The Engagement section compares reactions, comments, shares and other supported actions. Similar labels do not automatically mean identical counting rules. Actions are also not the same as unique engaged people.
Definitions by platform
| Platform | Using the reports | Individual metrics and calculations |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram Analytics | Metrics glossary | |
| Facebook Analytics | Metrics glossary | |
| TikTok | TikTok Analytics | Metrics glossary |
| YouTube | YouTube Analytics | Metrics glossary |
Data basis and freshness
ContentMate imports platform data regularly in the background, aggregates it and displays it from its own database. Opening a dashboard, switching tabs or changing periods does not trigger a live request to Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.
Distinguish three levels:
- Period activity: Reported actions or observed changes within a time window. TikTok values are derived from imported video totals; an older publication can continue generating activity.
- Publication cohort: Posts published during the period, with their available imported lifetime values. These can include interactions generated after the publication date.
- Snapshot: A count such as followers or an audience distribution. These values are not summed across days.
Today/Yesterday may use an hourly view. An hourly chart does not mean the platform provides new complete data every hour. Import time, aggregation time and data time describe different things. Processing delays, permissions and report limits can leave gaps. The display does not promise real-time data or a fixed six-hour schedule.
Missing is not zero: Zero is a reported or correctly calculated value with no activity. A dash, “Unavailable” or an incomplete series must not be treated as zero in your own calculations.
Open this section
Open Analytics, choose the account and the relevant tab. The period filter determines the included reports; exceptions are labelled in their respective views.
KPI Cards
A KPI card shows a metric and, where available, its comparison value, change and small trend chart. Check data freshness and notices about unavailable or incomplete data. A dash is not a confirmed zero. Not every platform supports every card.
Engagement Rate (Followers)
Period interactions ÷ ending follower count × 100, when both inputs are available and the follower count is greater than zero. Example: 120 interactions ÷ 2,000 followers × 100 = 6%. This ratio is not the share of unique followers who engaged: non-followers and repeated actions may be included. A true per-post average is a different calculation. An “Avg.” card label alone does not change the data basis.
Engagement Rate (Reach)
Period interactions ÷ matching native period reach × 100. For example, 120 interactions and 800 reached accounts gives 15%. This divides actions by reach; it does not count unique engaged people, and each account may perform multiple actions. The rate is unavailable without a matching imported reach value. It is not estimated from TikTok video views.
Post Engagements
The combined interaction value used by the report. The shared period aggregation combines available reactions, comments and shares. A native Instagram total or Facebook Page report may use a different definition. Saves, clicks, story replies and profile actions must therefore not be added indiscriminately. The platform glossary states the exact source and composition.
Avg Engagements per Post
The average uses posts published during the period and their last evidenced metric state up to the period end: sum of their interactions ÷ number of those posts. Three posts with 20, 30 and 70 interactions average 40 per post. If required cohort metrics are missing, a complete average is unavailable; affected posts are not simply removed from the denominator. Imported lifetime values can include interactions after publication day. This is not automatically account period activity divided by post count.
Reactions
The imported number of reactions or likes. Facebook may report separate reaction types; Instagram and TikTok use likes. Reaction types do not create an additional count of people. Period values, hourly changes and post lifetime totals may use different data bases.
Comments
The imported comment count. It is not a count of unique commenters and need not equal the number of loaded inbox messages. Deletions, moderation, update timing and different coverage can cause differences. See the platform guide for period attribution.
Shares
The imported number of shares according to the platform’s definition. A share proves neither that a new person was reached nor how many extra views resulted. Sharing, saving and copying a link are not automatically the same action.
Story Replies
Replies reported for Instagram stories, where present in the report. These differ from regular post comments. Missing data, expired availability and restrictions of the Instagram report can make this value unavailable; the inbox is not a complete substitute.
Reels Social Actions
This former optional card is currently not offered for Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. Use the individually documented and available likes, comments, shares and saves. Do not add an already combined interaction total to its individual components again.
Page Post Engagements
A native Facebook Page metric for post interactions, where available for the account and period. Its counting rules may include actions such as clicks and are not automatically identical to reactions + comments + shares from individual posts. A missing or unsupported Page report cannot be replaced equivalently with that sum.
Avg Reactions per Post
Sum of reactions for posts published during the period ÷ number of those posts. The last evidenced metric state up to period end is used. The average requires complete inputs; missing values do not become zero and affected posts are not simply removed from the denominator. Two posts with 100 and 300 average 200. A person can count in multiple posts; this average does not provide unique account reach.
Avg Comments per Post
Sum of comments for posts published during the period ÷ number of those posts. The last evidenced metric state up to period end is used. The average requires complete inputs; missing values do not become zero and affected posts are not simply removed from the denominator. Two posts with 100 and 300 average 200. A person can count in multiple posts; this average does not provide unique account reach.
Clicks
Imported Facebook post clicks according to the source. These are not automatically only clicks to an external website; media clicks or other post clicks may be included. See the Facebook glossary for availability and definition. Clicks are actions, not unique people.
Avg Clicks per Post
The Facebook card divides the displayed click count by the available post count. For example, 90 clicks across six posts gives 15. This derived card requires both inputs; check their period basis. It does not mean that each post received exactly 15 clicks.
Click Rate
The current Facebook “Click Rate” card calculates clicks ÷ displayed interactions × 100. For example, 30 clicks ÷ 150 interactions × 100 = 20%. This is not a standard impressions CTR or a reach-based click rate. Do not directly compare it with an ad CTR or YouTube’s thumbnail click-through rate.
Avg Shares per Post
Sum of shares for posts published during the period ÷ number of those posts. The last evidenced metric state up to period end is used. The average requires complete inputs; missing values do not become zero and affected posts are not simply removed from the denominator. Two posts with 100 and 300 average 200. A person can count in multiple posts; this average does not provide unique account reach.
Charts
Charts use imported and aggregated data. Check axis units, time granularity and gaps. A daily series, a current total and the lifetime values of published posts are not interchangeable. Percentages and averages must not simply be added across days.
Post Reactions Timeline
The history of available Facebook reaction types. The legend identifies each series. Instagram and TikTok likes do not become Facebook reaction types. The distribution of Like, Love, Haha and other types is not an automatic sentiment analysis.
Avg Engagements by Type
The average interaction value for each available post format. For example, 200 interactions across five photos gives 40 per photo; 90 from one video gives 90 per video. Consider sample size and post age. A single publication is not robust evidence about a format in general.
Reactions Distribution
The share of a Facebook reaction type among the recorded reactions: type count ÷ sum of included reaction types × 100. For example, 60 likes among 100 reported reactions gives 60%. Missing types or data gaps can limit the analysis.
Top Posts by Engagement
The posts available in the report, sorted by its interaction metric. The ranking measures volume, not automatically quality or sentiment. Post values may be lifetime totals; newer posts have had less time to accumulate interactions.
Best Times to Post
The heatmap currently available for Facebook groups posts from the last 365 days by publication weekday and hour in the workspace time zone. It compares their average interactions, not the time of individual reactions or complete follower online activity. Recommendations require at least 20 posts overall and three posts per recommended time slot; up to five slots are recommended. Check sample size and the confidence notice. Missing data does not mean a bad time, and historically strong slots do not guarantee future performance. This heatmap is currently unavailable for Instagram and TikTok.
Engagement Rate (Followers) History
The history of the follower-based rate. Daily rates are not added to obtain the period rate. Changing follower counts, incomplete data or different posting volumes can make an average differ from the period value.
Engagement Rate (Reach) History
The history of the reach-based rate, where matching imported values are available. The people represented by daily reach can overlap. An average of daily percentages therefore cannot replace a rate using deduplicated period reach.
Reactions History
Reactions or likes over time at the displayed hourly or daily granularity. When changes are derived from total counts, activity is assigned to the observation window, not the exact time of each like. Compare only values using the same data basis.
Comments History
The comment history at the displayed time granularity. A high count alone does not establish positive sentiment. An old post’s lifetime comment count may exceed the change observed during the selected period.
Clicks History
The history of reported Facebook clicks. Check the click definition and distinguish displayed period activity from individual posts’ lifetime totals. Unavailable data is not a confirmed zero clicks.
Shares History
The history of imported shares. For snapshot differences, the observation time determines attribution. An increase does not allow you to calculate new unique recipients or resulting reach.
YouTube comparison
YouTube
- Likes, dislikes, comments, and shares appear as separate metrics where YouTube supplies them for a report.
- The combined daily-report engagement count consists of likes + comments + shares. Dislikes and engaged views are not counted as additional interactions.
- Cards, end screens, and other detailed reports have their own metrics; their click-through rates are not a general engagement rate.
- Unique reach is not estimated from views for reach-based metrics.
Learn more in YouTube analytics.
Compare values meaningfully
- Compare the same platform, metric definition and period. There is no universal threshold that makes an engagement rate “good”.
- Separate counts, unique reach, total snapshots, averages and ratios. A high number alone establishes neither quality nor a particular cause.
- Check import and aggregation status, account permissions and gaps. An empty view after connecting may be waiting for its first import.
- When values differ from the platform, compare the same account, report, period and data freshness. Historical values may be corrected later.