Instagram engagement rate is the percentage of your followers who interact with a post through likes, comments, saves, and shares. It is calculated by dividing total interactions by follower count and multiplying by 100.
For local businesses, engagement rate matters more than follower count. An account with 500 followers and a 5% engagement rate (25 interactions per post) is healthier than one with 5,000 followers and a 0.5% rate (also 25 interactions). The first account has an audience that cares. The second has followers who scroll past.
Review posts tend to get higher save rates than other content types for local businesses. When someone saves your review post, they are bookmarking your business to visit later. Instagram treats saves as a strong signal, which means your next post is more likely to be shown to more people.
Consistent posting is the most reliable way to maintain a good engagement rate. See what to post on Instagram when you have no ideas for content ideas.