What engagement rate means for brand deals

By MyCreatorPulse · Updated 28 September 2026 · 5 min read

In short

Engagement rate is how many people react to your posts compared with how many see them (by views) or follow you (by followers). Brands use it to check that your audience is real and interested. Know both versions, say which one you're sending, and always pair it with your typical views.

Two ways to work it out

The same post can score very differently on each, so the number means little unless you say which it is. Try both with the engagement rate calculator.

By views: likes + comments (+ shares and saves if you have them) ÷ views × 100. A video with 25,000 views, 1,200 likes, 85 comments and 40 shares is at 5.30%. This is the fairer one on TikTok, Reels and YouTube, where most viewers don't follow you.
By followers: the same interactions per post ÷ followers × 100. Many brands still ask for this one on Instagram.

What brands read into it

That the audience is real. Big follower numbers with almost no reactions can be a sign of bought followers.
That people care. Comments and shares show interest a view can't.
That it's steady. A rate that holds across your last 10 posts is worth more than one great post.

What a good engagement rate is

There isn't one number for everyone. Rates depend on the platform, your niche and your size: smaller accounts usually have higher rates than big ones. Published benchmarks disagree with each other a lot, so be careful comparing yourself with a figure from an article.

The most useful comparison is your own recent posts. If your rate is steady or rising while your views grow, that's a strong story to tell a brand.

What makes it misleading

One viral post. Use the total or median over your last 10 posts, not your best.
Giveaways and "comment to win" posts, which inflate comments with people who won't buy anything.
Hidden likes on Instagram, which leave the rate short. Say so if yours are hidden.
Mixing photos and videos: photos have no view count, so a by-views rate should only use posts that have views.

How to present it in a pitch

1Say which formula you used: "6.2% of views" or "3.4% of followers".
2Say over how many posts and which dates: "my last 10 TikToks, September".
3Put it next to typical views, followers and your audience basics, so the brand sees the whole picture.
4Keep it current. A rate from six months ago doesn't tell a brand much.

How to raise it honestly

Hook people in the first seconds, and ask a real question they want to answer.
Reply to comments early: conversations bring people back.
Post when your audience is around. MyCreatorPulse's "What to do today" suggests your best hour from your own history.
Never buy likes or comments. Brands and platforms can spot them, and it costs you deals.

Questions

How do brands calculate engagement rate?

Usually likes plus comments (sometimes shares and saves) divided by either views or followers, times 100. Ask which one they use, and send that one.

Is engagement rate more important than followers?

For many brands, yes: it shows the audience is real and interested. But brands look at both, plus typical views and who your audience is.

Why is my engagement rate lower as I grow?

It's normal for the rate to fall as more people who follow casually see your posts. Watch your typical views and compare the rate with your own past posts rather than with smaller accounts.