The complete guide to checking engagement rate on Instagram and TikTok - the manual formula, common mistakes, what to look for beyond ER, and how to automate it.
Step-by-Step Guide
You can calculate engagement rate by hand - but it's tedious and error-prone. Here's the process, so you understand what tools like Untapper automate for you.
Go to the creator's profile and record their current follower count. This is your denominator for Instagram ER. For TikTok, you'll use views instead.
Open the last 12 posts. For each, record likes + comments (Instagram) or likes + comments + shares (TikTok). This gives you 12 engagement data points.
Sort the 12 engagement numbers. The median is the middle value (average of 6th and 7th). Don't use the mean - one viral post will skew it badly.
ER = (Median Engagement / Followers) × 100. For TikTok, use median views as denominator. Compare against benchmarks for their follower tier.
Calculating engagement rate by hand works for one-off checks, but it quickly becomes impractical when you're evaluating multiple creators. Here's the real comparison:
Even experienced marketers make these errors when evaluating influencer engagement. Understanding them helps you make better partnership decisions.
Engagement rate is the starting point, not the finish line. Here are the additional signals that predict whether a creator partnership will actually deliver results.
The process for checking engagement rate differs between platforms because the metrics work differently. Here is what to know for each.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Engagement pods (groups that agree to like and comment on each other's posts) and purchased engagement can artificially inflate ER. Untapper helps detect this by comparing median vs mean engagement and analyzing the follow ratio. A large median-mean gap or poor follow ratio are strong indicators of inauthentic engagement.
Before any partnership commitment, check the engagement rate using the most recent 12 posts. For ongoing partnerships, re-check monthly. Engagement can shift as algorithms change, audiences grow, or content quality evolves.
Engagement rate is the single best predictor of sponsored post performance, but it is not the only factor. Content quality, audience relevance, and creator authenticity also matter. Use ER as the starting filter, then evaluate the full picture with health indicators, trend data, and content review.
Untapper checks engagement rate, health, trends, and more - for every creator you browse. Instantly. For free.