Methodology
How KitVerify numbers work
What a KitVerify kit is
A KitVerify media kit is a hosted page on kitverify.com — not a PDF, not a screenshot. Creators fill defined fields; KitVerify renders the page. There is no free-form canvas: a creator chooses what to show, but the structure decides what can appear under each label — and every number carries a label saying where it came from.
The three labels
Will be pulled straight from the platform API over a read-only connection, shown with the platform name and a last-synced timestamp. A creator will not be able to type, edit, or adjust a synced number — only hide it. No number carries this label today.
Calculated by KitVerify from other numbers, with the formula disclosed beside the value. It changes only when its inputs change — a creator can't type a computed number.
Entered by the creator and labeled as such — structured fields, never free text, and never shown under a Synced or Computed label.
Where synced data comes from
No platform sync is live today, and no KitVerify kit currently claims an API source — that's deliberate.
We're building direct, read-only connections to TikTok and Instagram.
When connections launch, KitVerify will receive a read-only token scoped to profile and media metrics. Read-only means KitVerify can fetch numbers — it cannot post, message, or change anything on the account. Synced values will render directly from the API data; there will be no edit path between the API response and the page.
Why we say "synced," not "verified"
We deliberately say "synced," not "verified." A live API pull proves where a number came from and when — it says nothing about the quality of the audience behind it. That's what benchmarks are for: an inflated follower count can't hide a below-tier engagement rate sitting next to it. Calling a number "verified" would claim more than the data supports. We'd rather under-claim and let the structure do the convincing. The 'verify' in KitVerify is the reader's job — the kit is built so you can.
How engagement rate is calculated
Instagram — engagement rate (by followers): (average likes + average comments) ÷ followers × 100. On synced kits the averages come from the creator's recent posts, and the exact post count is shown beside the rate. On self-reported kits the averages are entered by the creator and the rate is labeled accordingly.
TikTok — engagement rate (by views): (average likes + average comments + average shares) ÷ average views × 100. Same rule: synced inputs show the video count; self-reported inputs are labeled.
In every case the rate itself is computed by KitVerify — a creator can never type an engagement rate. The two rates use different denominators and are never combined or averaged.
Instagram rates are compared against follower-tier averages; TikTok rates against a flat cross-tier average — the comparison source is named on the kit.
These are the same formulas behind the free engagement rate calculator — you can run your own numbers through them there.
Freshness
Every synced number will show when it was last pulled. If a kit hasn't re-synced in over 90 days, the kit will flag its numbers as stale. Growth or drops since the last sync won't appear until the next one — check the timestamp before relying on a number.
How to cross-check
Public numbers will stay checkable: a synced follower count can be compared against the creator's live profile on the platform itself, and every synced label will carry its last-synced timestamp. If a number matters to your decision, check the timestamp first.
The creator can hide this number. They cannot edit it.