Influencers - Engagement Rate vs Follower Count. Which is better?

In the world of influencer marketing, numbers are often the first thing we look at when gauging success. The most common metric? Follower count. However, follower count alone can be misleading, as it doesn’t necessarily reflect the true reach or impact of an influencer. In contrast, engagement rate — the percentage of an influencer's audience interacting with their content — offers a much clearer picture of how successful an influencer is. Here's why engagement rate should be your go-to metric for influencer success, and how tools like the Chrome extension Updog can help provide accurate engagement rate statistics.

The Problem with Follower Count

Follower count has long been the gold standard for measuring an influencer's reach. After all, the larger the following, the more eyes on the content, right? Unfortunately, this assumption doesn’t always hold up. Follower count is a vanity metric, one that can be easily inflated through various methods. Fake followers, bought followers, and inactive accounts can skew the numbers, making them appear more impressive than they truly are.

There are many services available that allow influencers to purchase followers, creating an illusion of popularity. These followers don’t interact with the content, don’t contribute to brand partnerships, and ultimately don’t drive the kind of impact that businesses are looking for when they invest in influencer campaigns. If followers are being bought rather than organically cultivated, the influencer may have a massive following on paper, but their ability to truly influence is limited.

Engagement Rate: The True Measure of Success

So, if follower count isn't the best way to measure an influencer's success, what is? The answer lies in engagement rate. Engagement rate is the percentage of an influencer's followers who actively interact with their posts — liking, commenting, sharing, and saving.

Engagement rate also reflects the quality of an influencer's content and the strength of their relationship with their followers. A high engagement rate often indicates that the influencer is trusted and respected by their community. It shows that their audience is invested in what they share, whether it's through a like, a thoughtful comment, or a repost. These interactions can translate into meaningful actions, such as increased brand awareness, purchases, or other forms of conversion.

Why Engagement Rate Matters More

1. Authenticity: Engagement reveals the authenticity of an influencer's relationship with their followers. A high engagement rate shows that an influencer’s audience isn’t just there for the numbers but is genuinely interested in their content.

2. Real Influence: An influencer with a smaller but highly engaged audience can be more valuable than someone with a massive but passive following. When an influencer's followers interact with the content, it means they are more likely to take action — whether it’s purchasing a product, signing up for a service, or simply sharing the content with others.

3. Actionable Insights: Engagement rate provides better insights into how an influencer's audience is reacting to specific types of content. For brands, this is key. Engagement metrics allow brands to see what works and what doesn't, helping them tailor future campaigns for maximum impact.

4. Quality over Quantity: Engagement rate tells a story about the quality of an influencer’s community. Rather than focusing on sheer numbers, it highlights the depth of connection between the influencer and their followers. A smaller, highly engaged audience can often be more impactful than a larger, disengaged one.

Using Tools Like Updog to Track Engagement Rate

Understanding engagement rate is one thing, but accurately measuring it is another. That’s where tools like Updog, a Chrome extension, come in. Updog simplifies the process of calculating engagement rates by providing detailed analytics for any Instagram account. With Updog, you can easily track an influencer’s engagement rate, helping you assess their content’s success.

Updog works by analyzing public Instagram posts and providing engagement stats such as likes, comments, and shares, alongside follower count. It calculates the engagement rate for each post, giving you insights into how well content resonates with an influencer’s audience. By using Updog, you get real-time data to make informed decisions about which influencers are driving meaningful engagement — not just collecting followers.

Conclusion

In the age of influencer marketing, it’s essential to look beyond the surface-level metrics like follower count. Engagement rate offers a much more accurate and meaningful reflection of an influencer’s true impact. By measuring the engagement rate, businesses and brands can better gauge an influencer's authenticity, effectiveness, and potential to drive real results.

Tools like Updog make it easier than ever to measure and track engagement rates, giving brands the data they need to make smarter, more effective influencer partnerships. So, the next time you’re evaluating an influencer, remember: It’s not the number of followers that matters — it’s the engagement they foster with their audience that makes all the difference.