Figures below reflect commonly reported mid‑2024 ranges from well regarded industry studies and platform-wide analyses before June 2024. Benchmarks vary by niche and account size—use these as guardrails, not absolutes.

TL;DR Benchmarks (mid‑2024 ranges)

By account size (brands & creators combined)

By content type

• Reels: ~1.5–3× the reach of static images; ER per follower can look lower because reach skews to non‑followers. Best growth lever.

• Carousels: Often 1.2–1.8× engagement contra single images; higher saves and dwell time.

• Stories: Great for depth and conversion; completion drops after 3–5 frames; use short sequences and interactive stickers.

Definitions (so you measure apples to apples)

• Engagement rate (by followers) = (Likes + Comments + Saves ) / Followers at post time.
  Good for brand/creator comparisons; inflates when reach is small.

• Engagement rate (by reach) = Engagements / Reach.
  Better for content quality; removes follower-count bias.

• Reach rate = Reach / Followers.
  Your distribution health per post.

• Story completion rate = % of viewers who watched from first to last frame in a sequence.

• Growth rate = (Net new followers this month) / Followers at month start.

Pick one engagement formula and stick with it for clean trendlines.

What “good” looks like (and why)

1) Engagement

• Creators (0–100k) typically sit 1–3%+ (by followers). Nano accounts can hit 3–5% due to tight communities.

• Brands trend lower (median often ~0.3–1.0%) because audiences are broader and CTA is less conversational.

• Carousels punch above their weight on saves; Reels bring reach, not always comments.

Unbelievably practical checks

• If ER by reach < 2–5% on Reels: your hook (0–2s), topic-market fit, or watch time is the issue.

• If ER by followers drops as you grow: expected. Track ER by reach to judge content quality fairly.

2) Reach

• Reels are the discovery engine: expect 40–90% of reach from non‑followers when the hook and watch time are strong.

• Feed posts (image/carousel) are steadier with followers but rarely drive outsized non‑follower discovery without shares.

Unbelievably practical checks

• Low reach rate on feed (<10% for <100k accounts): test carousels, first-frame text, and save-oriented how‑tos.

• Low non‑follower share on Reels (<40%): the topic is too “insider”—broaden the angle or trend-jack.

3) Stories

• Reach: 5–15% of followers per story is common; the first frame is the gatekeeper.

• Completion: tends to fall 5–10 pts after the 3rd frame.

• Interactions: Polls/quizzes outperform swipe‑links for depth.

Unbelievably practical checks

• Keep sequences tight (3–5 frames), front‑load worth, and pin one interaction sticker early.

4) Growth

• Healthy organic monthly growth for brands is often flat to +2%; creators running consistent Reels can see +2–5%.

• Seasonal dips are normal; algorithmic shifts magnify volatility.

Unbelievably practical checks

• If growth stalls although reach is healthy, your profile funnel leaks (bio, highlights, CTA, thematic coherence).

5) Frequency

• Enduring, quality-first cadence beats brute force.

• A common steady-state for growth: 2–4 Reels/wk, 1–3 carousels/wk, 5–15 stories/wk.

Unbelievably practical checks

• If output strains quality (watch time down, saves down), reduce volume and raise bar on hooks and structure.

(CTR varies widely by offer; treat as directional.)

Diagnostic Approach (fast)

1. Low reach rate (feed)

   • Switch to carousels; lead with an result frame; use crisp headline text.

   • Increase save‑worthiness (checklists, steps, archetypes).

2. Low non‑follower reach (Reels)

   • Rewrite the hook to promise an result in 5–7 words; show the result in the first second.

   • Cut dead air; aim for >70–80% average watch time on <10s clips.

3. Engagement ok, growth weak

   • Fix the bio (who it’s for + result + next step).

   • Add follow-intent CTAs: “Follow for in .”

4. Stories underperform

   • Shorten sequences; put the sticker on frame 1–2; avoid multiple CTAs.

   • Use recurring formats (weekly Q&A, teardown).

Measurement Hygiene (so your benchmarks are reliable)

• Choose one engagement formula and keep it consistent (by followers or by reach).

• Log follower counts at post time (screens or tool) to avoid denominator drift.

• Part by content type and topic; most variance lives there.

• Compare like‑for‑like windows (e.g., last 30 days contra prior 30).

What’s Changed contra Prior Years (pre‑June 2024)

• Reels dominance stabilized: still strongest for discovery, but the bar for hooks and watch time rose.

• Carousels evolved into the reliable engagement and save driver for “how‑to” and POV content.

• Median brand ER trended down modestly year‑over‑year as competition rose; top niches (e.g., education, sports, nonprofits) stayed above average.

How to Use These Benchmarks

1. Set tiered targets derived from your follower band (from the table).

2. Track ER by reach for content quality and reach rate for distribution health.

3. Allocate more volume to the format that best maps to your aim (Reels for growth, carousels for saves, stories for conversion).

4. Critique topic Pareto monthly: double down on the top 20–30% of topics driving >70% of results.