Calculating engagement rates is not a nice-to-have, but the basis for classifying social media figures in the first place. Likes alone mean nothing. Neither does reach alone. Only the relationship makes content comparable. This article is deliberately dry, mathematical and without motivational theater. No "post more", no "algorithm hack". But: What is the engagement rate, how do you calculate it correctly - and which formula makes sense? Dead internet SEO, but precise.
The engagement rate describes how strongly users interact with your content, measured in relation to a reference value (e.g. reach or followers).
It does not answer
how many people see you
But rather: 👉 How many of the users reached actively respond?
This makes it a quality KPI in social media marketing.
Engagement usually includes
Likes
comments
shares
Saves
Depending on the platform additionally:
Story reactions
Clicks (limited)
Not included in this:
Reach
Impressions
Followers
Engagement = active interaction, not passive visibility.
The engagement rate helps you
Compare content performance
put reach into perspective
Evaluate accounts fairly
High reach without engagement = visibility without impact. Low reach with high engagement = relevance.
There are several formulas. It is not important to use the "one right one", but to use the same one consistently.
(interactions / reach) × 100
Why this formula makes sense:
is based on actual visibility
Reduces distortions due to inactive followers
Suitable for performance analyses
👉 This is usually the best choice for social media analytics
(interactions / followers) × 100
This variant is:
widely used
easy to calculate
But:
Followers do not see every post
Large accounts are disadvantaged
Only suitable for comparisons to a limited extent.
A post has:
Reach: 2,500
Likes: 140
Comments: 15
Shares & Saves: 20
Total interactions: 175
Engagement rate by reach:
175 / 2.500 × 100 = 7 %
→ 7% engagement rateThis is a solid value, depending on platform & format.
Variant | Advantage | Disadvantage |
By reach | Realistic, close to performance | Reach necessary |
By follower | simple | strongly distorted |
👉 Recommendation: Engagement rate by reach whenever possible.
Focus on likes, comments, saves
Reels often higher reach, lower rate
Watch time more important
Engagement rate fluctuates greatly
Comments and clicks more relevant
Lower absolute reach
Never compare across platforms.
1-3 % → low
3-6 % → average
6-10 % → good
>10 % → very good
But:
depending on target group
depending on the format
depending on account size
Benchmarks are an orientation, not an evaluation
Choosing the wrong benchmark
Mixing formulas
Evaluate individual posts
Ignore reach
Confusing engagement with success
A number without context is meaningless.
Engagement = absolute interactions
Engagement rate = ratio to reach or followers
Many interactions ≠high engagement rate. Few interactions ≠poor performance.
The engagement rate belongs:
in social media analytics
in reporting
in performance analyses
But:
never in isolation
always over time
Always in the context of content & goal
Interactions divided by reach (or followers) × 100.
The calculation by reach is usually more accurate.
Often between 3 % and 10 %, depending on platform & format.
Yes, it shows relevance - but not automatically success.
No, each platform has its own logic.
Calculating engagement rate is not an end in itself. It is a tool to realistically classify content.
Who:
calculates cleanly
compares consistently
takes context into account
... make better decisions.
Reach shows who sees you. Engagement rate shows who reacts.
And that's what makes it valuable.