If you're a brand attempting to ensure a consistent presence on social media, it's vital to consider and adhere to an effective posting schedule.
Sure, things come up now and then, which means you can't constantly be publishing content when you need to, but having a basis to strive towards can make or break your ability to position yourself in front of your target audience.
With the large number of social media platforms on offer and with all the major updates happening on social media every day (we're looking at you, Elon Musk), it can be tough to choose which one is right for your brand.
However, it's not as simple as giving a direct answer to exactly how often you should be posting on each social media platform. What works for you works for you as long as you're consistent.
Nonetheless, we're here with each platform's best practices, so if you're struggling to find a starting point, then keep reading to learn more.
Platform-Specific Recommendations at an Overview
Instagram Posts: 3 - 5 posts a week.
Instagram Stories: 2 - 4 Stories a day.
TikTok Posts: 1 - 3 posts a day.
Facebook Posts: 1 - 2 posts a day.
LinkedIn Posts: 1 - 2 posts a day.
X Posts: 3 - 4 posts a day.
Now, the above recommendations aren’t the be-all and end-all. It’s essential to consider the above and tailor it based on your brand and what you ultimately think works well for you.
Let’s take a deep dive into each specific platform and how often you should be posting on social media in 2024.
Instagram Posts: 3 - 5 posts a week.
Instagram Stories: 2 - 4 Stories a day.
Instagram's best practices are split up into two content variations: In-Feed and Story posts.
Regarding In-Feed posts, it's ideal to post 3-5 times a week. Regular activity keeps your profile fresh in the minds of your followers and increases the likelihood of appearing on their feeds and the feeds of others through the Explore tab.
Ideally, you should mix up the type of content being published, e.g., carousels, Reels, and single images. Preventing your audience from guessing what you'll be publishing next is crucial for keeping them engaged.
In terms of Story posts, Adam Mosseri, the Head of Instagram, has suggested posting two Stories a day. You don't need to spam-post Story posts every single day to ensure you're hitting a quota; instead, post engaging content relevant to your brand that your audience will want to see.
Key Statistics to Remember
- Posting/sharing photos or videos continues to be the top activity.
- There are 2 billion monthly active users on Instagram.
- Instagram is the world's second-favourite social media platform.
- Instagram is the 4th most-visited website in the world.
TikTok
TikTok Posts: 1 - 3 posts a day.
Now, don't be alarmed if you're thinking of creating a TikTok page for your brand.
1-3 posts a day is what many people believe is best practice for the platform. However, this is not a hard and fast rule; what works for your schedule is good as long as you're consistent.
That being said, the more you can post on TikTok, the better.
TikTok's mysterious algorithm (click here if you want to learn more about how this works) favours accounts that tend to post regularly. This can, obviously, be quite time-consuming, but if you, or a team of yours, can hit those high numbers, then go for it!
It's also important to know best practices for the type of content you should be aiming towards. Short-form, relevant videos and images that resonate with your audience are key. Plus, keep your caption concise and accompanied by suitable hashtags to avoid putting users off from engaging.
If your caption fills someone's whole phone screen when they click "See More," then it's likely they're just going to scroll past.
Key Statistics to Remember
- TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users.
- TikTok has been downloaded more than 4.1 billion times.
- TikTok is the #1 downloaded app in more than 40 countries.
- TikTok places 7th in the most trusted apps by brands.
Facebook Posts: 1 - 2 posts a day.
Facebook is a tricky platform to post on if you want your brand to reap the rewards of organic engagement, but this is mainly because organic engagement is so poor on Facebook itself. The average engagement rate sits at around 1%, and it's believed these numbers aren't going to pick up very soon.
1-2 posts a day on Facebook allow you to consistently reach your target audience, ensuring they stay informed and up-to-date with the information you want them to know.
It's also known that each of the big-name social media platforms has different regular-use audiences. X, TikTok, and Instagram users are likely to be younger than those who frequent Facebook and LinkedIn feeds. So, make sure you tailor your content to the audience you're actually expected to reach.
If you're a business using Facebook, post content that reinforces your brand's identity; this could be through company updates, employee promotions, behind-the-scenes videos and images, and employee-generated content (which you can read more about here).
Key Statistics to Remember
- Facebook is the world's third most popular website.
- Facebook has more than three billion monthly active users.
- Facebook is the most popular social network in the world.
- 1.3 billion fake Facebook accounts are removed quarterly.
LinkedIn Posts: 1 - 2 posts a day.
LinkedIn is a platform tailored for business and career-orientated individuals, so one way to appeal to this audience is to appear professional and credible yourself.
Having a consistent posting schedule can help with this. You'll want to stay top-of-mind of your connections and their connections, so make sure you post regularly.
Now, as LinkedIn is a platform for business professionals, publish content that resonates with this audience. LinkedIn offers many different forms of content, including text-only posts, single-image posts, carousels, videos, newsletters, polls, celebration posts, and more. Capitalise on this broad range of content styles, and you'll surely position your brand in the eyes of those you want to reach.
Key Statistics to Remember
- LinkedIn is available in 26 languages.
- LinkedIn has 1 billion members around the world.
- LinkedIn has members in 200 countries and regions worldwide.
- 1.6 billion people visit LinkedIn every month.
X
X Posts: 3 - 4 posts a day.
X might be the most fast-paced platform out there, which is why it's ideal to post very regularly if you want to take advantage.
It is the news-orientated social media app, meaning you have to be quick and committed to stay relevant amidst the noise of countless personal and business accounts.
Just like with every other social media app, but maybe more so with X, posting frequently increases your chance of reaching a wider audience.
However, the problem with X at the moment is that it's changing quite a lot every other day. Elon Musk seems to be a bit trigger-happy with the Change button, releasing a series of new updates that drastically influence how the platform is used.
That being said, one thing that has remained constant (apart from when the short-lived 'View Limit' was introduced) is that being active and regular on the platform is ideal.
Posting three to four times a day will certainly help you reach a much wider audience, increasing your chances of developing connections with brands and individuals within your industry.
Key Statistics to Remember
- There were 162k+ downloads of the X App on iOS in the UK in 2020.
- X had an estimated 556 million monthly active users globally
- In the UK, X has 25.6 million users.
It's worth noting that while there is no one-size-fits-all approach for brands on social media, there are plenty of recommendations to help you maximise your presence online.
Each social media platform is different, which means you need to switch up your strategy to suit the platform you're aiming for.
Remember, stick to your brand identity. Honesty is key to appealing towards your target audience.
If you’re interested in our social media management services, don’t hesitate to get in touch today and see what we can do for you.
Feature Photo by Timothy Hales Bennett on Unsplash
Header Photo by Eric Rothermel on Unsplash
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