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TikTok Engagement Rate: Benchmarks, Formula, and 7 Tips

TikTok engagement rate is higher than all social media platforms. This makes an opportunity for anyone who wants to expand their awareness. But do you really understand TikTok’s engagement rate? How to calculate it? Or how to optimize it? In this article, Mega Digital will explain it in detail and provide you tools with 7 tips to increase the engagement rate organically. 

What is TikTok engagement rate?

TikTok engagement rate refers to the level of interaction users have with a particular TikTok video or content piece. It is a crucial metric for measuring the effectiveness of your TikTok content and gauging audience interest. There are 2 common TikTok engagement rate, which is based on views or followers. You can easily understand the definition and measure through the 2 illustrations below.

tiktok engagement rate by followers
tiktok engagement rate by views

How to calculate TikTok engagement rate?

If you’re finding “How to find the engagement rate on TikTok?” – This is your comprehensive answer. Calculating your TikTok engagement rate can be done through 2 methods: using formulas or utilizing dedicated engagement rate calculator tools

Calculate TikTok engagement rate by using formulas

By gathering your data, and finding the number of likes, comments, shares, and views for the TikTok video you want to analyze. Then add the total likes, comments, shares, and views. Finally, put it mathematically follow these formulas:

#1 Based on views

formula to calculate tiktok engagement rate by views

#2 Based on followers

formula to calculate tiktok engagement rate by followers

#3 Still based on followers but adding shares to likes and comments

formula to calculate tiktok engagement rate by followers 2

To calculate your TikTok engagement rates using these equations, extract metrics such as likes, comments, follows, and shares from the TikTok analytics platform.

Calculate TikTok engagement rate by using calculator tools

For those who find manual execution of formulas a hassle, several user-friendly calculators can generate your TikTok engagement rate instantly. Here are 7 recommended tools:

NameFeatures
HypeAuditorCalculate engagement rate for individual videos and profiles, track follower growth, views, and likes
IncaCalculate engagement rate for individual videos, user-friendly interface, detailed insights into TikTok performance
UpfluenceCalculate the engagement rate for individual videos, influencers, and campaigns
Social BladeCalculate the engagement rate for any TikTok account, track follower growth, views, and likes
PhlanxCalculate engagement rate for up to 5 videos per month, track engagement rates over time, compare performance to other accounts
Fluence.io
Calculate engagement rate for individual videos, influencers, and campaigns, track follower growth, views, and likes
GRIN
Calculate engagement rate for individual videos, influencers, and campaigns, measure performance of TikTok influencer marketing campaigns
Brand24Track engagement rate of TikTok mentions of your brand or competitors, data on sentiment, reach, and influencer activity

What is the average TikTok engagement rate?

social media average engagement rate

According to a 2023 report by Rival IQ, the average engagement rate per follower on TikTok is 5.7%, which is significantly higher than the engagement rates on other social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Additionally, a 2023 study by Socialinsider found that the average engagement rate per view on TikTok is 5.38%, which is also higher than other platforms.

TikTok engagement rate benchmark

On TikTok, how much people engage with content can differ based on the industry. For instance, the education field has the highest typical engagement rate per follower at 16.3%, while the food and drink sector has the lowest at 3.1%. Here’s a breakdown:

  • Education: 16.3%
  • Real estate: 5.2%
  • Fashion and beauty: 4.9%
  • Food and drink: 3.1%
  • Travel and tourism: 2.8%

Moreover, the type of content also affects engagement rates. Product videos usually get more engagement compared to lifestyle videos:

  • Product videos: 5.6%
  • Lifestyle videos: 5.5%
  • Educational videos: 5.4%
  • Humorous videos: 5.3%
  • Music videos: 5.2%

Optimization Advice: 7 Tips to Increase TikTok Engagement Rate

Tap into niche communities

The #BookTok community, with over 400 billion views, has revolutionized the publishing industry, influencing book sales and creating literary trends. The #GamingTok community, with over 43 billion views, showcases gaming enthusiasts, game reviews, and pro-gaming strategies, catering to a passionate audience of gamers.

@willsmith

This is the closest thing to a Hancock sequel we’re gonna get, isn’t it? Preorder link in my bio #willthebook #booktok

♬ meet me at our spot by willow smith and tyler cole – The Favourites.

On TikTok, engaging with specific communities on TikTok really boosts your chances of going viral. When you connect with people interested in the same niche, TikTok’s algorithm recognizes the shared interest with others. This helps your video go to your targeted audiences, increasing engagement rate and potential virality. 

Utilize trending sounds and challenges strategically

If you want to go viral and expand brand awareness, then trending sounds and challenges are a must. Not only help you enhance visibility and connect with a broader audience, with a little bit of creative spin can make your content stand out, making it more memorable and shareable.

So how to know what is trending? We’ve 5 easy ways for you:

  • For You Page (FYP): Explore TikTok’s For You Page for a curated selection of videos showcasing trending sounds and challenges. It’s a hotspot for staying updated on the latest TikTok trends.
  • Follow Trendsetters: Follow creators known for being trendsetters. They often catch onto new sounds and challenges early, giving you a sneak peek before they become mainstream.
  • Discover Tab: Navigate to the Discover tab, where you’ll find organized categories like “Trending“, “Challenges” and “Sounds” – a hub for discovering what’s hot on TikTok.
  • Search bar: Leverage the TikTok search bar to find specific sounds and challenges. Search by name or hashtag to locate content that aligns with your interests.
  • TikTok Creative Center: Tap into TikTok’s Creative Center for insights into trending content. It provides data on popular sounds and challenges, along with tips on creating your viral content.

Partner with influencers

Partnerships with influencers can help you engage with their audience in a meaningful and authentic way. When people find your content interesting and valuable, they tend to watch it for a longer time. This signals TikTok’s algorithm to show it to a wider audience, ultimately boosting your engagement rate. This increased engagement is key to the success and results of your campaign. Follow these tips to choose the right influencer to collaborate with:

  • Select influencers strategically: Explore TikTok’s search bar, find niche hashtags, and check suggested accounts to discover influencers. Look for their engagement rates, audience demographics, content quality, and brand alignment.
  • Craft a campaign brief: After partnering with an influencer, create a brief outlining campaign goals, target audience, messaging, call to action, delivery guidelines, and compensation.
  • Analyze campaign performance: Monitor views, likes, comments, and shares with TikTok’s analytics tools. Employ third-party tools for supplementary metrics such as website traffic and sales.

Host challenges with unique rewards

@marvinolaes

Hosting practice tayo for a talk show! For this challenge, dapat maiparamdam ng host ang genuine connection at care para sa audience. Parang Alagang Unilab! #LearnItOnTikTok #EduWow #HostingChallenge #TheTOKshow

♬ original sound – marvinolaes – marvinolaes

Challenges can be a great way to get users engaged with your brand on TikTok. When users participate in a challenge, they are essentially creating content for you. By offering a unique and desirable reward, you can incentivize users to purchase your products.

Use analytics to inform new content

@alex.b.sheridan

Here’s how to use your content analytics to create better content and win more customers 🤑 Step 1: Run through your top 10 posts for the month (Or top posts of the week) You can do this in app or by using 3rd party analytics Step 2: Understand WHY these were higher performing posts Step 3: Re-create these posts with a new twist (I call this remixing a post) and post em! Step 4: (Optional if you have a paid budget) Run ads against these posts because you already know it is going to perform well There’s a lot more you can do with your analytics but this is an easy place to start! ❤️ABS #contentanalytics #contentstrategy #videomarketing

♬ original sound – Alex | LinkedIn Video Marketer

Analytics serve as a creative playground, letting you experiment with different content types based on trends and insights. In simpler terms, analytics guide you in creating content that your audience loves, replicating success, posting at optimal times, and trying out new ideas. Here’s how to use analytics on TikTok:

  • Access TikTok Analytics: Switch to a TikTok Pro account to access analytics. Go to “Settings and Privacy”, then “Creator Tools”, and finally “Analytics”.
  • Demographic insights: Understand the age groups, genders, and locations of your audience.
  • Top performing content: Identify your most popular videos to understand what resonates with your audience.
  • Follower growth: Track how your follower count changes over time.
  • Engagement data: Monitor likes, comments, shares, and views to gauge the overall engagement of your content.
  • Post timing: Analyze when your audience is most active to optimize posting times.

Leverage Stitch and Duet features

Stitch and Duet represent two exclusive features found solely on TikTok. These exceptionally captivating tools play a significant role in enhancing engagement rates on the platform, and they’re remarkably user-friendly.

  • Stitch feature: This feature allows creators to integrate parts of others’ videos into their own. Encourage audience participation by posing questions in your videos, prompting users to create stitched videos.
  • Duet feature: Add your content to another user’s video, creating a side-by-side playback. Ideal for reaction videos, imitations, and skits. Duet chains, where multiple users create a Duet together, have been gaining popularity. Explore these chains by searching for #DuetChain on TikTok.

Engage with other users

According to TikTok’s suggestion, engagement with other users is crucial for building connections. Actively participate by commenting, liking, and joining popular trends. This not only helps in creating a more personal connection with your followers but also exposes your account to a larger audience. Building relationships within the TikTok community is key to overall success.

Use the Q&A feature

@tiktok

The new Q&A feature is now here to help you ask or answer any questions. Try it out now!

♬ original sound – TikTok

Introduced in March 2021, TikTok’s Q&A feature allows creators to add a dedicated question and answer section to their profiles. Users submit questions through a submission box, and creators respond with engaging videos. This feature provides a unique way to create highly relevant content for followers and boost overall engagement. Make sure to respond to as many questions as possible to enhance audience interaction. Here’s how to use it:

  • Go to your TikTok profile and access Creator Tools.
tiktok creator tools
  • Click on Q&A to add or answer questions.
tiktok QA feature
  • Engage with your audience by responding to their queries through video replies.
tiktok QA

Tip: Responding to as many questions as possible enhances engagement.

Reply to comments with video content

TikTok allows video replies to comments, adding a personal and surprising touch to interactions. Engaging with the audience through video replies is an excellent way to show appreciation and make followers feel seen. This feature opens up opportunities for humor and can significantly enhance the overall TikTok experience.

Final words
Understanding your TikTok engagement rate is crucial for effective audience connection. While this article covers all you need to know about TikTok engagement, success in your campaign goes beyond just a high engagement rate.

Enhancing the quality of your video content is a key factor in boosting your TikTok engagement rate. For actionable insights and inspiration to elevate your TikTok content, explore our article – “Unfold the top 11 TikTok Video Ideas to captivate your audience“. Find the secrets to creating compelling videos that resonate with your viewers and contribute to a more impactful TikTok presence!

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Author

Phuong Linh Linh
Phuong Linh Linh
TikTok Advertising Specialist

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