Engagement rate (ER)

Engagement rate (ER)

     Social networks for business are a full-fledged communication channel with the target audience. So how do you measure the quality of your page, and more importantly the audience?

 

     Many will answer, the number of followers in the group, but they will be wrong. No one has canceled the human ego and a quantitative surplus in the indicators are often perceived as a confirmation of strength and dominance. It is difficult to argue that 100 000 participants in a group look prettier and sound several orders of magnitude better than 500 subscribers. Now the big question is, «Why so many subscribers and how do they benefit the business?»

 

     A reasoned answer is rarely heard. More often, everyone thinks of promotional activities, contests, corporate news, their best videos, and product announcements and other variations of content that are so generously added to account pages and go to the masses. Several departments can work on the content: designers, videographers, marketing specialists and SMM specialists. All this information is additionally coordinated with the management, and as a result valuable working hours are spent, for which you have to pay.


     A key indicator that shows how your audience interacts with your social media posts is the Engagement Ratio. Engagement rate (ER) is a metric that reflects the % of audience engagement in a community (i.e. likes/dislikes, comments, reposts, conversions under your posts).

 

     ER = (comments+reposts+ likes/dislikes+votes) / subscribers * 100%. Example: you have 1 000 subscribers in your group, the post got 5 comments, 15 reposts and 50 likes. It turns out that ER = (5 + 15 + 50) / 1 000 * 100% = 7%. To calculate the ER of the entire account, you need to sum up the ER for each individual post and divide by the total number of posts.

 

     Engagement rate by reach (ERR) gives more accurate values. ERR = (comments+reposts+ likes/dislikes+votes) / reach * 100%.

 

     Calculation of ER and ERR for an account allows to estimate the situation in details, to find interest in a certain kind of content among your audience. The received data helps to make a strategically correct decision on development of the channel and publishing of the actual material which is most actively perceived and relayed by your audience.

 

What is considered a normal ER score?

 

There is no single standard for estimating the ER ratio. This figure varies and depends on the composition of the audience, the properties of the product or service you offer, the social network itself, and other factors.

 

The following values of the indicator can be considered as a guideline:

  • Less than 1% — low indicator
  • From 1% to 3.5% — the average indicator
  • From 3.5% to 6% — high score
  • Over 6% — very high indicator

 

     To correctly assess the acceptable level of performance study in your segment similar performance in the market leaders. Set a clear plan for the time and parameter of the coefficient, which should be achieved.

 

Remember that the competent work with social networks allows you to improve this indicator.

 

Ways to increase the coefficient of engagement:

  • Systematicity in subject matter and presentation format;
  • visual content and support for the text part;
  • actual time of publication;
  • feedback from subscribers;
  • motivation for activity and interaction.

 

     Work with your audience, expand it, but attract interested and engaged users who are interested in your product or service. Remember, one fan of your brand outweighs a million indifferent users.

 

    Questions? Contact us, DepthsSEO team is ready to help you set up your business communication in Social Media