Buffer Report: Declines in Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads Engagement

A comprehensive report from Buffer, analyzing tens of millions of posts from over 191,000 monthly users throughout 2025, highlights declining interaction rates on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads, while platforms like X, Pinterest, and Facebook saw gains.

Buffer defines engagement primarily through likes, replies, and shares, consolidated into a single rate (interactions divided by impressions). The data shows Instagram experienced the steepest drop, with median engagement falling around 26% year-over-year – from approximately 7.3% in 2024 to 5.4% in 2025. This shift pushed Instagram from a top performer to third place behind LinkedIn and Facebook. LinkedIn saw a milder decline of about 5%, and Threads dropped roughly 18%, moving closer to X’s lower baseline.

Several factors likely contributed. Increased content volume and competition for attention played roles across the board. LinkedIn’s growing popularity for professional discussions, combined with a July 2025 algorithm update, may have diluted visibility for some posts. Threads’ rising user base created more noise, making organic traction harder. On Instagram, the platform’s heavy push toward Reels – prioritizing short-form video – appears to have reduced engagement on traditional feed posts, as users gravitate toward different formats.

In contrast, X posted a significant relative increase of around 44% in engagement per post (though absolute rates remain low, rising from roughly 2.0% to 2.8%). Pinterest and Facebook also notched modest upticks, while TikTok held relatively steady.