Benchmark Methodology.
How we source, validate, and maintain our engagement rate benchmarks.
Our approach to benchmarks
ERC provides engagement rate benchmarks segmented by follower tier (Nano, Micro, Mid, Macro, Mega) across six platforms. This tier-based approach exists because a single platform-wide average is misleading — engagement rates vary by 10× or more between a 5K-follower creator and a 2M-follower brand.
For example, Rival IQ's 2025 Social Media Industry Benchmark Report found the overall median Instagram engagement rate across all industries is 0.36%. But that figure primarily reflects mid-to-large brand accounts (25K–1M followers). Nano creators consistently achieve 2–8% because their audiences are smaller, more niche, and more actively engaged.
Our benchmarks account for this reality by providing separate thresholds for each tier, so you always compare against accounts of your size.
Data sources
We compile benchmark thresholds by cross-referencing data from the following published industry studies:
| Source | Coverage | Key Data Used |
|---|---|---|
| Rival IQ (Quid) — 2025 & 2026 Social Media Industry Benchmark Reports | 14 industries, millions of posts across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X | Median engagement rates by industry, posting frequency, format performance |
| Socialinsider — Social Media Benchmarks 2025 & 2026 | 15M+ Instagram posts, cross-platform analysis | Engagement by content format (Reels vs Carousels vs Static), year-over-year trends |
| HypeAuditor — State of Influencer Marketing 2025 | Creator/influencer-focused metrics across Instagram and TikTok | Engagement rates segmented by follower count, fraud detection benchmarks |
| Rival IQ — What is a Good Engagement Rate on Instagram (2025) | Industry-by-industry Instagram analysis | Top 25% brand performance thresholds, industry-specific medians |
How we set tier thresholds
For each platform, we follow this process:
- Collect published data — Gather engagement rate statistics from 2+ independent studies that segment by follower count or audience size.
- Cross-reference and validate — Where sources agree (within ±1 percentage point), we use the consensus. Where they diverge, we favor the source with the larger sample size.
- Set tier boundaries — We define "Excellent" as the top ~10% of accounts in a tier, "Good" as top 25–50%, "Average" as the median range, and "Low" as below median.
- Adjust for platform dynamics — TikTok benchmarks are inherently higher due to the For You Page algorithm. LinkedIn and Twitter are lower due to platform mechanics. Each platform is calibrated independently.
Formulas used
Every formula in our calculator follows the industry standard approach of dividing total engagements by the relevant denominator:
| Platform | By Followers Formula | Engagements Included |
|---|---|---|
| (Likes + Comments + Saves + Shares) ÷ Followers × 100 | Likes, Comments, Saves, Shares | |
| TikTok | (Likes + Comments + Shares) ÷ Followers × 100 | Likes, Comments, Shares |
| YouTube | (Likes + Comments) ÷ Subscribers × 100 | Likes, Comments |
| (Reactions + Comments + Reposts) ÷ Followers × 100 | Reactions, Comments, Reposts | |
| Twitter / X | (Likes + Reposts + Replies) ÷ Impressions × 100 | Likes, Reposts, Replies |
| (Reactions + Comments + Shares) ÷ Followers × 100 | Reactions, Comments, Shares |
Alternative denominators (Reach, Views, Impressions) are available on each platform calculator for more granular analysis.
Why we include saves on Instagram
Some calculators only count likes and comments. We include saves and shares because Instagram's own algorithm treats saves as the strongest engagement signal (per Socialinsider's 2026 Instagram benchmarks). Omitting saves would significantly undercount true engagement for educational, how-to, and evergreen content where saves often exceed comments.
Update schedule and changelog
Benchmarks are reviewed when new industry reports are published. We do not change thresholds without published data justification.
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | Added methodology page with full source citations. Confirmed all tier thresholds against Rival IQ 2025/2026 and Socialinsider 2026 data. | Rival IQ 2025 Benchmark Report, Socialinsider 2026 Benchmarks |
| January 2026 | Initial benchmark tiers set for all 6 platforms, segmented by follower count. | Rival IQ 2025, HypeAuditor 2025, Socialinsider 2025 |
Limitations and transparency
- We do not collect user data. All calculations run locally in the browser. We have no proprietary engagement database — our benchmarks are sourced entirely from published third-party research.
- Benchmarks are approximations. Individual account performance varies by niche, content format, posting frequency, and audience demographics. Use tier benchmarks as directional guidance, not absolute targets.
- Platform algorithms change. Engagement rates shift as platforms update their distribution algorithms. We update benchmarks when new published data becomes available.
Verify our sources
All sources cited above are publicly available. We encourage users to verify data independently: