Public vs. private engagement rate on Instagram - what's behind it?
Instagram engagement is fickle. One post goes through the roof, the next bobs along - and often there is no clear explanation as to why. This is precisely why social media analyses are so important: they help to identify the patterns behind successful posts. And because not all engagement is the same, we differentiate between Public and private engagement rate.
As the name suggests:
📌 The Public engagement rate is based on the publicly visible metrics - i.e. Likes and comments divided by the number of followers.
📌 The private engagement rate refers to internal, non-public values - i.e. Likes, comments, saved posts and 3-second video views divided by reach.
Here are the complete calculations!
Average engagement rate on Instagram in the last month
Every month, we publish the current average values for the Public and private engagement rate. The data comes from hundreds of thousands of Instagram posts worldwide. With the analysis feature of DotSimple you get these and many other key figures automatically for your own social media channels - without manual calculation.
📌 The public engagement rate is based on our Competitor Analytics Toolwhich can be used to track the performance of business and creator profiles.
📌 The private engagement rate comes from our Profile Analytics Toolwhich collects public and private metrics from Instagram profiles that you manage yourself.
The average values for the last month:
Public engagement rate:
Private engagement rate:
How has the engagement rate on Instagram changed?
Like everything on Instagram, the engagement rate fluctuates from month to month. Sometimes it goes up, sometimes down - and this applies equally to the public and private rate. But one thing is important: the two values do not always develop in sync.
DotSimple shows you at a glance how your own reach is developing over time - across all channels and available at any time.
Here you can see the historical development of the public engagement rate over the last year:
Here is the development of the private engagement rate:
When you check your own engagement rate, make sure you compare it to the right benchmark - public to public, private to private. Otherwise you're comparing apples with oranges. 🍏🍎
How is the engagement rate calculated on Instagram?
Here comes the crux of the matter: there are four different wayscalculate the engagement rate - and No method is absolutely right or wrong. It depends on what you want to measure.
Let's go through the variants:
1. public engagement rate (Public ER)
The standard method if you want to compare your engagement rate with that of your competitors. Only publicly visible interactions are taken into account here:
📌 Post ER = (Likes + comments) / followers
📌 ER profile = average of all post-ERs in the selected period
Here the Number of followers and not by the range. Why? Because reach is a private metric that only profile owners or admins can see.
2. private engagement rate (private ER - full metric)
If you want to improve your own performance Realistic this is the best method:
📌 Post ER = (Likes + comments + saved posts + 3-second video views) / reach
📌 ER profile = average of all post-ERs in the selected period
This will give you a clearer picture, how much interaction your content actually triggers.
3. private engagement rate (likes & comments only)
Some marketers ignore saved posts and video views and focus only on likes & comments:
📌 Post ER = (Likes + comments) / reach
📌 ER profile = average of all post-ERs in the selected period
The reason?
- Saved posts are private and more of a "remember me" function than real interaction.
- Video views (even if they are longer than 3 seconds) do not require any active action.
4. private engagement rate (based on impressions)
Some calculate the engagement rate based on the Impressions instead of reach:
📌 Post ER = (Likes + comments + saved posts + 3-second video views) / impressions
📌 ER profile = average of all post-ERs in the selected period
This method is Rather unusualas it often results in a lower engagement rate. And who wants that? 😅
What influences the engagement rate on Instagram?
There are many factors that determine this, how much interaction your content gets. Here are some of the most important ones:
- How people interact with your content - Are they more likely to like or comment? Are your posts saved?
- The selected format - Pictures, carousels, reels - which format is better received?
- Algorithm changes - Instagram is constantly tweaking the visibility settings.
- The topics of your posts - Some content attracts more engagement than others.
- The right time to post - When is your target group active?
- Hashtags & tags - Do you make yourself visible to the algorithm?
Conclusion: Engagement on Instagram is unpredictable - but not uncontrollable. If you understand how the various metrics work, you can manage your own growth in a more targeted way.
It's high time to compare your own engagement rate with the current averages!
With DotSimple you plan, analyze & optimize your content in one place - efficiently, time-saving and stress-free. 🚀
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