It's no secret that short vertical videos are currently the most powerful tool for attracting new followers. All platforms are heavily investing in them, and the algorithms work best with this format. Videos capture attention better and allow information to be conveyed quickly and effectively. However, what surprised us is that despite the popularity of video, statistics show that the average engagement for this format is usually just over one percent. In contrast, carousels achieve a whopping 6 percent! Interesting, isn't it? This immediately raises the question: are videos really good for reach but not for engagement? In this article, we will discuss whether this is indeed the case. In the fast-paced world of social media, everything changes at lightning speed, and sometimes it's useful to pause and examine the data. Let's dive into this topic together!## **Measuring Reach** Reach on social media is a metric that shows how many unique users have seen your post. **Statistics indicate that video format achieves 36% greater reach than other types of posts. Let's explore why this happens.** First, let's look at how social media feeds are structured. In the main feed of social media, users see posts from their subscriptions—friends, family, bloggers, and brands they follow. However, the feed of short vertical videos operates somewhat differently. Its goal is to help users discover new interesting brands and creators. This means that your videos can be seen not only by your followers but also by completely new people who are not yet familiar with your content. Thus, your videos have a better chance of attracting the attention of a "cold" audience, which in turn increases reach.## **Measuring Engagement** Engagement on social media is a metric that indicates how actively users interact with your content. This can be likes, comments, shares, or saves. The higher the engagement, the better your content performs, and the more likely it is to be seen by new people. Now, let's break down how engagement is calculated. It is the ratio of interactions (likes, comments, etc.) to the total number of views or reach. For example, if your post received 100 likes and was seen by 1,000 people, the engagement would be 10%. This is a fairly simple calculation, but it provides a clear picture of how interesting your content is to the audience. **According to statistical data, the most engaging format is carousels.** They attract 12% more attention than other types of posts. Why is that? First, it's worth noting that carousels appear in the main feed. This means they reach users who have already chosen to follow your content. These users are already interested in your profile and are therefore more likely to spend more time viewing a carousel than a video from an unfamiliar creator. Carousels also have an advantage in Instagram displays. If someone views only one or two photos, the carousel can reappear in their feed, allowing them to continue viewing from where they left off. This creates a "return" effect to the content and increases the chances that the person will finish watching and interact with it.## **What to Do?** When it comes to engagement and reach on social media, the question arises: what should you do about it? The most obvious answer is to use videos and carousels in your promotion. But let's dig a little deeper and explore how to do this effectively. **The first step is to define your goals.** Do you want to increase your follower count or establish a closer connection with your existing audience? This will help you understand what kind of content you need. If your account is still relatively new or you want to attract more followers, videos should be an integral part of your content. But remember: not all videos are equally good. Before posting, ask yourself: "Would I want to share this video with friends or colleagues?" If the answer is "yes," then you have a chance to create truly valuable content. A good video should evoke a desire to share it with others. This will allow you to achieve two goals at once: expand your reach and increase engagement. Now, if your goal is to build a community and engage more closely with your followers, carousels are what you need. Post photo collections, informational carousels, and share interesting content that will be useful to your followers. This will help create a deeper connection with your audience. **But here's what’s really important — experiment.** Don't take the advice in this article as the only truth. Don't just alternate between videos for reach and carousels for engagement because we said so. Try, change, and implement new ideas. Instead of creating content for a year ahead, try planning for just two weeks. See what works and what doesn't. Highlight the best, remove what didn't resonate, and add something new. **Be bold in your actions, and you will succeed. The key is not to be afraid to experiment and find what truly works.** *\*Meta's activities (social networks Facebook and Instagram) are banned in Russia as extremist.*