How to Measure Instagram Engagement Rate with Deepsolv: The Ultimate Guide

Introduction: Why Instagram Engagement Rate Is the New Conversion Currency

Imagine this: You post a carousel on Instagram showcasing your latest drop. It racks up a few thousand views but only 10 comments. A few likes, some saves, but no DMs.Was it a success? A flop? Or worse- completely forgettable?

Welcome to 2025, where Instagram engagement rate isn’t just a social vanity metric. It's the closest proxy for real customer interest.

Whether you're a D2C skincare brand, a fashion label, or a digital creator launching your first product line, your Instagram engagement rate is your north star. Not because it sounds nice in an investor deck but because it determines what gets seen, shared, and ultimately, sold.

In this guide, we’ll unpack:

• What engagement rate actually means (and why most people calculate it wrong)
• Which formulas matter: by followers, by reach, by impressions
• Updated 2024–2025 engagement benchmarks by industry and content type
• How Deepsolv quietly powers engagement for new-age D2C brands
• What Gymshark, Frank Body, and HiSmile are doing right and what you can borrow

And crucially, what all top-ranking “Instagram engagement” guides forget: DMs, comment quality, sentiment, and revenue attribution

Let’s get into it.

What Is Instagram Engagement Rate (and Why It Actually Matters)

Engagement rate is the percentage of your audience that chooses to interact with your content- not just scroll past it.

Engagement = likes + comments + shares + saves + DMs + link clicks.

Engagement rate = that sum ÷ audience exposed.

While most brands obsess over likes, the real power lies in:

• How many people asked a question in comments
• How many viewers hit “Send Message”
• Who saved your carousel for later
• Who shared your Reel with a friend

Why it matters in 2025:

• Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes content with high engagement for Explore and Reels visibility
• Strong engagement boosts follower growth, content reach, and brand trust
• It’s often the leading indicator of conversions- people don’t buy unless they engage first

A save is not just a save. It’s an “I might buy this later.”

How to Calculate Instagram Engagement Rate: 3 Real Formulas

There’s no one-size-fits-all calculation. Choose based on your objective.

1. Engagement Rate by Reach (ERR)

Formula: ERR = (Total engagements ÷ Reach) × 100

• Best for: Organic posts, comparing viral vs. regular content
• Example: 600 engagements ÷ 20,000 reach = 3% ERR

2. Engagement Rate by Followers

Formula: ER = (Total engagements ÷ Followers) × 100

• Best for: Account-level health checks
• Example: 300 engagements ÷ 10,000 followers = 3% ER

3. Engagement Rate by Impressions

Formula: ER = (Total engagements ÷ Impressions) × 100

• Best for: Paid campaigns
• Example: 500 engagements ÷ 50,000 impressions = 1% ER

📌 Pro tip: Always compare like with like. Don’t benchmark a paid campaign’s impression-based ER against an organic post’s follower-based ER.

Instagram Engagement Rate Benchmarks (2024–2025 Edition)

How do your numbers stack up?

TL;DR

• High engagement ≠ high follower count. Smaller accounts usually have higher ER.
• Reels still drive reach; carousels win for saves.
• Save and DM-triggering posts are outperforming likes-based content.

Real-World Brand Examples: Engagement Done Right

1. Gymshark (UK)

Engagement rate: ~1% at scale (7M+ followers)What works: Community-first storytelling, UGC, and motivational captions

Tactic: Reposting transformations with heartfelt DMs—“Your post inspired me to start.”It’s not just likes. It’s conversations.

2. Frank Body (Australia)

Engagement rate: Estimated 2–3% consistentlyWhat works: Persona-driven voice + UGC virality

Tactic: Encouraged fans to post #frankeffect selfies slathered in coffee scrub. Result?100,000+ pieces of UGC → viral social proof → high save + share rates → $20M+ revenue.

3. HiSmile (Australia)

Engagement rate: Strong, with 10k+ comments per promo postWhat works: Micro-influencer seeding + memeable Reels + bold aesthetics

Tactic: “Comment 😁 for a surprise.”Trigger: AI-powered DMs sent discount codes to commenters = DM engagement spike + CTR bump

How Deepsolv Tracks & Elevates Your Engagement Game

Most engagement rate articles stop at “how to calculate.”Here’s what they don’t tell you: engagement without conversion is a trap.

This is where Deepsolv becomes a quiet superpower for brands.

1. DM Automation That Feels Personal

Deepsolv’s AI assistant doesn’t just auto-reply. It adapts to your brand voice, sends real-time responses (even at 3 AM), and nudges users toward purchases.

Example: Someone comments “Is this still in stock?” → gets a DM in seconds: “Hey! 👋 Yep, it's just been restocked—want a link?”

This turns DMs into a conversion channel, not just a support line.

2. Comment Section = Conversion Section

Your comment section is where skeptical buyers check if people like the brand.

Deepsolv doesn’t just manage comments. It:

• Filters out spam/trolls
• Prioritizes sales queries (like “price?” or “how does sizing run?”)
• Replies to each type of comment in a smart, brand-specific way

It’s like hiring a 24/7 community manager… without the salary.

📌 Must check out: How Smart Brands Are Saving 3x the Cost by Ditching Manual Social Media Management

3. Retarget Based on Engagement Behavior

Did someone engage but not buy?Deepsolv lets you retarget them automatically.

Examples:

• “Back in stock” alerts via DM to past engagers
• Pre-sale invites to users who saved your last post
• Discounts DMed to high-intent commenters

No need to export spreadsheets or segment audiences manually.The AI knows who engaged and who might convert next.

4. Measure Beyond Likes

Deepsolv’s dashboard tracks:

• Engagement rate by post and format
• DM replies and CTRs
• Clicks from DM campaigns
• Sentiment of comments (“🔥” vs. “ugh sizing sucks”)

That’s engagement with context.

The Most Overlooked Engagement Channels

Most guides won’t tell you this but some of the best-performing engagements don’t show up in your public post metrics.

✅ DMs

✅ Story replies

✅ Saves and shares

✅ Sentiment in comments

✅ Click-throughs from comment-triggered DMs

This is where brands lose ground because these aren’t captured by Instagram’s “likes” or standard ER%.

But Deepsolv captures all of it.

And this is what lets brands like Hair Originals (India-based D2C) 5x their Instagram-driven sales in 3 months.

📌 Related blog: How to Turn Instagram DM Conversations Into Meaningful Connections With Your Audience

FOMO-Led CTA: Don’t Let Silent Engagement Go to Waste

Thousands of people are commenting, DMing, saving, and even clicking but if you're not replying or retargeting in real time, you're leaving revenue on the table.

You don’t need a bigger team. You just need smarter tools.

👉 Book a free exploratory call with Deepsolv and unlock the real power of engagement rate- not just to measure it, but to monetize it.