Forget about chasing follower counts.
Engagement rate speaks louder than vanity metrics. It’s basically how much your audience actually cares about what you’re posting. Are they liking it? Commenting? Sharing it with their friends? Saving it for later? That's the stuff that tells you whether your content is actually connecting with people or just floating around in the void.
There’s no magic number that works everywhere. What looks amazing on one platform might be pretty meh on another. If you’re killing it with 2% engagement on Facebook, congrats! But you also have 2% on TikTok? You’ve probably got some work to do.
Let’s talk about what a “good” engagement rate looks like in the current social media landscape.
What Is Engagement Rate and How Is It Calculated?
It measures the level of interaction your content receives. Some marketers calculate based on followers, others on reach or impressions. Each has its own use case:
Followers: Most common method, useful for consistent tracking
Reach: More accurate for individual post performance
Impressions: Helpful for understanding engagement per view
Here’s a common formula:
Engagement Rate = (Total Engagements / Total Followers or Reach) x 100
If you’re using any kind of social media tool like Sparkum, it will probably just spit out this number for you. Makes life way easier when you’re trying to figure out which posts are actually working and which ones are total duds.
Average Engagement Rates by Platform in 2025
Platform | Good Engagement Rate | Great Engagement Rate |
1% – 3% | 3% – 6% | |
0.08% – 1% | 1% – 2% | |
Twitter / X | 0.05% – 0.2% | 0.5% – 1% |
0.5% – 1% | 1% – 2% | |
TikTok | 3% – 9% | 10%+ |
What Affects Engagement Rate?
Your engagement rate isn’t just about the content you post; it’s influenced by numerous variables. Several factors influence your engagement rate beyond just the quality of content:
Content Format
Videos almost always beat out regular photos. People just scroll right past static images these days. Carousels are great because people love swiping through them, and polls? They’re like engagement gold because everyone wants to vote on something.
Timing
If you’re posting at 3 am when all your followers are asleep, good luck getting any likes. Figure out when your people are actually scrolling and post then. Moreover, avoid spamming them. Nobody likes getting bombarded with 5 posts a day.
Audience Size
Having tons of followers can actually hurt your engagement rate. The more followers you have, the harder it is to maintain high engagement. A smaller group of people who interact with your content will always beat a massive audience that couldn’t care less.
Caption Style and CTAs
Are you just stating facts, or are you actually talking to people? Ask questions, tell them to save your post, and get them to tag their friends. Strategic use of hashtags, clear calls-to-action, compelling captions, and platform-specific features like Instagram Stories polls or LinkedIn’s native video boost engagement rates.
Platform Algorithm
Each platform has its favorites right now. Instagram loves Reels, and LinkedIn is pushing video content. If you’re still posting 2019-style content, the algorithm probably isn’t showing your stuff to anyone.
Hashtags and Keywords
Yes, these still matter in 2025. A few relevant ones will do more for you than 50 random trending tags. Strategic tagging is what will increase discoverability.
How to Benchmark Your Own Engagement Rate
You don’t have to rely only on global averages. Here’s how to create a custom benchmark for your brand:
Start With Your Own Data
Look at the past 30 or 90 days. What’s your average engagement per post on each platform? Calculate your average engagement rate across recent posts to establish your current performance level.Segment Your Results
Break down by platform and content type. For example, your Instagram carousels might consistently outperform single-image posts, while LinkedIn articles may drive different engagement levels compared to short status updates.Do Some Competitor Analysis
Use public data or competitor research tools to see how you stack up. You can also look for brands with similar audience sizes and content styles rather than just industry leaders.Use a Social Media Management Tool
Tools like Sparkum make it easy to generate benchmarks, identify trends, and improve content based on real numbers. We offer dashboard features that help pick your best-performing content, making benchmarking effortless and actionable.
How to Improve a Low Engagement Rate
If your rates are lower than you’d like, don’t panic. Here’s what you can do:
Test Different Formats
Stop doing the same thing over and over if it’s not working. Maybe switch up your content—if you’re always posting photos, try some videos.
Love static posts? Give carousels a shot.
Just don’t change everything at once, or you’ll have no idea what actually helped. A/B testing will help you identify which strategy works for you.
Optimize Captions
Avoid writing captions like you’re sending a press release. Ask people questions and throw in some emojis so you don’t sound like a robot.
Repurpose Top-Performing Content
Look at your posts from the last few months and see which ones people actually liked. Then do more of that! You can totally repost old content with a fresh spin. Most people won’t even remember seeing it the first time.
Post Consistently
The algorithms love people who post consistently. You don’t need to post every day, but whatever schedule you pick, stick to it. Use those scheduling apps like Sparkum if you’re always forgetting to post. This will help you maintain momentum even when life gets busy.
Use Interactive Features
Use all those interactive features the platforms give you: Instagram polls, LinkedIn questions, or X Spaces. These encourage participation, and they tell the algorithm that your content gets people engaged.
Engage With Others
Don’t just post and disappear. You should also like other people’s posts, reply to comments within the first hour of posting, and join relevant conversations. Always spend time interacting with your audience's content.
Use UGC or Testimonials
People trust other people way more than they trust brands. Why? Because real stories feel more genuine. Want to boost your engagement? If yes, then prioritize community building. Share customer testimonials, user-generated content, and behind-the-scenes content.
Authenticity beats perfection every single time. These are way more powerful than your polished marketing copy.
When a “Low” Engagement Rate Isn’t Actually Bad
Not every post needs to go viral, and not every business should be chasing likes.
A 0.5% engagement rate might be disappointing for a fashion influencer, but totally acceptable for a B2B SaaS company with a niche audience.
Before you panic about your numbers, ask yourself the important stuff:
Are people actually clicking through to your website?
Are you getting sign-ups or sales from your posts?
Are you attracting the right kind of people?
Are your followers turning into actual customers or partners?
Sometimes, fewer comments from the right people are more valuable than hundreds of likes from the wrong crowd.
What to Do When Engagement Drops Suddenly
You know that sinking feeling when your posts were doing great and then... nothing? Could be the algorithm messing with you, maybe your audience is just over your content, or honestly, it might just be bad timing.
Here’s how to figure out what went wrong and fix it:
Audit your recent posts
Check your analytics by format
Review your posting schedule
Look at your visual quality
Run a short follower poll or sticker question
Avoid sounding too promotional
Check for shadowbanning or platform bugs
Repurpose a past high-performing content
Final Thoughts
Engagement benchmarks are helpful, but they shouldn’t define your entire strategy.
The best way to know if you’re doing well? Compare yourself to your past results. Are you doing better than you were three months ago? That’s your real competition right there.
If you’re tired of jumping between five different apps just to see how your posts are doing, we’re building something that will make your life way easier.
Sparkum is an all-in-one tool that helps you:
Schedule content across different brands
Measure engagement rates across all your social platforms
Get real-time insights without drowning in spreadsheets
Join the waitlist today to be the first to access our upcoming launch!
Benchmarking: What’s a “Good” Engagement Rate These Days?
Jul 25, 2025
10
min read
Written by:
Jessie Welsh
