What is engagement rate?
Engagement rate (ER) is a ratio of interactions to audience size. On Social Fetch free tools we typically compute account-level ER from recent public posts: sum interactions on each item, divide by follower count, multiply by 100, then average usable items.
Common formulas
TikTok tool: (likes + comments + shares) ÷ followers × 100 per video, then mean across recent usable videos.
Instagram tool: (likes + comments) ÷ followers × 100 per post, then mean across recent usable posts.
Follower-based ER is not the same as view-based ER. View-based rates mix reach and interaction; we document which we use on each /data page.
Benchmarks
There is no universal "good" ER. Platform, niche, and follower size move the distribution. Our dated panels live under /data (TikTok and Instagram averages), treat them as sample benchmarks, not targets.
Compute one handle with /tools/tiktok-engagement-rate or /tools/instagram-engagement-rate, or pull the same fields via the API.
FAQ
What is a good engagement rate?
It depends on platform and follower size. Use dated /data panels for medians in our samples, and compare accounts within the same network first.
Why do TikTok and Instagram formulas differ?
TikTok surfaces shares as a first-class public count in our formula; Instagram ER on our tools uses likes + comments. Do not blend them into one number without saying so.
Can I get ER from the API?
Yes. Fetch profile + recent posts/videos, then apply the same formula client-side. Or use Ask to pull the underlying counts.