Engagement rate is the heartbeat of Instagram influencer marketing, revealing how actively an influencer's audience connects with their content. Put simply, it’s the percentage of followers who interact – liking, commenting, sharing or clicking – showing just how impactful their influence really is.
How to calculate an Instagram influencer’s engagement rate
The first option for calculating your Instagram engagement rate is to divide their total number of likes and comments (past 30 days) by their follower count, and then multiply by 100 to give you a percentage.
So what is a good engagement rate?
To understand what the number actually means and whether it is good or bad. Below is an industry standard guideline so you can benchmark results:
Less than 1% = low engagement rate
Between 1% and 3.5% = average/good engagement rate
Between 3.5% and 6% = high engagement rate
Above 6% = very high engagement rate
Engagement rate benchmarks by platform
Of course, an Instagram influencer may also be active on several other social platforms too. What is considered a good engagement rate on one may not be as impressive on another.
Engagement rates vary from platform to platform, depending on factors such as content type, posting frequency and the authenticity of the influencer's connection with their followers. Here’s a breakdown of engagement rates for Instagram, TikTok and YouTube:
1. Instagram:
Excellent: 5%+
Good: 3-5%
Average: 1-3%
Low: <1%
2. TikTok:
Excellent: 10%+
Good: 7-10%
Average: 4-7%
Low: <4%
3. YouTube:
Excellent: 4%+
Good: 2-4%
Average: 1-2%
Low: <1%
Engagement rate by follower count
It’s not just the platform that affects an influencer’s engagement rate – so does the size of their audience. Influencers are typically categorised into tiers, and engagement rates can differ significantly.
It’s important to remember that a higher follower count doesn’t necessarily result in a higher engagement rate (ER). Often, smaller accounts that have built a closer connection with their followers will enjoy the highest ER.
Let’s take a closer look at the different influencer categories:
Nano influencers (1K–10K followers):
Typically have the highest engagement: 4-10%+.
Their smaller, highly targeted audiences often result in more trust and interaction.
Micro-influencers (10K–100K followers):
Engage rates are strong but slightly lower than nano: 3-8%.
Mid-tier influencers (100K–500K followers):
ERs decline with increased followers: 2-5%.
Macro influencers (500K–1M followers):
Engagement rates typically fall between 1.5-4%.
Mega influencers/celebrities (1M+ followers):
Lowest engagement: 0.5-2%, as their audiences are larger and less niche.
What to aim for in influencer selection?
Niche relevance: Even influencers with "lower" engagement rates can still be effective if their audience aligns well with your product.
Balanced follower engagement: Look for consistent likes, comments, and authentic discussions – fake followers and bots can distort engagement.
Context matters: Some niches (such as luxury interiors or finance) naturally have lower engagement due to the nature of the content.
So, what is a good engagement rate?
In summary, as an industry standard, an engagement rate on Instagram between 1% and 3% is generally good, it is the average we see on an influencer's profile. If the engagement rate is higher than 3%, that is a good sign that their audience is very engaged with their content, and if it is below 1%, it means their audience as a whole is not very engaged with their content.
Keep in mind, a number of things influence engagement rate on Instagram, such as the time of each individual post, the frequency of posting, the number of followers, the content and messaging and the Instagram algorithm (and the limitations that sometimes come with it).
So when you are deciding what influencer to work with, or comparing a cohort of influencers, make sure you consider engagement rate. It's an important metric to consider and should not be ignored when choosing influencers for your campaign.
If you have any questions about engagement rates on Instagram, or would like to collaborate with a UK influencer, you can email hello@findyourinfluencer.co.uk or call 0161 731 0048 to chat with our team any time.