Yes, ignoring engagement ratio is a costly mistake. It is one of the clearest signals of a real, active audience and a low ratio against a big following often points to bought or disengaged followers. Follower count alone hides this so disregarding the ratio risks paying for reach that does not respond.
Is it a mistake to disregard an influencer's engagement ratio when selecting them?
Disregarding engagement ratio is one of the more expensive oversights in creator selection, because that ratio is a window into whether an audience is real and paying attention. Engagement rate, roughly the share of followers who like, comment or share, tells you what raw follower count cannot. A creator with a million followers and a tiny engagement ratio frequently has an inflated or disengaged audience, while a smaller creator with a high ratio has a community that actually responds. Judging on follower count alone and skipping the ratio, is how brands end up paying for reach that never converts. The ratio is not a perfect single number, since giveaways or viral spikes can distort it and norms vary by platform and follower size so it is best read in context alongside comment quality and authenticity. Still, ignoring it entirely is the real mistake. Flinque surfaces engagement alongside authenticity per creator so the ratio is part of the picture at the shortlist stage rather than an afterthought.