What Is a Good Engagement Rate? Social Media Benchmarks
Engagement rate measures how actively your audience interacts with your content. It shows the percentage of people who like, comment, share, or click on your posts compared to your total followers.
How to Calculate Engagement Rate
Basic Formula
Engagement Rate = (Total Engagements ÷ Total Followers) × 100
Example:
- Post gets 500 likes, 50 comments, 25 shares = 575 engagements
- Account has 10,000 followers
- Engagement rate = (575 ÷ 10,000) × 100 = 5.75%
Alternative Calculation Methods
By Reach:
Engagement Rate = (Total Engagements ÷ Post Reach) × 100
More accurate for viral content or posts with high reach.
By Impressions:
Engagement Rate = (Total Engagements ÷ Post Impressions) × 100
Useful when tracking paid content or multiple views.
Platform-Specific Benchmarks
Instagram Engagement Rates
Overall Average: 1.22%
By Follower Count:
- Under 1K followers: 8.5%
- 1K to 10K followers: 4.5%
- 10K to 100K followers: 2.3%
- 100K to 1M followers: 1.7%
- Over 1M followers: 1.2%
By Content Type:
- Carousel posts: 1.92%
- Video posts: 1.45%
- Single image posts: 1.16%
What's Good:
- Under 1%: Poor
- 1% to 3%: Average
- 3% to 6%: Good
- Over 6%: Excellent
Facebook Engagement Rates
Overall Average: 0.15%
By Page Size:
- Under 10K likes: 0.52%
- 10K to 100K likes: 0.20%
- 100K to 1M likes: 0.14%
- Over 1M likes: 0.10%
What's Good:
- Under 0.1%: Poor
- 0.1% to 0.5%: Average
- 0.5% to 1%: Good
- Over 1%: Excellent
Twitter Engagement Rates
Overall Average: 0.045%
By Follower Count:
- Under 1K followers: 0.12%
- 1K to 10K followers: 0.08%
- 10K to 100K followers: 0.05%
- Over 100K followers: 0.03%
What's Good:
- Under 0.02%: Poor
- 0.02% to 0.09%: Average
- 0.09% to 0.33%: Good
- Over 0.33%: Excellent
LinkedIn Engagement Rates
Overall Average: 2.0%
By Company Size:
- Small companies: 3.5%
- Medium companies: 2.2%
- Large companies: 1.8%
By Content Type:
- Video posts: 3.0%
- Image posts: 2.1%
- Text posts: 1.9%
What's Good:
- Under 1%: Poor
- 1% to 2%: Average
- 2% to 5%: Good
- Over 5%: Excellent
TikTok Engagement Rates
Overall Average: 17.5%
By Follower Count:
- Under 10K followers: 20%
- 10K to 100K followers: 18%
- 100K to 1M followers: 16%
- Over 1M followers: 15%
What's Good:
- Under 10%: Poor
- 10% to 15%: Average
- 15% to 25%: Good
- Over 25%: Excellent
YouTube Engagement Rates
Overall Average: 1.5%
By Subscriber Count:
- Under 1K subscribers: 4.5%
- 1K to 10K subscribers: 3.2%
- 10K to 100K subscribers: 2.1%
- 100K to 1M subscribers: 1.8%
- Over 1M subscribers: 1.4%
What's Good:
- Under 1%: Poor
- 1% to 2%: Average
- 2% to 4%: Good
- Over 4%: Excellent
Industry-Specific Benchmarks
Fashion and Beauty
- Instagram: 1.85%
- Facebook: 0.20%
- TikTok: 19.2%
Food and Beverage
- Instagram: 1.45%
- Facebook: 0.18%
- TikTok: 18.5%
Technology
- Instagram: 0.98%
- Facebook: 0.12%
- LinkedIn: 1.8%
Healthcare
- Instagram: 1.15%
- Facebook: 0.16%
- LinkedIn: 2.2%
Education
- Instagram: 1.36%
- Facebook: 0.14%
- LinkedIn: 2.8%
Finance
- Instagram: 0.89%
- Facebook: 0.11%
- LinkedIn: 1.9%
Factors Affecting Engagement Rates
Follower Count
Larger accounts typically have lower engagement rates due to:
- Algorithm limitations
- Less personal connection
- Broader, less targeted audiences
- Difficulty maintaining quality content
Content Quality
Higher engagement comes from:
- Professional visuals
- Valuable information
- Emotional connection
- Consistent posting
Audience Relevance
Better targeting leads to:
- More interested followers
- Higher interaction rates
- Better algorithm performance
- Increased organic reach
Timing and Frequency
Optimal posting affects:
- Audience availability
- Competition for attention
- Algorithm favorability
- Content freshness
Improving Your Engagement Rate
Content Strategy Improvements
Create Valuable Content:
- Share useful tips and information
- Tell compelling stories
- Show behind-the-scenes content
- Ask questions and start conversations
Optimize Visual Appeal:
- Use high-quality images and videos
- Maintain consistent visual branding
- Create eye-catching thumbnails
- Design shareable graphics
Write Engaging Captions:
- Start with hooks
- Include calls-to-action
- Ask questions
- Use relevant hashtags
Audience Engagement Tactics
Respond Actively:
- Reply to comments quickly
- Answer questions thoroughly
- Thank users for shares
- Engage with followers' content
Encourage Interaction:
- Ask direct questions
- Create polls and surveys
- Run contests and giveaways
- Share user-generated content
Build Community:
- Create consistent series
- Establish posting schedules
- Develop inside jokes or references
- Celebrate milestones together
Technical Optimizations
Post at Optimal Times:
- Research your audience's activity
- Test different posting schedules
- Use analytics to find patterns
- Consider time zones
Use Platform Features:
- Instagram Stories and Reels
- LinkedIn polls and articles
- Twitter Spaces and threads
- Facebook Live videos
Hashtag Strategy:
- Research relevant hashtags
- Mix popular and niche tags
- Create branded hashtags
- Monitor hashtag performance
When Engagement Rate Matters Most
Influencer Marketing
Brands evaluate:
- Engagement rate over follower count
- Quality of comments and interactions
- Audience authenticity
- Content alignment
Algorithm Performance
Platforms favor:
- Content with quick, high engagement
- Posts that generate meaningful interactions
- Accounts with consistent engagement patterns
- Content that keeps users on platform
Business Growth
High engagement indicates:
- Strong brand connection
- Audience interest and loyalty
- Content-market fit
- Potential for word-of-mouth growth
Common Engagement Rate Mistakes
1. Focusing Only on Likes
Comments, shares, and saves often indicate deeper engagement than likes alone.
2. Buying Fake Engagement
Purchased likes and comments hurt long-term performance and algorithm ranking.
3. Ignoring Platform Differences
Each platform has different engagement patterns and user behaviors.
4. Not Tracking Over Time
Single post performance matters less than overall engagement trends.
5. Comparing to Wrong Benchmarks
Compare your rates to similar accounts in your industry and follower range.
Engagement Rate Tracking Tools
Native Analytics
- Instagram Insights
- Facebook Page Insights
- Twitter Analytics
- LinkedIn Page Analytics
- YouTube Analytics
Third-Party Tools
- Social media management platforms
- Analytics and reporting tools
- Influencer marketing platforms
- Competitor analysis tools
Setting Engagement Rate Goals
Realistic Expectations
- Start with industry benchmarks
- Account for your follower count
- Consider your content resources
- Plan gradual improvements
Goal Setting Framework
- Measure current performance
- Research competitor rates
- Set incremental targets
- Track progress monthly
- Adjust strategies based on results
Success Metrics
- Consistent month-over-month growth
- Above-average industry performance
- Increasing comment quality
- Growing organic reach
Improve Your Engagement Rate
Good engagement rates vary by platform, industry, and audience size. Focus on creating valuable content, building genuine connections, and consistently engaging with your community.
Track and improve engagement with SocialRails:
- Monitor engagement rates across platforms
- Identify your best-performing content types
- Schedule posts for optimal engagement times
- Analyze audience interaction patterns
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Related Terms
Related Guides
- Instagram Carousel Posts Guide
- Instagram Creator vs Business Account
- Small Business Influencer Marketing
- How to Get More Instagram Likes
Focus on authentic engagement over vanity metrics. Build genuine connections with your audience through valuable content and meaningful interactions.