Engagement Rate
Metric that measures the share of an audience that actively reacts to a piece of content, for example through click, like, comment or open.
Also known as: Interaction Rate, Participation Rate
The engagement rate describes how actively an audience deals with a piece of content. The calculation differs per channel, but the basic principle stays the same: active reactions in relation to the reached audience. On social media these are mostly likes, comments, shares and clicks; in email marketing they are opens and clicks.
How the engagement rate is calculated
On social networks the usual formula is total interactions divided by reach or follower count, multiplied by one hundred. In email marketing, opens and clicks are set in relation to delivered messages, often joined by conversion or replies. The exact definition varies between platforms, so cross-channel comparisons should be read with care.
Realistic values
On social, engagement rates of 1 to 5 per cent count as good in many sectors, while B2B values often sit lower. In email marketing, open rates vary heavily depending on list, trust and topic. The trend over time and the comparison of similar campaigns matters more than a high absolute value. Artificial values from click bots or bought likes distort the picture completely.
Engagement Rate in JD Media
JD Mail delivers engagement values per send from opens, clicks and conversions, including a comparison with previous sends to the same list. JD Partner gives advertisers comparable values for sponsored sends, so the suitability of a list partner for a campaign can be judged properly. A consistent picture across all active lists and advertisers emerges.