follower count – or more precisely, the total number of people reached. You might even choose to automatically calculate these data points using an Instagram engagement rate calculator (there are plenty of options available if you search on Google) or your favorite Instagram analytics tool.
Why tracking engagement is essential
The biggest mistake many creators make on Instagram is thinking followers are a good indicator of how successful they are. You could gain a mass following on the back of a couple of successful Reels, but if people don’t remain engaged over time, then your follower total becomes meaningless.
Tracking a good engagement rate means your Instagram content is more likely to truly resonate with your audience. By regularly monitoring these metrics, you can build a community that remains engaged over a period of time.
Tracking engagement means you get a far better understanding of your return on investment (ROI). For example, if you’re looking to work with an influencer, then you need to understand how an influencer engagement rate can affect your results. You might be tempted to partner with an influencer who has a large following – but how do they compare to micro-influencers and nano-influencers, who may have better engagement rates? If a smaller influencer has followers that are consistently engaging with their content, then it indicates a high influencer engagement rate – and this is arguably more valuable, and cost-effective than partnering with a big influencer who doesn’t achieve high engagement.
Influencer engagement rates can vary by niche and audience size, which helps brands identify suitable influencers for their marketing strategies. Knowing various industry benchmarks and follower ranges is a good start to understanding where your average engagement rate sits versus your competitors. After all, average engagement rates can vary widely depending on the content you’re posting.
Always remember, that even if you have a high following, it doesn’t necessarily result in high engagement. Authenticity is important, too. Focus on your engaged followers and nurture a community that remains engulfed in your content.
How to calculate Instagram engagement rate
There are different formulas you can use that calculate your Instagram engagement rate, all of which offer different perspectives. A robust engagement rate is significant in measuring the quality of audience interaction with content, reflecting not just a large follower base but also an active and involved community. These are the three most common methods:
1. Engagement rate based on follower count
This method is popular among marketers and is really straightforward:
Formula:
Engagement rate = ((Total likes + total comments) / total followers) x 100
This formula is useful for quickly benchmarking your Instagram engagement. If you need to calculate the engagement rate, simply add the total engagement (likes, comments, saves, and other metrics you are tracking) and divide it by your follower count.
Example:
If your Instagram account has 10,000 followers, and a single post receives 500 likes and 50 comments, then:
Engagement Rate = ((500 + 50) / 10,000) x 100 = 5.5%
2. Engagement rate based on reach (ERR)
Sadly, not all followers see every post you put on Instagram. This means a post won’t necessarily reach as far as you’d like. Using reach as an engagement metric therefore provides a more accurate picture of your engagement rate compared to follower count:
Formula:
Engagement rate = ((Total likes + total comments + total saves) / reach) x 100
This method is particularly effective for Instagram business accounts where engagement metrics are tracked in detail. It helps determine how many people truly interacted with the post, regardless of your overall follower base.
If you want the average engagement of a series of posts, add up all the ERRs from these posts and then divide it by the number of posts. For example:
Average engagement rate based on reach = Total ERR / number of posts
In other words: Post 1 (3.4%) + post 2 (3.5%) / 2 = 3.45%
3. Engagement rate based on impressions
Another variant is to consider the number of impressions (how many times your content appears on screen). This is slightly different from active engagement because not everyone interacts with each post they see. As a user, you might read an Instagram post but don't bother to like or comment. This counts as an impression but not engagement.
This calculation is similar to ERR.
Formula:
Engagement rate = ((Total likes + total comments + total saves + total shares) / account impressions) x 100
Using this engagement rate calculation helps you gain invaluable insights into how effective your Instagram content is. You’ll know what content turns views into actual engagement.
Tools to calculate engagement rate
We know doing the math manually might not be everyone’s cup of tea when calculating Instagram engagement rates. Luckily, there are free tools out there that will do it for you.
These tools will calculate your engagement by taking your data from your Instagram account. Ultimately, whether you choose to do it manually or through an automated tool, the goal remains the same. You need to understand the engagement your Instagram posts are receiving in relation to your follower count.
If you want to understand standard engagement, use Insights in the Meta Business Suite. You’ll see your account’s core metrics, so you can calculate engagement. Or, you can use a tool like Brandwatch to automatically track engagement and highlight areas for improvement.
What is a good engagement rate on Instagram?
Looking at lots of data can sometimes be a challenging task, particularly if you need to understand different aspects of it, such as demographics, reach, and impressions. When it comes to Instagram engagement rate, the average ranges between 3-6%, but this, of course, depends on follower numbers and your industry.
Your average engagement rate will also differ between standard photo posts and Reels. Meanwhile, an influencer engagement rate benchmark will vary depending on the size of the influencer. Research has shown that influencer engagement can be higher, even if they have a low following.
If you don’t know what target to set, aim for 5% engagement to begin with. You should always keep on top of your targets and goals, as this essentially affects the level of engagement rate you should aim for. You can then tweak your target rate over time.
If you’re working on multiple social media platforms, then it’s important to set targets for each one, as their average engagement rates are different. For more advice on this, head over to our article on what is a good engagement rate on social media.
No matter the size of your business or the scale of your ambitions, a good engagement rate is about proving your content hits the mark among your audience.
Tips for increasing your engagement on Instagram
Once you understand how to calculate the engagement rate on Instagram, there are some smart ways to boost engagement further. Here are some to consider while you are developing your engagement strategy.
Create high-quality content
Ultimately, you aren’t going to achieve a high engagement rate unless you’re creating content that is bespoke and relevant. Instagram posts should be carefully crafted, with relevant captions and hashtags that give your audience a reason to engage. Find some additional strategies in our tips to increase Instagram engagement guide.
Leverage Instagram Stories and video content
It’s important to remember that you need to vary your content to keep engagement high. Consider Instagram Stories as well as Reels that share things like behind-the-scenes footage, or “day in the life” type content that keeps your audience interested in your brand.
Video content, whether a Reel or Story, also gives your followers more reasons and options to engage through things like stickers or prompts. You can learn more about this through our analysis in this guide: Instagram Stories vs Feed: What Works Best.
Focus on authenticity
You should try to filter out potential fake followers by investing in strategies that gain real followers who contribute to your content. This helps build a genuine, authentic level of engagement.
For more insight on follower authenticity, check out our post on getting more Instagram followers and our discussion on likes, fans, and followers, and how much they are really worth.
Monitor your engagement metrics
Engagement rates should be tracked regularly. You can do this via the Meta Business Suite or with a tool like Brandwatch. Through this, you can compare averages on your engagement over time and identify trends that help you improve Instagram content.
Use relevant hashtags and engaging captions
To fully optimize your content, you need to include engaging captions and hashtags that are trending or relevant. It can be a good idea to set time aside to note down potential captions for future posts, so you start to build a library of them.
By doing this, you'll gain more followers, but more importantly, you'll keep your current audience more engaged over time. For further tips, check out our guide on Instagram hashtags.
Experiment with post types
As well as experimenting with different forms of content such as photos, Reels, and Stories, you should also consider carousels to boost engagement. Carousels can be a great way to post your brand’s best moments of the last week or month. You can also display your latest products in this interactive format. For more detailed strategies on using carousel posts, check out our article on Instagram Carousels.
Analyze audience demographics
The demographic of your audience is important because you need to make sure the content you’re posting is reaching your desired people. Instagram Insights helps you understand things such as age, gender, and location when it comes to who is engaging with your content. Use a tool like Brandwatch to dig even deeper and get a thorough understanding of your current and potential audience.
Engage with your community
You should never stay silent with your followers, especially if they are taking the time to comment or share your content. Remember, if you want to increase engagement, then you need to inspire it. Regularly engage with audiences to create a sense of community. This will not only boost engagement rates but also reinforce a base level of engagement over time.
Final thoughts
When learning how to calculate Instagram engagement rate, you’ll realize that it's much more than just crunching numbers. It’s also about understanding different engagement metrics that ensure your Instagram posts are delivering the numbers that prove you’re resonating with your audience.
You may wish to calculate it manually, which is easy enough to do, but you can also use an Instagram engagement rate calculator that automatically does it for you. The key is just to make sure you track the engagement that matters.
In addition to your own benchmarks and targets, you should also compare your engagement against competitors. This will help you understand how your content is doing across your industry. This comparison will not only strengthen your Instagram content strategy but also help you build an engaged, loyal audience. Hopefully, it’ll also lead to more meaningful interactions, which creates a solid sense of community.
But don’t forget, the end goal shouldn’t be to just increase Instagram followers. It’s about ensuring your audience remains engaged over time through likes, comments, and shares. Ultimately, you want them to support your brand.
Maximizing engagement opens up many different doors, including new revenue opportunities. For tips on converting engagement into profits, take a look at our article on how to make money on Instagram.
By utilizing these actionable tips, you can begin your journey to boosting your engagement rate today. Simply figure out the right approach and adjust your strategy accordingly, and you'll be well on your way to achieving a high engagement rate on your Instagram account.
