What is engagement rate?
The social media engagement rate is a metric used to measure the percentage of interactions your social media content received.
This metric indicates the level of interaction your audience has with your brand. It can include interactions such as - likes, comments, shares, or mentions.
How to calculate engagement rate?
To calculate the social media engagement rate, first, add up the ‘total number of interactions’ (likes, comments, shares, or mentions) on a post. Then divide that number by the ‘total number of followers’ your brand has and multiply by 100.
Formula for calculating engagement rate
Real-life example of engagement rate
Understand the engagement rate with an example:
Say, you posted a meme on your brand's Instagram page. It pulled off 7,000 likes, 1,000 comments, and 500 shares. So, the total number of interactions would be 8,500 (7,000 + 1,000 + 500). And assume you have 100,000 followers.
By plugging the figures into the formula, you’ll get an engagement rate of: 8,500/100,000 x 100 = 8.5%
What’s considered a good engagement rate? (benchmark)
A good social media engagement rate is between 1% to 5%, according to Hootsuite.
Different social media platforms have different engagement rate benchmarks. Take a look at this image:
For industry specific benchmarks take a look at this report: Engagement Rate Industry Report
Social media algorithms play a crucial role in determining the reach and engagement of your content, making it important to continuously adapt your strategy in response to these algorithms' updates and changes. An engagement rate of less than 1% indicates that you need to revamp your social media strategy. A rate between 1% and 3% is considered average, and anything more than 5% is phenomenal. The more followers you have, the harder it is to achieve the benchmark, as social media algorithms prioritize content that resonates with your audience and garners meaningful interactions.
Ways to increase your engagement rate
- Create video content: In 2021, it was reported that online videos had an audience reach of 92% among internet users worldwide and short-form videos is the top social media format used by 54% of social media marketers. It’s a no-brainer to include video content in your social media strategy.
- Post engage-worthy content: To increase the engagement you need to post content worth engaging with. It can be a poll users can answer, a video or meme they can relate to, or a giveaway or contest that encourages them to tag other people. Check out some Creative Social Media Content Ideas You Should Try
- Be in tune with the audience's needs: Focus on building the community first, and engagement will follow. Conduct audience research to know who is your target market so you can post content that aligns with audience needs.