What is engagement rate?

Engagement rate is a measure of how actively people interact with your content, usually calculated as total engagements divided by followers, reach or impressions, shown as a percentage.

Engagement rate puts your numbers in context. A large account with lots of likes may still have a low engagement rate, while a small account with an active audience can have a high one. It helps you compare posts fairly and see whether your content truly connects.

There is no single standard formula. Some people divide engagements by follower count, others by reach or impressions, and each method gives a different result. Networks and tools may also count different actions, such as saves or clicks. Because of this, it is best to compare rates calculated the same way.

Pick one formula and stick with it so your results stay consistent over time. Compare your rate to your own past posts rather than to other accounts. Look at what your highest-rate posts have in common and create more content like them.

Example

A local bookshop calculates the engagement rate of its weekly staff-pick posts and finds they outperform its event announcements.