Why Your Instagram Engagement Is Down and What To Do About It
We’re officially one working day into February, which (for me at least!) means one thing—client reporting time.
At the end of last year, I started noticing a trend, not just in my own community but across the reports I was pulling for my clients: Instagram engagement rates had taken a noticeable dip.
If you’re wondering, what on earth is an Instagram engagement rate?—it’s a key metric big brands track to measure how well their content is performing. While it can be calculated in a few different ways (annoyingly!), the standard formula looks like this:
Engagement Rate (ER) = (Total Engagements / Total Followers) x 100
Total Engagements = Likes + Comments + Shares + Clicks + Saves.
The brands I work with didn’t change their content strategy—still producing high-quality, on-brand visuals and videos—so what happened?
The Big Picture: Why Engagement Is Dropping
According to Social Insider, Instagram engagement rates dropped by 16% from 2023 to 2024. Changes in user behavior and, of course, the algorithm are believed to be the culprits.
The reality is that these free marketing platforms—ones we’ve relied on to grow our businesses—will always shift towards prioritising user experience and (let’s be honest) ad spend. But here’s the good news: social media is always evolving, and we can evolve our strategies too.
Boost your engagement in 2025
If you want to boost your engagement in 2025, here are a few things to try:
What’s Working Right Now
Reels Still Matter—But They’re Not Everything
Reels remain one of the best ways to reach new followers, but they’re no longer the holy grail of Instagram growth. A mix of different post formats is now the way to go, with carousels leading the way in engagement.
Try the New ‘Trial Reels’ Feature
This brand new Instagram tool helps push your content to new audiences. Use it to re-share your best-performing posts or introduce yourself in a way that makes people tap ‘follow.’ Bonus: these won’t clutter your main feed so you can test, test, test.
Carousels for the Win
Make them visually engaging and educational. If you can create content that’s shareable, even better—Instagram loves content that gets people interacting.
Keep Stories in the Mix
Stories are your best tool for connection with your existing followers. Use them to keep your audience engaged, nurture your community, and stay visible.
Quality Over Quantity—Every Time
Posting random content four times a day and expecting growth? Not gonna work anymore I’m afraid (and who’s got time for that?). Instead, focus on creating high-quality, value-packed posts, even if you’re only posting a couple of times a week. Your audience (and Instagram) will thank you.
Need Help Making Instagram Work for You?
If your engagement rate has been feeling a little meh and you’re unsure what to tweak in your strategy, let’s fix it together.
Book a Power Hour with me, and we’ll dive deep into your Instagram strategy—what’s working, what’s not, and how to get your engagement back up. Let’s get you happy about your socials again.