Instagram Engagement Metrics: Why You Shouldn’t Miss These

There are several Instagram metrics to track. But only a few of those will deliver the insights you actually want. 

Instagram reel metrics

It depends on your priorities and, more importantly, what you want to achieve. Keeping track of content performance isn’t just brilliant; it’s a necessity for modern creator-driven brands.
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Instagram engagement metrics like Instagram engagement rate, reach, or comments constantly pop up in conversations around Instagram's success. However, they’re buzzwords if you aren’t sure how to use them to ideate your next campaigns or collaborate with content creators. 

Using straight-up facts rather than generic fluff is advisable to create a strategy that hits every mark! 

Why are Engagement Metrics and Instagram Insights Important in Influencer Marketing Campaigns?

When the engagement rate is high, it's a clear sign that the content hits the mark with the audience. But don't stop at just checking engagement rates. Dive deeper. Balance them with metrics such as reach and impressions to get the whole picture. Remember, a high engagement rate promises more reactions from the influencer's audience and can tap into adjacent niches organically.

Spotting the right influencer isn't about just chasing high engagement rates. Be smart. Often, micro-influencers hold more sway than big names. And beware of those with too-high rates, as they might be playing the system with fake likes.

Moreover, use tools like Phyllo to scrutinize potential influencers and gauge the true resonance of your brand with their number of followers before sealing any deal.

Your work is still ongoing post-collaboration. Monitor Instagram engagement metrics to understand the real impact and fine-tune your future strategies.

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Benefits of Measuring Engagement Metrics

Remember, it’s not just about the numbers; it’s about what you do with them. The engagement metrics help you be proactive and build a stronger, more successful Instagram and overall social media marketing strategy.

Below are some notable benefits of measuring engagement on Instagram. 

• Helps understand the creator's audience. Look for Instagram posts that get the most engagement from the creator’s niche audience. Assess if you’re campaign targets the same niche audience.
• Empowers you to spot the right influencers. Look through the influencer’s followers. Check how many of them actively engage with the content creators. Be cautious of fake followers.
• Boosts organic reach. You can craft posts that resonate well with your audience based on engagement metrics–high engagement leads to more organic reach. Look for influencers who share original content rather than those who repost it. Instagram’s CEO Adam Mosseri suggests, “The platform values original content, and those who create it should get more credit.” 
• Helps you drive better return on investment (ROI) on campaigns. Post-campaign analysis allows you to use data to tweak future strategies. Focus on what worked and what didn’t. 
• Enables you to avoid fraudulent influencers. Some influencers have unusually high engagement and fake followers. While analyzing, look for an Instagram account that doesn’t have a legit name or display picture, or observe followers who continuously spam in comments. There is a high chance they’re not the genuine audience of the creator.
• Builds stronger relationships. Constantly tracking comments helps you respond to them as a brand. You can proactively engage in discussions with the audience and add value for them when needed. It reinforces the relationship you have with them. 

Which Instagram Metric Should You Track?

Measuring a brand’s performance on Instagram goes beyond tracking likes and shares. Track Instagram metrics mentioned below to optimize and harness the full potential of Instagram. 

Reach

To foster brand awareness, zoom in on your reach. Reach is the number of unique Instagram accounts that view your posts. Unlike impressions, if the same person sees your post three times, it would be counted only once while measuring your reach. 

Pro tip: Analyze the hashtags and CTAs used in your high-reach posts. Repeat these successful strategies to consistently increase your reach.

Some brands measure the reach rate. It’s the reach you get per follower. 

Reach rate = (Total reach of a post/ Total number of Instagram followers) x 100

Instagram engagement metric example: Reach rate

If your post has a reach of 28 Instagram users and your total follower count is 100. 28% will be the reach rate.

Engagement Rate

Measuring how many followers interact with your content is crucial. The interaction can be a like, share, comment, reaction, or save. Engagement doesn’t discriminate among any and considers all contributing to the total engagement.

The engagement rate is also calculated per follower. 

Engagement rate = (Total engagement on a post/ Total followers) x 100

In this day and age, Instagram Stories and Reels has become a potent tool for boosting brand awareness, necessitating keen attention to metrics like plays and interactions. You should experiment with various content formats to find what resonates with your audience demographics and garners the most Instagram Reel interactions and plays.

On the other hand, shares help understand what content your audience loves to distribute to friends, family, and acquaintances. A high share rate indicates a winner, whether humor, valuable insights, or inspiration. Try crafting content that encourages one to share! 

Pro tip: A drop in engagement rate signals a need to revitalize your content marketing strategy. Stay relevant by observing trends and listening to your audience's feedback.

Conversions

Instagram is a sales powerhouse, offering tools like product tagging to drive sales. You can use Instagram Insights to keep tabs on product page views. Combine this with tools like Linkin.bio by Later to streamline your sales funnel and easily direct traffic to various landing pages. 

Check for what sort of conversions a content creator has been able to drive for a brand closer to your niche. This helps you forecast your expectations for an influencer while partnering with them. 

Pro tip: Usually, conversions depend on your goal. Mostly, they’re link clicks or reach. On Instagram, since influencers can share links on your Instagram profile bio, ask them to monitor them closely to measure the campaign’s impact.

Conversions are often measured as traffic diverted from Instagram to your website. When you partner with influencers, create a link with appropriate Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) parameters. Share it with them and measure the traffic coming in. You can use the UTM parameter builder to create one for your campaign and track these links on Google Analytics.

Repeat Engagement

Identify the true fans of an influencer’s content. Check for people who repeatedly engage with a content creator on Instagram. See if they’re your brand’s target audience. Checking repeat engagement also helps you understand if the fans are genuine audiences or work on a give-and-take philosophy. 

When you find such fans, dive into their profiles. See if the content creator you’re engaging with frequently drops comments on their posts. If yes, it’s likely give and take. Not always, but it’s important to see if there’s a trend.

Serving such an audience might not get you the results you expect. Partner with those influencers who get content-specific engagement. With engaging content that resonates with the influencers' audience, you’ll find people genuinely sharing how they can relate or their genuine opinions or expressions.

Remember, the goal is to track these important Instagram metrics and act on their insights. 

Read more: Top five influencer marketing KPIs to measure for growth

How to Set Instagram Engagement Metrics for Influencer Marketing Campaigns?

Below are the steps you can follow. 

1. Set clear expectations. Before reaching out to influencers, jot down what you want from the campaign - follower growth, sales, website traffic. Your goals will dictate the metrics.
2. Handpick influencers. Choose influencers who align with your brand’s values. Check their Instagram engagement rate, not just follower count. Use Instagram analytics tools like Phyllo to find the right fit.
3. Assess engagement. Make reach and impressions a priority. Ask influencers for their average reach and impressions to ensure they can deliver your desired visibility. Moreover, focus on the engagement rate. It tells you how active and engaging an influencer’s audience is. Encourage influencers to foster conversations, not just likes and shares.
4. Understand their content’s quality. Quality over quantity always. Guide influencers to create authentic content that resonates well with their audience, resulting in higher engagement.
5. Look for click-through rate (CTR) data. It directly indicates how effective an influencer is in driving traffic. Ask influencers to share what CTR they have been able to deliver. You can also equip influencers with unique promo codes to track the exact number of sales generated through their campaign.
6. Encourage influencers to take feedback. Ask influencers to encourage their followers to give your product/service feedback or reviews. It is a genuine way to build trust and gather first-hand user experiences.
7. Monitor continuously. Don’t set and forget. Regularly check the Instagram metrics and adjust strategies as needed. Use tools like Later or Hootsuite for comprehensive analytics. Ask for a detailed report at the end of the campaign. It will help you understand what worked and didn't, preparing you better for future collaborations.

What are good engagement stats on Instagram?

Below are some engagement stats that could help you set a benchmark for your influencer marketing campaign. 

Sources: RivalIQ, Bazaar Voice

Read more: The latest influencer marketing statistics

How Phyllo Instagram API Helps to Analyse Engagement Metrics (Insights API)

Phyllo’s Instagram API fetches public and authenticated data from creators’ Instagram. You get Instagram Follower metrics and additional insights into a creator’s audience, like location, age, and gender. 

Read more: How to use Instagram API integration.

You also get a unified view of likes, comments, shares, and views with the appropriate date and time stamp. Most importantly, Phyllo’s API insights measure key Instagram metrics like reach, engagement, and CTR to track individual influencer’s Instagram performance. 

This helps you plan your marketing efforts for future campaigns and establish more impactful partnerships with content creators.

Overall, Phyllo’s API provides information critical to partnering with the right influencer who can voice your messaging to intended audiences. 

Check out how to use Phyllo for influencer marketing, and whether it’s really necessary for your use case.

FAQ:

What is a good reach rate on Instagram?

A good benchmark for

reach rate would be anywhere between 8%-16% of followers for most brands. It's a positive sign if you reach around 20%.

How do you measure Instagram success?

To measure Instagram's success, focus on engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and saves, found in Instagram Insights. Track reach and impressions to understand your content's visibility. Note the number of website clicks to gauge traffic directed from your profile. Leverage the data from story features and Instagram shopping, if applicable. Additionally, monitor follower growth but prioritize engagement over sheer numbers. 
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What is good instagram reels engagement?

Good Instagram reel engagement depends on various factors, including your existing follower count, the industry you're in, and your Instagram marketing strategy. Generally speaking, a good engagement rate can be considered anything between 3% - 5%. 

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