Your boss has just informed you that you need to get the engagement numbers of your company’s social media page up. Not just that, there is a timeframe attached to this task, when you are expected to deliver enticing numbers to major stakeholders in your company.

What do you do? 

I’d assume one of the first steps you’ve taken is to get on Google and type out a query on “how to increase your Instagram engagement rates”.

You consider some of the tips you see on  Google’s search engine result page(SERP) to be somewhat generic, and you need more specific advice. We feel your pain, so we decided to switch it up a little.

Rather than regurgitate the same tips and advice, we decided to speak with some industry experts (8 of them) to hear what Instagram engagement tips they’ve tried and which worked out for them.

But just before we get into the minds of our experts, let’s be sure we are on the same page as regards what Instagram engagement rate is and how to calculate the engagement rates of your Instagram accounts.

What is Instagram engagement rate?

The engagement rate on Instagram is the percentage of people who like, comment, or share your post compared to the total number of followers you have. This rate is a measure of how successful your content is and can be used to measure the performance of your posts.

So the higher this percentage, the more successful your content is, and the more your followers interact with it.

How measure Instagram engagement rates on Instagram?

Engagement rate = (Number of likes + Number of comments + Number of shares / total number of followers) X 100

Some brands prefer to calculate engagement rates using different social media metrics like reach or impressions rather than the number of followers(due to the nature of the algorithm). But it all depends on your brand goals. For example, If your social media goal is to increase brand awareness, then calculating engagement rates by reach might be a more accurate method.

Engagement rate by reach:

Engagement rate  = (Number of likes + Number of comments + Number of shares / total reach) X 100

Engagement rate by impression:

Engagement rate = (Number of likes + Number of comments + Number of shares / total impressions) X 100

✨ Bonus: Reach vs. Impression

Another way to find your Engagement rate is through the Instagram app directly. The only limitation is you can’t get engagement reports beyond 90 days. If you want to see engagement reports on posts beyond 90 days,  you can turn to the Sociality.io analytics tool to generate Instagram reports that are easily exportable in PPT and PDF formats.

If you want to know more about the average Instagram engagement rate and what number would be considered a good engagement rate for your niche, check out this article explaining Instagram engagement rates in more detail.

8 industry expert advice on how to increase your Instagram engagement rate in 2023

1. George Avetisov, founder & CEO 1up.ai

“I’ve been doing digital marketing for over a decade, and the game has changed drastically because of memes. 

Never before has there been a faster, more viral way to share a message with your target audience in a way that speaks to them on a personal level. 

For example, B2B Memes are all the rage on LinkedIn and Twitter. Even Instagram, which is a notoriously weak channel for B2B marketing, is seeing new life as brands move beyond coupon codes and dive deeper into memeology. 

Look to companies like Gong’s Linkedin presence as an example of B2B Meme culture. Or 1up.ai, who have an entire meme library on their website: 1up.ai/sales-memes 

My company’s brand page on Instagram was completely dead until we started posting memes. Now we’re seeing actual engagement and driving traffic to our b2b product. The best part is – the audience is our ideal buyer persona!

What we’re seeing is an attempt by businesses to connect with their audience on a level previously unknown in the B2B marketing sphere – humor. 

Not everyone is getting it right, though. We see a lot of memes that fall flat or fail to find an audience. Here’s the trick – never make the meme about your product. That’s a mistake. Always keep it about your user persona, but never try to sell your product directly. This will increase its virality, as people don’t want to feel like they’re promoting a product. 

I believe that by 2025 companies will actively pursue “Chief Meme Officer” as a title, and we will see more and more B2B memes in the wild”.

2. Kate Wojewoda-Celinska, Content Manager at Spacelift

“One method for increasing engagement rates on Instagram is to share user-generated content. This can add an extra dose of authenticity to your brand and help show that you’re connected with your audience. 

Curating user-generated content can also be a great way to drive traffic back to your account, as users are more likely to check out the profiles of those who have posted photos or videos of them. Another benefit of using user-generated content is that it can help you build relationships with other users and brands”.

🎉 Related Article: User-generated content 101: An ultimate guide for UGC

3. Max Wesman, Chief Operating Officer at GoodHire

“To increase engagement rates on Instagram, make sure to use subtitles on all of your videos. Creators need to know that the vast majority of users browse social media on mute. If people can’t read along with what you’re saying, they won’t hesitate to scroll past. Fortunately, it’s easy to add subtitles on Instagram, and the legwork is minimal.

Simply tap the bottom of the video, hit edit, and head to your advanced settings. From there, you can toggle whether or not to show captions. Then, Instagram will auto-transcribe your video. It only takes a matter of seconds, but you’d be surprised at what a difference this makes.

Not only does this make your content more accessible for users of every ability, but it also makes it easier for the algorithm to understand the purpose and target audience of what you post. With a better sense of who might benefit from watching your videos, you’re more likely to get featured on Instagram’s Explore Page. This is a shortcut to skyrocketing your visibility and gaining rapid notoriety”.

🎉 Related Article: How to get on the Instagram Explore page? (Algorithm explained)

4. Chthrakala Babu, Social Media Strategist at Leena AI

“Utilize the stories section to the fullest. Post stories daily, and make them more interesting with the stickers and filters available on the platform. By frequently updating your story section, you can be on the top of your followers’ feed – never going out of their sight. The story section also allows you to create interactive posts – polls, Q&As, and countdowns – a great way to understand your audience better”.

5. Matthew Ramirez, founder Rephrasely

“One of the best methods to raise a brand’s engagement rate on Instagram is to showcase your brand ambassadors. Besides their popularity, brand ambassadors also represent your brand to the world.

They can help you increase your post’s engagement by tagging their friends and family to encourage likes and comments. Ambassadors are high-profile individuals who attract new followers to your page. They can also help you create a strong community and loyal customers who will follow you on other social media platforms. Lastly, ambassadors also represent your brand as a cool and edgy brand.

Another way to increase your engagement rate on Instagram is by using the hashtag feature. Hashtags are a great way to get your content in front of more people and to start conversations around your brand and products. However, it’s important to use relevant and popular hashtags to increase your reach.

By using popular hashtags, you’ll be able to gain more traction and visibility, as well as find new users to follow and engage with your content. Use hashtags in your post and check on them regularly to see how they’re performing”.

6. Rajesh Namase,Co-Founder and Professional Tech Blogger at TechRT

“Managers and marketers have implemented various methods to increase engagement on Instagram, such as creating engaging content, using strategic hashtags, and engaging with followers regularly. By partnering with influencers, they can also draw more attention to their products or services. Additionally, utilizing stories has proved to be effective in increasing user engagement rates. Strategically placed promotional posts can help draw in potential customers as well.

These methods of increasing engagement on Instagram have proven successful at driving traffic to businesses’ official websites or stores while simultaneously increasing the reach of the brand across social media platforms”.

7. Yanna Berman, founder Urban Mamaz

“People love to get some free stuff from the brands they love. While it’s not  always feasible to reward every single one of your subscribers, sometimes all you need to do is give away.

This is a great way to entice your followers to engage, especially if engaging is what gives them the chance to win whatever you’re giving. 

The best part is that you can cross-post within your channel, meaning you publish about it on your stories, Reels, and regular posts.

If you’d like to step up your giveaway game, offer the free item (whether it be a service or a product) to both the winner and a friend so more people can participate”. 

8. Andrei Vasilescu, Co-Founder & CEO at DontPayFull

“There’s no better way to increase engagement than, well, to engage. 

While posting consistently and asking people to leave their comments can help you with that, there’s a better way to actually get your audience to engage.

Surveys are fun and efficient, and you can get very creative when it comes to driving traffic to your online store or website.

Using the stories features; ask several questions to your audience, followers and non-followers. The more fun, the better. They don’t have to be related to business at all. 

The goal is to get them excited to answer the survey, so the trick would be to do a mix of business-related and fun questions to make things more interesting. 

Showing you’re interested in knowing more about your potential customer besides the basic “what is your favorite product from my shop” can actually turn a follower into a buyer”.

🎉 Related Article: Best resources for Instagram story templates to drive engagement rates

Always keep an eye on your engagement numbers

A marketer who does not track engagement numbers is like a budding chef who keeps cooking without tasting the food. They won’t know what ingredients to add less or which to add more when cooking the next meal. 

The truth is some of this advice might not work for you. Not because they are bad advice but because every business has its peculiarities, different niches, and audience demographics– to mention a few.

You need to know what number you are trying to beat or improve. That way, you can easily judge if your newly implemented strategies are working out as expected or otherwise. Track new trends and variations that result from using different tactics, and pay attention to what works well for you.

By regularly monitoring your engagement rates, you can identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategy accordingly to reach a wider audience and achieve your goals. Whether you are a small business owner, influencer, or marketer, tracking your engagement rates can help you grow your Instagram presence and build a successful online community.