The engagement rate drops again and again when talking about KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) on Instagram. However, if you look at Instagram’s statistics, you will find that this metric is complete nonsense. A good engagement rate is a basic requirement for a good influencer.

“The engagement rate is calculated by adding up all likes and comments and dividing them by the total number of followers of the influencer.” If an Instagram account has 10,000 followers and 500 likes and comments on a picture, it has an engagement rate of five percent.

The ideal percentage of interaction rates with a post varies depending on the conversation partner and the size of an account. A value between three and eight percent is generally considered good.

It is always emphasized that the larger an account, the worse the relationship between account size and interactions.

This is why so-called micro-influencers (1,000 to 20,000 followers) have been experiencing a major boom for some time. They still have a personal bond with their community and can react to user reactions. With industry giants like Bianca “Bibi” Heinicke or Sami Slimani alias “Mr. Tutorial” this is hardly possible anymore.

The mistake of reasoning with the engagement rate

The real question in the discussion about the engagement rate KPI is: Why is it considered so important when it can hardly make a statement about the charisma of an influencer? First of all, we need to take a look at the Instagram Insights stats that every business account has.

There, Instagram outputs three relevant values ​​that are useful for calculating the real engagement rate: the impressions (how often a post has been seen), reach (how many individuals have seen your post) and the interactions (likes, comments and storage of the Content).

At least since the introduction of the Instagram algorithm and the associated re-sorting of the Instagram feed, users have long since ceased to see all of the posts on an account they are following.

This is why the number of followers is the wrong reference point for calculating interaction rates. You get really meaningful values ​​if you take the range as the starting point for the calculations.

A little overview

Interactions (140) / number of followers (1,300) = 10.8 percent
Interactions (140) / impressions (439) = 31.9 percent
Interactions (140) / reach (324) = 43.2 percent

Questions all KPIs
The figures make it clear that there are big worlds between the classic interaction rate (interactions / followers) and the real engagement rate (interactions / reach). From my perspective, it is clear which of the two values ​​delivers the more valuable results.

So that meaningful key figures for analysis can be established in influencer marketing on Instagram and also on other channels, absolute honesty and openness are required from all sides (influencer, agency, advertiser). Because it is also clear: only the influencer can see the reach of a post. Outsiders cannot see this value. The influencer should ideally share this information with the cooperation partner within an advertising partnership.

Reach is the actual number of people who saw your post. However, the reach share is the number of people who saw your post divided by the number of your followers (reach share = reach / followers). This shows how many of your followers have seen your post as a percentage.

You should be familiar with these KPIs – a bit dry topic but still an important topic to measure success.

# 1: your reach

You should divide your reach into two KPIs. On the one hand in the range and on the other hand in the range share. Because the reach is the actual number of people who have seen your post. However, the reach percentage is the number of people who saw your post divided by the number of your followers

(Reach share = reach / follower)
This shows how many of your followers have seen your post as a percentage.

# 2: Interaction rate & interaction rate on reach

You should also divide the interaction rate into two KPIs, because in addition to the interaction rate, which is determined based on your followers, there is also the interaction rate on reach. As the name suggests, this is calculated based on the reach and not on the followers.

The interaction rate (engagement rate) comprises all your likes and comments divided by the number of followers at the time of the post.

(Interaction rate = (likes + comments) / followers x 100)
The engagement rate on reach includes all your likes and comments for a post, divided by the reach of your posts, not by followers.

(Interaction rate on reach = (likes + comments) / reach x 100)

Both KPIs are about how well your posts are received by the community. The higher your interaction rate, the better you have reached your target group with your content.

# 3: Follower Growth

Most Instagramers are obsessed with this KPI … the growth of followers! One of the most important and easiest to determine KPIs for your Instagram account. The excess of followers is measured over a certain period of time.

It makes sense to monitor how many followers there were at the start of a strategy and how it changes during implementation.

To do:

If you don’t have a business account yet, then this is the right time to switch to view your insights.Deal with your metrics that tell you how high your engagement is on Instagram. And optimize it step by step.

f you want to deal more with the numbers & statistics, we can recommend iconosquare.
How about you Can you handle the mess of numbers?