How to calculate engagement rate
Add up the interactions on a post and divide by the size of the audience it had, then multiply by 100. Instagram’s own insights define interactions as actions people take when they engage with your content, such as likes, comments, saves and shares.[1]
For several posts, total the interactions, divide by the number of posts, then divide by the average audience per post. That gives a per-post rate you can compare between periods.
Which denominator to use
| Divide by | Value | Engagement rate | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Followers | 10,000 | 5% | Comparable across posts; ignores who actually saw it |
| Reach | 6,250 | 8% | Rate among people who saw the post |
| Impressions / views | 9,100 | 5.5% | Rate per showing; repeat views lower it |
Reach is the number of accounts that saw the content at least once;[2] impressions count every showing and can include repeat views by the same person.[3] Rate by reach answers “did the people who saw it care?”; rate by followers answers “how engaged is my audience?” and is what most published comparisons use. Never compare a rate by reach with a rate by followers.
- By followers5%
- By reach8%
- By impressions5.5%
Engagement rate on a website is different
Google Analytics 4 also reports an “engagement rate”, but it is the share of sessions that were engaged: longer than 10 seconds, with a key event, or with two or more page views.[4] It has nothing to do with likes or followers; do not mix the two in one report. For Instagram specifically, the Instagram engagement rate calculator uses Instagram Insights’ own terms.
Mistakes that inflate or deflate engagement
- Comparing accounts of very different sizes. Small accounts usually show higher rates; compare with accounts of similar size.
- Counting your own replies. Replying to every comment doubles the comment count without adding audience engagement.
- Viral posts in a follower-based average. A post that reaches far beyond your followers can exceed 100% by followers; report it separately.
- Undisclosed paid posts. If a creator is paid or gifted, the FTC expects the relationship to be disclosed with the endorsement itself.[5] Engagement on undisclosed sponsored posts is not a clean benchmark.
To put a money value on reach and engagement, see earned media value; to judge what engagement turned into, track clicks and sales with the CTR calculator.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate engagement rate?
(Likes + comments + shares + saves) ÷ followers (or reach) × 100. 500 ÷ 10,000 = 5%.
Should engagement rate use followers or reach?
Followers for comparing accounts, reach for judging a single post’s content. State which one you used.
How do I calculate engagement rate for several posts?
Total interactions ÷ number of posts ÷ average followers (or average reach per post).
Do video views count as engagement?
Usually not; views are closer to impressions. Count actions such as likes, comments, shares, saves and clicks.