Nothing hurts more than thoughtfully creating an Instagram carousel in Canva or curating a photo dump only to publish and receive…crickets.
Don’t worry — your content’s fine. You just need a better engagement strategy.
Instagram engagement is more than just a numbers game — it’s about building genuine connections with your audience. Even the most stunning posts can feel like shouting into the void without engagement.
Keeping an eye on your Instagram engagement rate helps you see whether your efforts are paying off and guides you toward building deeper connections with your followers. That connection could make all the difference in boosting your engagement.
What is Instagram engagement?
Instagram engagement goes beyond the simple metric of follower count — it reflects how your audience interacts with your content. Whether you’re a creator or a brand, engagement is a key indicator of how well you connect with your audience.
Any time your followers take an action on your post — that’s engagement. Here are the common Instagram engagement metrics to keep track of:
Post engagement metrics:
LikesCommentsSavesShares
Other engagement metrics include:
DMs (Direct Messages)Link clicks/swipe-upsMentionsHashtag usageStories sticker interactions
In this article, we’ll focus mainly on post engagement metrics and how you can measure your engagement rate, which is a vital part of refining your content strategy.
Why engagement matters
Engagement matters for two key reasons:
First, it indicates how your audience is reacting to your content. The more your content resonates with your followers, the higher your engagement will be. And when you know what your followers like, it’s easy to replicate that content.
Second, engagement influences how Instagram’s algorithm ranks your content. As Instagram focuses more on diverse forms of content beyond images, understanding which post types generate the highest engagement becomes crucial. Our data shows that while Reels may dominate in terms of reach, carousels often outperform Reels when it comes to meaningful interactions like comments, shares, and saves.
Engagement-heavy posts are more likely to appear at the top of your followers’ feeds because Instagram wants to show users content they are most likely to interact with. Posts that receive higher engagement — especially comments, shares, and saves — are favored by the Instagram algorithm.
So, the more engagement your posts get, the more visibility you’ll achieve, which can lead to more interactions. Understanding how engagement impacts visibility is crucial, whether you’re trying to foster a community or simply reach new followers.
How to calculate Instagram engagement rate
Instagram engagement is a combination of actions your audience takes on your posts, Reels, and Stories. Metrics that influence your engagement rate include likes, comments, shares, saves, website clicks, profile visits, and even replies to Instagram Stories.
You can calculate your engagement rate using different formulas, depending on how you want to measure it. Here’s a breakdown of the two most popular methods:
Engagement rate based on impressions
Calculating your engagement rate based on impressions provides insights into how your content is performing based on the number of people who actually saw your post — not just your total follower count. This is particularly useful for content like Reels, which often reach far beyond your existing followers.
For example, if a post was seen by 515 people (impressions) and received 25 engagements (likes, comments, and shares), your engagement rate would be 4.85 percent.
How to calculate engagement rate based on impressions.
Third-party tools like Buffer’s analytics will also do it for you. In the below screenshot from Buffer’s analytics, you can see this Instagram post generated 127 engagements (likes, comments, and saves) and 1,625 impressions, with an engagement rate is 7.82 percent.
Buffer calculates engagement rate using engagements divided by impressions.
Engagement rate based on followers
Calculating engagement rate based on followers is the best way to understand how well your content resonates with your current followers.
How to calculate engagement rate based on followers.
So if you have 1,000 followers and your Instagram post received 70 likes, 15 comments, and 5 shares, your engagement rate would be 9 percent.
What is a good Instagram engagement rate?
A “good” Instagram engagement rate varies depending on your industry, goals, and the type of content you’re sharing. Surprisingly, an average engagement rate can be as low as 1 percent across many industries, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your content is failing.
For example, Reels tend to have higher reach but slightly lower engagement rates compared to carousels, which consistently perform better in generating likes, comments, and shares. Carousels might only reach a fraction of what Reels do, but that engagement is often more meaningful.
Rather than chasing numbers, focus on the content that works for your audience. Track your progress over time, note what content gets the most interaction, and fine-tune your social media strategy to see a bump in your Instagram engagement.
10 tactics to help boost your Instagram engagement
Now that you have all the information about what makes a good Instagram engagement rate, here are 10 simple tips to help you increase yours by making the most of various post types and features.
1. Diversify your content formats
First and most importantly, if you want to maximize your Instagram engagement, you should be using a mix of all the content formats.
Instagram provides multiple formats — single-image posts, carousels, Reels, and Stories — all designed to engage users differently.
While Reels are a powerhouse for reach, boasting 36 percent more reach than carousels and 125 percent more reach than single-image posts, carousels have proven to be engagement leaders, driving 12 percent more interaction than Reels.
To maximize your efforts, focus on creating a strategic balance between reach (Reels) and deeper engagement (carousels).
Reels are perfect for quickly capturing new followers’ attention, while carousels allow you to engage your current audience more meaningfully by sharing layered, swipe-worthy content.
Why it works: Reels have their own dedicated feed, making them more likely to be shown to non-followers, which is great for growth. On the other hand, carousels provide multiple opportunities to show up in your followers’ home feeds, giving your audience more chances to interact with your post. The two formats complement each other perfectly: Reels help you attract new eyes, and carousels keep those eyes engaged.
2. Use Instagram Stories and interactive stickers
Instagram Stories are one of the most effective tools for fostering real-time engagement. Stories disappear after 24 hours, which creates a sense of urgency for Instagram users to engage quickly.
What makes Stories particularly powerful are Instagram’s interactive stickers — polls, quizzes, sliding scales, and Q&As — that allow you to involve your audience with minimal effort on their part. These features provide easy entry points for interaction, turning passive viewers into active participants.
Personal finance creator @mywealthdiary used their story to reply to a comment on one of their posts.
Why it works: Interactive stickers turn simple views into meaningful engagements. Polls and quizzes, for example, don’t just grab attention; they make your audience feel involved in shaping the conversation. This taps into Instagram’s engagement algorithms, boosting your visibility, as confirmed by Instagram CEO, Adam Mosseri.
Plus, Stories often feel more personal and less polished than feed posts, allowing you to share behind-the-scenes moments or get immediate feedback, which helps build stronger, more authentic connections with your followers.
Some tips for your Instagram Stories:
Leverage stickers to get direct feedback from your audience. Run polls to gauge interest in upcoming products, or add an affiliate link to your outfit of the day.After gathering responses, share the results in your Stories and acknowledge your audience’s participation. This follow-up keeps them engaged and makes them feel seen, strengthening their connection with your brand.
3. Use carousels to spark conversations
Carousel posts remain one of Instagram’s most effective formats for driving meaningful engagement — likes, comments, shares, and saves.
Our data shows that carousels outperform other formats by generating 12 percent more engagement than Reels, making them a powerful tool to spark deeper interactions.
This format also lets you tell a more complete story, giving your audience more context, information, or visuals to interact with. Also, because carousels can reappear in Instagram users’ feeds if they don’t swipe through all the slides, you get multiple opportunities for visibility and engagement.
Why it works: Instagram’s algorithm favors posts that keep users on the platform longer, which is why carousels with more slides often perform better than single-image posts. The reappearance of carousels in the feed also increases the likelihood of your post getting seen again, boosting engagement. Carousel posts allow you to go beyond surface-level content, encouraging users to swipe, stay longer on your post, and engage with each slide. The layered nature of carousels means that users have more chances to comment, like, or share as they process the content at their own pace.
Some ideas for your carousels:
Start strong with an attention-grabbing first slide. Whether it’s a bold hook or a stunning visual, your goal is to make users curious enough to swipe. Each subsequent slide should build upon the first, offering value or storytelling that compels your audience to continue engaging.Based on the data, you can maximize your carousel’s engagement by mixing images, videos, and text to create a dynamic and interactive experience. Carousels with a mix of media types tend to hold users’ attention longer and are more likely to be shared.Educational carousels that break down complex information or tell a step-by-step story perform well, particularly when accompanied by a compelling narrative. Users are more likely to save and share these posts, giving your content even more staying power.On your final slide, include a strong CTA — whether it’s asking for their opinion, encouraging them to share, or prompting them to tag a friend. Carousels thrive on participation, and a well-placed CTA will drive users to take action.
4. Lean into Reels to maximize reach
Instagram Reels are essential if you’re looking to reach new audiences quickly. According to Buffer’s data, Reels receive 36 percent more reach than carousels and 125 percent more reach than single-photo posts.
Reels have a dedicated feed, which means your content is more likely to be shown to users who don’t already follow you. This makes Reels a powerful tool for attracting new followers, especially since Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes video content.
Why it works: The Reels feed is optimized for discovery, showing your content to a larger pool of non-followers. As Instagram increasingly shifts toward video content, this feature will only become more integral to growth strategies. Videos, especially short-form, are a popular medium for engagement, and Instagram’s algorithm actively pushes them into users’ feeds.
Some tips for your Instagram Reels:
To maximize the potential of Reels, focus on creating shareable content. Instagram’s algorithm prefers Reels that are shared via direct message (DM), which Instagram refers to as “sends per reach.” Encourage your viewers to send the Reel to a friend or share it in their Stories, increasing your chances of appearing in more feeds.Repurpose your Reels for other platforms like TikTok, Facebook Reels, and YouTube Shorts to get more mileage out of your content. This multi-platform strategy saves you time while boosting your reach beyond Instagram.
5. Find your best time to post on Instagram
One of the simplest yet most impactful ways to increase your engagement is to post at the right time. While there is no universal “best” time to post on Instagram, our data shows that certain times of day tend to yield better results.
For example, posts shared between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. on weekdays consistently receive the most engagement. This is likely because users tend to check their phones first thing in the morning or during their commute. On Fridays, 4 p.m. also sees an engagement spike, perhaps as people wind down for the weekend.
That said, weekends generally see lower engagement levels, with Saturday mornings at 7 a.m. and Sunday evenings around 7 p.m. performing better than other times on those days.
However, finding your unique best time to post involves understanding your audience’s behavior. Use Instagram Insights or a third-party tool like Buffer to analyze when your followers are most active and adjust your posting schedule accordingly.
6. Add trending audio to your Instagram posts for a boost
A new update from Instagram allows photos and carousels to include music, making them eligible to appear in the Reels feed.
While this feature is still evolving, adding music to your static posts could significantly increase reach. Reels are the top-performing format in terms of visibility, and pushing your carousels and images into this feed with a simple audio addition is a game-changer.
Why it works: Adding music enhances the entertainment factor of your static content, increasing its likelihood of being promoted by Instagram’s algorithm. With more users engaging with Reels and video-style content, tapping into this trend helps increase the chances of your post being seen by a wider audience.
Some tips for including audio in your posts:
Use trending audio on Instagram to complement your photos and carousels. You can even choose music that aligns with your brand’s tone or message to make the post more engaging. Keep an eye on trending audio in Instagram’s music library to stay ahead of what’s popular, increasing your chances of being picked up by the algorithm.Pair this strategy with content that’s already highly shareable, such as tutorials, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or photo dumps. Adding music enhances the overall experience, encouraging users to save, share, or revisit your content later.
7. Stay ahead by adopting new features
Instagram frequently rolls out new features, and those who adopt them early often see significant engagement spikes.
In 2022, for example, introducing the ‘Add Yours’ sticker for Reels led to a massive spike in reach for users who tapped into the feature. Similarly, Instagram’s newer additions like Broadcast Channels and Notes offer unique ways to engage with your audience in real-time or asynchronously.
Why it works: Instagram rewards users who explore new features by giving their content more visibility in the algorithm. Being among the first to use a new tool positions you as innovative and gives you a temporary boos while the feature is still fresh.
Stay on top of Instagram updates by following the @creators account or CEO Adam Mosseri’s updates. As soon as a new feature rolls out, find creative ways to incorporate it into your content strategy.
Treat each new feature as an experiment. Don’t just use it for the sake of using it — think strategically about how it aligns with your brand and audience. For example, if Broadcast Channels suit your content style, use them to deliver exclusive behind-the-scenes content or announcements, fostering a deeper connection with your audience.
8. Focus on shareable and save-worthy content
While likes and comments are important, saves and shares are key indicators that your content is highly valuable to your audience. Instagram treats saved posts as a strong engagement signal, indicating that users find your content worth revisiting. Shares, however, expand your content’s reach beyond your immediate followers.
Why it works: The Instagram algorithm favors content that drives high levels of interaction, particularly shares and saves, as they represent stronger indicators of value than passive likes. By focusing on creating posts that are educational, inspiring, or helpful, you encourage your audience to save your content for later or share it with others — both of which drive long-term engagement.
Some tips for creating shareable and save-worthy content:
Create how-tos, infographics, or listicles that deliver actionable tips or valuable information. Users are more likely to save these kinds of posts for future reference or share them with their followers. An easy way to prompt saving is by adding a CTA such as, “Save this for later!”Make your posts more shareable by encouraging followers to tag a friend who would find the content useful. For example, in a Reel or carousel that shares productivity tips, include a prompt like, “Know someone who needs this? Tag them below!” This not only boosts engagement but also expands your reach organically.
9. Write compelling captions
Captions are an underrated tool to increase Instagram engagement. Well-written, engaging captions can spark conversation, prompt followers to comment, and keep them interested in your content. Instead of simply describing the photo or video, use your caption to tell a story, ask a question, or invite your audience to share their thoughts.
Captions can also include a clear call-to-action (CTA). For example, asking followers to tag a friend, leave a comment, or share their opinion encourages them to interact with your post. You can also play around with emojis, line breaks, and formatting to make your captions visually appealing and easier to read.
Test different CTAs to see what resonates best with your audience. Simple prompts like “What do you think?” or “Tag a friend who needs to see this” can significantly increase comments and shares.
10. Place Instagram hashtags strategically
Hashtags are a foundational discovery tool on Instagram, helping your target audience find relevant content quickly. When used correctly, they can significantly enhance the visibility of your posts by reaching audiences beyond your current followers.
Some tips for using Instagram hashtags:
Aim for a blend of 5-10 hashtags per post. Use larger hashtags to tap into broader trends and niche hashtags to reach the right audience. For example, if you’re a travel blogger, combine hashtags like #travel (high-volume) with #solotraveler (niche) for a more balanced reach.One of the ongoing debates in Instagram strategy is whether to place hashtags within the caption or in the first comment of your post. Both approaches have their merits, but the decision ultimately comes down to aesthetics and how you want your post to appear in the feed. Including hashtags in the caption keeps everything together, while using the first comment keeps your caption cleaner and keeps the focus on your message.Use branded hashtags to build a community around your content. A branded hashtag, such as #YourBrandName, encourages followers to share their own content using your hashtag, making it easier for you to track user-generated content and further engage with your audience.Use Buffer’s Hashtag Manager to save time. Create groups based on the type of content you post and simply apply the relevant hashtags to each post. This keeps your strategy consistent without having to input hashtags every time manually.For Stories, you can “hide” hashtags by shrinking them, changing the color to blend with the background, or covering them with a sticker or GIF. This allows you to take advantage of hashtag searchability without overwhelming the visual elements of your Story.
Focus on your audience, and the engagement will follow
Increasing Instagram engagement starts with homing in on what your audience wants to talk about, share, and enjoy. Keep your strategy focused on creating and sharing content that feeds those desires.
Ready to improve your Instagram engagement rates? Sign up for Buffer, and try out our publishing, engagement, and analytics tools today.
