People aren’t just turning to social media platforms to connect with friends and keep up with influencers. They’re going there to be entertained. This shift has rewritten the script for consumer engagement, and ultimately, social media success.
That’s where social entertainment comes in. As the name implies, it’s a blend of social media marketing and entertainment marketing and can be seen in the new focus on video via platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. It helps brands turn passive viewers into active fans.
As consumers change the way they interact with social media, brands need to change the way they measure content performance. This is especially critical when it comes to making the case for entertainment-based content. When every marketing dollar is closely scrutinized for its ROI, marketers need to be able to prove its value. To do so, brands must examine entertainment-focused metrics such as Dash Hudson’s Entertainment Score, retention rate and shares to understand how well they’re capturing and retaining user attention—arguably today’s most coveted marketing commodity.
So, how does a marketer make the case for social entertainment? By understanding what kind of content moves audiences and drives the bottom line. Dash Hudson’s latest "Cross-Channel Social Media Benchmarks" reports for TikTok, Instagram and YouTube benchmark reports uncover which metrics are critical to brands’ strategies and how leading brands are staying ahead of the social curve.
Keep reading to learn the KPIs, trends and tips needed to show the true value of successful social entertainment.
When Entertainment Eclipses Connection
People aren’t just turning to social media platforms to connect with friends and keep up with influencers. They’re going there to be entertained. This shift has rewritten the script for consumer engagement, and ultimately, social media success.
That’s where social entertainment comes in. As the name implies, it’s a blend of social media marketing and entertainment marketing and can be seen in the new focus on video via platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. It helps brands turn passive viewers into active fans.
As consumers change the way they interact with social media, brands need to change the way they measure content performance. This is especially critical when it comes to making the case for entertainment-based content. When every marketing dollar is closely scrutinized for its ROI, marketers need to be able to prove its value. To do so, brands must examine entertainment-focused metrics such as Dash Hudson’s Entertainment Score, retention rate and shares to understand how well they’re capturing and retaining user attention—arguably today’s most coveted marketing commodity.
So, how does a marketer make the case for social entertainment? By understanding what kind of content moves audiences and drives the bottom line. Dash Hudson’s latest "Cross-Channel Social Media Benchmarks" reports for TikTok, Instagram and YouTube benchmark reports uncover which metrics are critical to brands’ strategies and how leading brands are staying ahead of the social curve.
Keep reading to learn the KPIs, trends and tips needed to show the true value of successful social entertainment.
Producing effective content that connects with social media users isn’t easy—so it pays for brands to understand what truly resonates with their audiences to maximize ROI and achieve lasting success. And that takes strong data that goes beyond vanity metrics such as likes or follows.
These kinds of benchmarks are foundational to social entertainment success. They are the levers you can pull to adjust your campaigns, see the impact of a program across different channels and optimize your efforts.
In its "Cross-Channel Social Media Benchmarks" reports, Dash Hudson analyzes key metrics across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, such as:
Cross-channel engagement rate: This metric compares each platform's short-form video offering equally so you can see how a video’s engagement stacks up across each platform.
Average reach (TikTok and Instagram): The average number of unique accounts that see your post. This helps brands understand the number of unique people their message reaches, providing important insight into brand awareness.
Average Entertainment Score (TikTok and Instagram): The Entertainment Score is a proprietary Dash Hudson metric and is scored against a global database of industry benchmarks. It helps brands understand how entertained their audience is by a TikTok or Reel.
Retention rate (TikTok) and percentage viewed (YouTube): The average percentage of the selected video that people watched. Understanding how long audiences stay engaged is key to figuring out what types of content work on TikTok and YouTube.
Average video views: The average number of views each video receives. Users watching videos more often have a higher likelihood of remembering brand messages or products.
Average growth rate: The average number of followers added monthly. This helps brands understand the rate at which the industry is growing and how they measure up.
Average number of weekly posts: The average number of posts brands share per grouping and industry. This helps determine the right cadence for posting.
The Benchmarks That Matter
Producing effective content that connects with social media users isn’t easy—so it pays for brands to understand what truly resonates with their audiences to maximize ROI and achieve lasting success. And that takes strong data that goes beyond vanity metrics such as likes or follows.
These kinds of benchmarks are foundational to social entertainment success. They are the levers you can pull to adjust your campaigns, see the impact of a program across different channels and optimize your efforts.
In its "Cross-Channel Social Media Benchmarks" reports, Dash Hudson analyzes key metrics across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, such as:
Cross-channel engagement rate: This metric compares each platform's short-form video offering equally so you can see how a video’s engagement stacks up across each platform.
Average reach (TikTok and Instagram): The average number of unique accounts that see your post. This helps brands understand the number of unique people their message reaches, providing important insight into brand awareness.
Average Entertainment Score (TikTok and Instagram): The Entertainment Score is a proprietary Dash Hudson metric and is scored against a global database of industry benchmarks. It helps brands understand how entertained their audience is by a TikTok or Reel.
Retention rate (TikTok) and percentage viewed (YouTube): The average percentage of the selected video that people watched. Understanding how long audiences stay engaged is key to figuring out what types of content work on TikTok and YouTube.
Average video views: The average number of views each video receives. Users watching videos more often have a higher likelihood of remembering brand messages or products.
Average growth rate: The average number of followers added monthly. This helps brands understand the rate at which the industry is growing and how they measure up.
Average number of weekly posts: The average number of posts brands share per grouping and industry. This helps determine the right cadence for posting.
To succeed in the social entertainment landscape, most social-first brands take a cross-channel approach that incorporates TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. In fact, per Dash Hudson’s 2023 benchmarks, each week a typical brand posts four TikToks, three Instagram Reels and one YouTube Short.
While the output may be similar, each of these channels behaves differently—for instance, Instagram Reels is a strong platform for reach, whereas TikTok generates the highest level of engagement.
No matter which platform you prioritize, always put your efforts into creating entertaining content. When analyzing over 7,000 LikeShop posts, Dash Hudson uncovered the content that scored an Entertainment Score of five and above received 200% more clicks than content with an Entertainment Score of below five.
With all this in mind, these are key trends to consider on each platform:
TIKTOK
Despite a slight decline in engagement in 2022 due to a significant influx of new users, TikTok is a great platform to play on and remains an early adopter channel. It reigns as both an entertainment hub and an ecommerce mainstay, with 67% of users saying TikTok inspired them to shop even when they weren’t planning to do so.
Followers are a KPI: On Instagram, followers matter as it indicates who will see your content. On TikTok, followers do not help predict your reach as the best content wins. The more engagement you have on your video, the more likely someone is to follow you and validates that your content is striking a chord.
Find the right cadence: Established and large brands post 4-6 times a week on TikTok, as compared to growing brands, which post twice a week. Fewer posts decrease the likelihood of reaching TikTok’s coveted For You page, but leveraging creators can mitigate this.
Strong but shifting engagement: Despite earning 35% higher engagement than Instagram Reels, there has been a drop in TikTok’s engagement rate from 2022 to 2023 (5.8% vs. 4.6%), which is likely due to its maturation as a channel. Still, growth on TikTok is 181% higher than on Instagram and 107% higher than on YouTube.
The way Instagram’s algorithm works now means that creators are a brand’s greatest asset for expanding reach. Mid- and macro-influencers earn brands followers and reach, while nano- and micro-influencers earn the highest engagement and effectiveness rates. A well-rounded influencer strategy means working with a variety of influencers of different follower sizes and in different niches to capitalize on all their benefits.
Get Reel: Prioritize Instagram Reels content over static snaps or curated carousels, as Reels receive higher engagement rates (0.52%) across all industries, except for media and publishing. They also offer the best reach, pulling in a 10% higher reach than TikTok.
Make DM-worthy content: Conversations on Instagram happen in the DMs. Users are nearly three times more likely to share a Reel than they are to comment on it. Create content that’s entertaining, educational and inspiring for a higher likelihood of being shared and garnering reach.
Small creators yield mighty engagement: Brands earn more meaningful engagement from creators, with an average engagement rate five times higher than what brands alone receive. Nano- and micro-creators receive strong engagement and effectiveness rates, as compared to mid- and macro-creators.
YOUTUBE
The platform may be 18 years old, but YouTube still touts the largest audience, so marketers shouldn’t discount its value. The rise of social entertainment is uplifting legacy platforms like YouTube, and the launch of YouTube Shorts is proof of that.
Solid growth: As social entertainment continues to rise in popularity, YouTube is showing a subscriber growth rate of 2%, which is three times higher than Instagram’s.
Shorter is sweeter: YouTube Shorts (3.7%) have an engagement rate that’s 20% higher than long-form videos (3%), proving that short-form entertainment is more popular.
Large following not required: On average, growing brands (64,000 average video views per post) see nearly the same amount of video views on average compared to large brands (66,000 followers). Growing brands Juvederm and My African Pride, for example, average more than 1 million video views.
The Social Entertainment Trends You Should Care About
To succeed in the social entertainment landscape, most social-first brands take a cross-channel approach that incorporates TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. In fact, per Dash Hudson’s 2023 benchmarks, each week a typical brand posts four TikToks, three Instagram Reels and one YouTube Short.
While the output may be similar, each of these channels behaves differently—for instance, Instagram Reels is a strong platform for reach, whereas TikTok generates the highest level of engagement.
No matter which platform you prioritize, always put your efforts into creating entertaining content. When analyzing over 7,000 LikeShop posts, Dash Hudson uncovered the content that scored an Entertainment Score of five and above received 200% more clicks than content with an Entertainment Score of below five.
With all this in mind, these are key trends to consider on each platform:
TIKTOK
Despite a slight decline in engagement in 2022 due to a significant influx of new users, TikTok is a great platform to play on and remains an early adopter channel. It reigns as both an entertainment hub and an ecommerce mainstay, with 67% of users saying TikTok inspired them to shop even when they weren’t planning to do so.
Followers are a KPI: On Instagram, followers matter as it indicates who will see your content. On TikTok, followers do not help predict your reach as the best content wins. The more engagement you have on your video, the more likely someone is to follow you and validates that your content is striking a chord.
Find the right cadence: Established and large brands post 4-6 times a week on TikTok, as compared to growing brands, which post twice a week. Fewer posts decrease the likelihood of reaching TikTok’s coveted For You page, but leveraging creators can mitigate this.
Strong but shifting engagement: Despite earning 35% higher engagement than Instagram Reels, there has been a drop in TikTok’s engagement rate from 2022 to 2023 (5.8% vs. 4.6%), which is likely due to its maturation as a channel. Still, growth on TikTok is 181% higher than on Instagram and 107% higher than on YouTube.
The way Instagram’s algorithm works now means that creators are a brand’s greatest asset for expanding reach. Mid- and macro-influencers earn brands followers and reach, while nano- and micro-influencers earn the highest engagement and effectiveness rates. A well-rounded influencer strategy means working with a variety of influencers of different follower sizes and in different niches to capitalize on all their benefits.
Get Reel: Prioritize Instagram Reels content over static snaps or curated carousels, as Reels receive higher engagement rates (0.52%) across all industries, except for media and publishing. They also offer the best reach, pulling in a 10% higher reach than TikTok.
Make DM-worthy content: Conversations on Instagram happen in the DMs. Users are nearly three times more likely to share a Reel than they are to comment on it. Create content that’s entertaining, educational and inspiring for a higher likelihood of being shared and garnering reach.
Small creators yield mighty engagement: Brands earn more meaningful engagement from creators, with an average engagement rate five times higher than what brands alone receive. Nano- and micro-creators receive strong engagement and effectiveness rates, as compared to mid- and macro-creators.
YOUTUBE
The platform may be 18 years old, but YouTube still touts the largest audience, so marketers shouldn’t discount its value. The rise of social entertainment is uplifting legacy platforms like YouTube, and the launch of YouTube Shorts is proof of that.
Solid growth: As social entertainment continues to rise in popularity, YouTube is showing a subscriber growth rate of 2%, which is three times higher than Instagram’s.
Shorter is sweeter: YouTube Shorts (3.7%) have an engagement rate that’s 20% higher than long-form videos (3%), proving that short-form entertainment is more popular.
Large following not required: On average, growing brands (64,000 average video views per post) see nearly the same amount of video views on average compared to large brands (66,000 followers). Growing brands Juvederm and My African Pride, for example, average more than 1 million video views.
No matter your brand background or familiarity with social media, there are lessons to be learned. Here are some of the best tips across industries, with examples of what some of the market leaders are doing right now, according to Dash Hudson.
TIKTOK
On TikTok, where short-form video—the lifeblood of social entertainment—dominates, experimentation is constant and trends are always in flux. That might be what keeps people so interested. In fact, between 2018 and 2022, TikTok grew by an average of 340 million new active members annually and is expected to reach 2 billion by 2024. Read on for takeaways from the brands taking TikTok by storm.
When you think TikTok engagement, think short and attention-grabbing content. Lean into vivid colors and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it movements that feel as memorable as they are snappy.
Known for its whimsical style, Alice + Olivia uses quick cuts, rapid-fire sequences and bright colors to highlight its latest clothing lines. The brand outperforms the average engagement rate of its industry by a whopping 473%. Its video featuring its Kyrie Skort stopped scrollers in their tracks, earning a 9.9/10 Entertainment Score, 33.9% engagement rate and 69.2% retention rate.
Stay up-to-speed with trending TikTok sounds, and, even if you don’t think a certain sound has anything to do with your content, try using it anyway. The combination of catchy visuals with familiar, already-successful sounds can be your recipe for success.
A top performer on both TikTok and Instagram, Made by Nacho—the cat food brand founded by chef Bobby Flay and inspired by his Maine Coon, Nacho—puts of-the-moment audio front and center. The company puts a particularly catty spin on Nacho’s voice that’s totally in tune with TikTok’s candid humor and fast-moving trends, earning it an 8.6/10 Entertainment Score, 14.8% engagement rate and 56% retention rate.
For a platform that thrives on experimentation and newness, TikTok excels at giving brands a second life. Revive and upcycle existing or even already-posted content with new or trending sounds.
Years after its final episode, The Office boasts 3.2 million followers and reigns as the top-performing media brand on TikTok. The sitcom’s fast-paced comedy pairs perfectly with TikTok’s humor to this day, outperforming the average engagement rate for its industry by 265%.
Like many social channels, Instagram has shifted toward a video-centric model with Reels. Users are constantly looking to be engaged and entertained by videos that capitalize on trends, give them a peek behind the curtain and create a fun, interactive and must-have experience for all involved. These next three brands are doing just that and here’s what you can learn from their experience.
Instead of focusing on your products, focus on the lifestyle around them, such as occasions to wear jewelry as opposed to just showing your necklaces, or workout tips instead of featuring your activewear.
A mattress and bedding company may not seem like it would have the most mesmerizing content on Instagram, but ecommerce brand Casper Sleep begs to differ. The company lets entertainment—particularly humor and relatable content around sleep habits—lead its strategy, outperforming the average engagement rate for home brands by 500%.
Use Instagram Reels to help your products be seen, heard and experienced in exciting new dimensions by combining visuals with popular songs, successful trends and relevant holiday hashtags to entice audiences.
Ice cream brand Magnum indulges in all the trends, all at once, by treating viewers to recipe Reels inspired by its products, like an ASMR-enhanced affogato video. Ahead of its Chocolate Raspberry Swirl ice cream bar launch—and just in time for Valentine’s Day—the brand featured a decadent chocolate raspberry brownie recipe posted to Miley Cyrus’s self-love smash “Flowers.” This helped earn it an Entertainment Score of 9.4/10 and gave it a top spot in its industry.
Use Reels to create short and sensory clips (think signature brand colors, vivid sounds and super close-ups of product ingredient and packaging texture) to keep viewers guessing, encourage conversation in the comments, and overall, spark audience intrigue about upcoming launches.
Florence by mills, a clean beauty brand founded by Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown, focuses on the core details of its products on Instagram. Naturally, it taps into the celebrity power of its founder as well to earn the highest engagement rates in its industry, outperforming other beauty brands by a sensational 1,700%. Most of its content earns near-perfect Entertainment Scores and it captivates audiences with Reels centered around product launches.
YOUTUBE
Brands on YouTube have large audiences that they’ve gained over time, but compared to TikTok and Instagram, there lacks a clear consensus on how to best show up on the platform. The new focus on social entertainment could change this though, especially with the launch of YouTube Shorts. But there are more ways to leverage YouTube than just Shorts, as these three brands demonstrate.
Pack a powerful punch with short videos filled with panoramic views, nonstop action and music, to move viewers and encourage them to watch again.
YouTube may be known for its long-form content, but fast fashion retailer Stradivarius uses it for short-form advertising that includes its latest product lines and collaborations. The brand never surpasses the 1-minute mark and can convey big ideas in as short as 7 seconds, which is highly beneficial for viewer retention. Its focus on short videos results in each video being viewed over 14 times by the average user.
Advertise inclusively. Demonstrate your awareness of diversity and family dynamics to your audience to inspire brand loyalty and love on YouTube.
Kellogg’s U.S. is heavily invested in YouTube as an advertising platform, focusing on family demographics in particular. The brand is sure to post a robust lineup of Spanish content, broadening its reach significantly, earning 74 times more than the industry average.
Leverage YouTube’s wide audience potential to educate and inform viewers about your offerings.
Wardah Beauty is an Indonesian beauty brand with wide global appeal. The brand uses YouTube to share campaign footage, as well as educational content around its natural, halal products, earning it 37 times higher video views than the industry average.
Pro Tips for Creating Entertaining Content
No matter your brand background or familiarity with social media, there are lessons to be learned. Here are some of the best tips across industries, with examples of what some of the market leaders are doing right now, according to Dash Hudson.
TIKTOK
On TikTok, where short-form video—the lifeblood of social entertainment—dominates, experimentation is constant and trends are always in flux. That might be what keeps people so interested. In fact, between 2018 and 2022, TikTok grew by an average of 340 million new active members annually and is expected to reach 2 billion by 2024. Read on for takeaways from the brands taking TikTok by storm.
When you think TikTok engagement, think short and attention-grabbing content. Lean into vivid colors and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it movements that feel as memorable as they are snappy.
Known for its whimsical style, Alice + Olivia uses quick cuts, rapid-fire sequences and bright colors to highlight its latest clothing lines. The brand outperforms the average engagement rate of its industry by a whopping 473%. Its video featuring its Kyrie Skort stopped scrollers in their tracks, earning a 9.9/10 Entertainment Score, 33.9% engagement rate and 69.2% retention rate.
Stay up-to-speed with trending TikTok sounds, and, even if you don’t think a certain sound has anything to do with your content, try using it anyway. The combination of catchy visuals with familiar, already-successful sounds can be your recipe for success.
A top performer on both TikTok and Instagram, Made by Nacho—the cat food brand founded by chef Bobby Flay and inspired by his Maine Coon, Nacho—puts of-the-moment audio front and center. The company puts a particularly catty spin on Nacho’s voice that’s totally in tune with TikTok’s candid humor and fast-moving trends, earning it an 8.6/10 Entertainment Score, 14.8% engagement rate and 56% retention rate.
For a platform that thrives on experimentation and newness, TikTok excels at giving brands a second life. Revive and upcycle existing or even already-posted content with new or trending sounds.
Years after its final episode, The Office boasts 3.2 million followers and reigns as the top-performing media brand on TikTok. The sitcom’s fast-paced comedy pairs perfectly with TikTok’s humor to this day, outperforming the average engagement rate for its industry by 265%.
Like many social channels, Instagram has shifted toward a video-centric model with Reels. Users are constantly looking to be engaged and entertained by videos that capitalize on trends, give them a peek behind the curtain and create a fun, interactive and must-have experience for all involved. These next three brands are doing just that and here’s what you can learn from their experience.
Instead of focusing on your products, focus on the lifestyle around them, such as occasions to wear jewelry as opposed to just showing your necklaces, or workout tips instead of featuring your activewear.
A mattress and bedding company may not seem like it would have the most mesmerizing content on Instagram, but ecommerce brand Casper Sleep begs to differ. The company lets entertainment—particularly humor and relatable content around sleep habits—lead its strategy, outperforming the average engagement rate for home brands by 500%.
Use Instagram Reels to help your products be seen, heard and experienced in exciting new dimensions by combining visuals with popular songs, successful trends and relevant holiday hashtags to entice audiences.
Ice cream brand Magnum indulges in all the trends, all at once, by treating viewers to recipe Reels inspired by its products, like an ASMR-enhanced affogato video. Ahead of its Chocolate Raspberry Swirl ice cream bar launch—and just in time for Valentine’s Day—the brand featured a decadent chocolate raspberry brownie recipe posted to Miley Cyrus’s self-love smash “Flowers.” This helped earn it an Entertainment Score of 9.4/10 and gave it a top spot in its industry.
Use Reels to create short and sensory clips (think signature brand colors, vivid sounds and super close-ups of product ingredient and packaging texture) to keep viewers guessing, encourage conversation in the comments, and overall, spark audience intrigue about upcoming launches.
Florence by mills, a clean beauty brand founded by Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown, focuses on the core details of its products on Instagram. Naturally, it taps into the celebrity power of its founder as well to earn the highest engagement rates in its industry, outperforming other beauty brands by a sensational 1,700%. Most of its content earns near-perfect Entertainment Scores and it captivates audiences with Reels centered around product launches.
YOUTUBE
Brands on YouTube have large audiences that they’ve gained over time, but compared to TikTok and Instagram, there lacks a clear consensus on how to best show up on the platform. The new focus on social entertainment could change this though, especially with the launch of YouTube Shorts. But there are more ways to leverage YouTube than just Shorts, as these three brands demonstrate.
Pack a powerful punch with short videos filled with panoramic views, nonstop action and music, to move viewers and encourage them to watch again.
YouTube may be known for its long-form content, but fast fashion retailer Stradivarius uses it for short-form advertising that includes its latest product lines and collaborations. The brand never surpasses the 1-minute mark and can convey big ideas in as short as 7 seconds, which is highly beneficial for viewer retention. Its focus on short videos results in each video being viewed over 14 times by the average user.
Advertise inclusively. Demonstrate your awareness of diversity and family dynamics to your audience to inspire brand loyalty and love on YouTube.
Kellogg’s U.S. is heavily invested in YouTube as an advertising platform, focusing on family demographics in particular. The brand is sure to post a robust lineup of Spanish content, broadening its reach significantly, earning 74 times more than the industry average.
Leverage YouTube’s wide audience potential to educate and inform viewers about your offerings.
Wardah Beauty is an Indonesian beauty brand with wide global appeal. The brand uses YouTube to share campaign footage, as well as educational content around its natural, halal products, earning it 37 times higher video views than the industry average.
About Dash Hudson and the Social Media Benchmark Reports
Dash Hudson is a social media management platform that equips brands with intelligence and speed to stay ahead of the curve. Through its sophisticated cross-channel insights and workflow tools, Dash Hudson enables brands to create content that entertains, engages and drives consistent business results. To discover how Dash Hudson is empowering brands to outsmart social, visit dashhudson.com.
Dash Hudson’s bi-annual Cross-Channel Benchmark Reports uncover the KPIs critical to brands’ social strategies and provide actionable examples of how leading brands are staying ahead of the competition. Dash Hudson publishes reports across six key industries: beauty; fashion and luxury; retail; home; media and publishing; and CPG, food and beverage. Get the latest 2023 reports here.
Illustrations by Ellice Weaver
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