How to calculate and improve your TikTok engagement rate? [2023 Guide]

TikTok engagement rate is a key metric that allows your brand to measure the interaction of its audience with your content.

In 2020, a TikTok video had an average engagement rate of 17.5%. Even today, despite the rapid growth of the application, it still has The highest average engagement rate (8.5%) ahead of all other social networks like Instagram and YouTube.

This is explained in particular by the average time that users spend on the platform, i.e. 95 minutes per user per day in 2022 ! This means that they are constantly active on TikTok, in addition to being highly engaged by the viral content shared on the social network.

With such statistics, it's no wonder that 52% of marketers use TikTok as part of their communication strategy. However, to make the most of the reputation and conversion lever that the application represents, you must put in place an action plan that will allow you to Boost your engagement rate on TikTok as much as possible.

In this article, we explain How to easily calculate your engagement rate on TikTok and Of proven tips for capturing your audience's attention and increasing engagement.

What is the TikTok engagement rate and why is it important?

Before explaining to you how to calculate your engagement on TikTok, let's take the time to Define what is meant by “commitment.”

In general, and this applies to all social networks, engagement is the attention and feedback you get from users who are viewing your content. This includes the watch time (and viewing frequency rate) of your video content. But also the likes, comments, shares and recordings that you receive for each of your TikToks.

Commitment is the key metric. It is indeed the most important factor to be highlighted on the platform, land on the ForYou page of your target audience, and thus boost the reach of your content. But it's also a great indicator to measure the interest in your video content and understand what's working and what's not working in your content strategy.

How do you calculate the TikTok engagement rate?

To have An average engagement rate on TikTok there is a simple formula:

Total number of interactions relating to a publication (like/sharing/comments/registration)/Number of users exposed to the publication (i.e. the number of views) x 100

To measure your engagement rate on TikTok, you must therefore start with: collect these metrics, which you will find very easily in your TikTok Analytics.

Here is an example, to calculate the engagement rate, of one of the videos we made for La Vie™ Foods with the results recorded a few days after publication:

TikTok engagement rate of the content creator video: (46.1k + 33 + 619 + 198)/135k) x 100: 34.6%, which represents the best engagement rate for the campaign we launched with La Vie™ Foods.

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How can you improve your TikTok engagement rate?

The average engagement rates on most social networks are around 1 to 2%. But that doesn't mean you should take these numbers as a glass ceiling that you can't get past.

Also keep in mind thata good TikTok engagement rate will not be the same depending on how long you have been on the platform (it takes a little time to federate a committed community), nor your sector of activity.

It is important to note thatEngagement rates are often higher for brands and creators with a greater number of subscribers or a very high visibility outside the platform. For example, Justin Bieber has recorded very high TikTok engagement rates, approaching 50%!

If you want to improve your engagement rate to get closer to these numbers, the key is to create content that meets the expectations of TikTok users and to interact with them as much as possible.

5 tips you can put in place to boost your engagement on TikTok.

1. Get inspired by what works on TikTok

The key to engaging content on TikTok is its native character. So your brand should respect the application codes to create videos that users are more likely to enjoy (and therefore watch, like, share, etc.)

So do not hesitate to be inspired by brands in your industry who have already been able to federate a great community on TikTok. The idea is not to imitate them, but to look at what works and What you could adapt to your content strategy. For example, the crash test of new products by users/influencers is a very popular format in the beauty niche. You can take it up again by playing the humor card or by reusing trendy sounds.

Also pay attention to share fun and entertaining content and not to fall into self-promotion. GenZ, which is very active on TikTok, is in fact quite sensitive to the very commercial discourse of brands.

2. Take advantage of the TikTok UGC

UGC is a lever for engagement very powerful on TikTok. Indeed, the content generated by the users of the platform has more chance of sticking to the application's native codes, and therefore to generate greater commitment. But GenZ also trusts the discourse of people who look like it more than the discourse of brands.

Encourage your community to create content around your brands by organizing challenges, taking advantage of Duet and Stitch features or by surfing the latest trends. These videos will not only be more appreciated by your own audience, but you will also benefit from a boost in engagement and visibility among the subscribers of the users who will participate in your challenges.

3. Interact with your community

On social networks in general, and TikTok in particular, it's a win-win situation. If you want to increase the engagement of your community, you need to create a real dialogue with her, and encourage them, for example, to comment on your video by asking questions or asking for their opinion.

It is also very important to continue this conversation by replying to comments or organizing Q&A (i.e. answering a question/remark from one of your subscribers in a dedicated TikTok). This will encourage your audience to engage with your content as they will feel listened to. It's also a good way to give a more human and authentic image to your brand on the app.

4. Focus on viral trends and hashtags

What really sets TikTok apart from other social networks is its ability to offer its users tools to create or exploit viral trends on the platform. It is indeed a profitable strategy to attract a wider audience (and increase your number of views), but also to generate more engagement with your audience.

Also add videos in which you challenge your community or use the trending sounds of the moment with The most used hashtags in your niche. You can also do like GymShark, and create your own challenge and the hashtag that goes with it.

#gymshark66 accounted for over 300 million views and some of his most popular videos generated an engagement rate of 6.5%!

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5. Monitor your engagement rate closely and adapt your strategy

To achieve a high engagement rate on TikTok, you need to understand the performance of your content, know what type of video resonates with your audience and adapt your communication accordingly.

TikTok Analytics allows you to monitor and analyze your TikTok engagement and to better understand how your content is performing. When you see that a video is generating more likes, comments, or shares, identify what you did differently (in the content itself, but also in the hashtags you used or when you posted it).

You can then replicate its ingredients in your next TikToks and thus implement a coherent content strategy. This is what will not only allow you to boost your TikTok engagement rates, but also to federate a solid and loyal community.

Maximize your visibility on TikTok

Your TikTok engagement is the key measure that you should always keep an eye on. It allows you to boost your visibility on the application, but also to better understand what interests and pleases your audience.

Be inspired by the advice we have just shared with you, while keeping in mind that the fundamental point is to publish content that brings value to your community and to maintain a consistent editorial line. Don't forget to have fun and be creative: unique content generates the most engagement on TikTok.

And if you need help improving your TikTok creative content and increasing engagement, do not hesitate to call on our team !