Calculate engagement rate for Instagram, Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Threads — with the right formula for each platform and 2026 benchmarks baked in.
Feed photo and carousel posts. Reels use a separate view-based formula.
(Likes + Comments + Shares + Saves) / Followers × 100
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The percentage of your audience that actually interacts with your content. A 5,000-follower creator at 5% ER is usually worth more than a 50,000-follower one at 0.3%.
(Engagements) / Followers × 100Most widely reported. Good for comparing to public benchmarks.
(Engagements) / Reach × 100Measures how well content converts the audience that actually saw it.
(Engagements) / Impressions × 100Preferred for short-form video (Reels, TikTok, Shorts) and X / LinkedIn.
Benchmarks compiled from public 2025–2026 creator reports (Social Insider, RivalIQ, and platform-published data).
| Platform | Low | Average | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Instagram (Feed Posts) | 0.5% | 0.7% | 1.5% | 3% |
Instagram Reels | 0.8% | 1.8% | 4% | 8% |
TikTok | 2.5% | 4.5% | 7.5% | 12% |
YouTube (Long-form) | 1% | 2.5% | 5% | 8% |
YouTube Shorts | 1.5% | 3% | 6% | 10% |
X (Twitter) | 0.3% | 0.6% | 1.5% | 3% |
Facebook (Pages) | 0.05% | 0.15% | 0.5% | 1% |
LinkedIn | 1% | 2.5% | 5% | 8% |
Threads | 1% | 3% | 6% | 10% |
Not every platform plays by the same rules. Here's what actually matters on each.
(Likes + Comments + Shares + Saves) / Followers × 100Median Instagram ER for business accounts sits around 0.7% in 2026. Above 1.5% is strong; above 3% is top-decile. Saves carry outsized weight in the feed algorithm.
Carousels consistently outperform single images — every swipe counts as a new engagement opportunity.
(Likes + Comments + Shares + Saves) / Views × 100Reels reach non-followers through Explore and the Reels tab, so view-based ER is the fair metric. A "good" Reel sits above 4%.
Follower-based ER inflates small accounts — always divide by views when comparing Reels.
(Likes + Comments + Shares) / Views × 100TikTok's For You Page ignores follower graph, so views are the only fair denominator. Aim for 7.5%+ to signal strong performance.
Watch time and completion rate matter for distribution, but aren't included in the standard ER formula.
(Likes + Comments + Shares) / Views × 100Long-form YouTube averages around 2.5% ER. For long-form, watch time and retention are more predictive of algorithm performance than raw engagement.
Use ER as a secondary metric on YouTube — retention is the lead indicator.
(Likes + Comments + Shares) / Views × 100Shorts average ~3% ER and drive most of YouTube's algorithmic discovery. Low friction means more engagement per view.
Loop your Shorts — repeat views count and lift both ER and retention.
(Likes + Replies + Retweets + Bookmarks) / Impressions × 100Median X ER hovers around 0.6% — lower than other platforms because feed volume is higher. 1.5%+ is strong. Bookmarks are now a public engagement signal.
X reports impressions natively — use them as the denominator, not followers.
(Likes + Comments + Shares) / Followers × 100Organic reach for Facebook pages is 1–5% of followers, so follower-based ER of 0.05–0.5% is normal. Reach-based ER of 1–3% is healthy.
Always specify your denominator when reporting Facebook ER — the two numbers differ 10×.
(Reactions + Comments + Reposts) / Impressions × 100Company pages average ~2.5% ER, while personal profiles routinely hit 5–8%. Use impressions as the denominator since LinkedIn reports them natively.
Personal profile content outperforms page content — seed reach through employee advocacy.
(Likes + Replies + Reposts + Quotes) / Followers × 100Threads is young and benchmarks shift fast. Current medians sit around 3% ER — higher than Instagram or X because the feed is less saturated.
Expect this number to compress as Threads grows; benchmark monthly, not quarterly.
Six changes that move the number — in order of impact.
A lower posting frequency with higher-quality content consistently produces better ER than daily posting. Consistency beats volume.
Pattern interrupts, open loops, and specific numbers outperform generic openers — the first 3 seconds (video) or first line (text) decide everything.
A specific question like "What's your current ER on Reels?" generates 4–8× more comments than "What do you think?"
Checklists, step-by-step guides, and "save this for later" content drive the save metric Instagram weights heavily in ranking.
Early comment velocity is a strong ranking signal. Being present in the first 30 minutes after publishing routinely doubles total engagement.
If 20% of your content drags the average down, your baseline ER is stuck. Audit your worst performers quarterly and stop making them.
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