This is the question that has caused a thousand sleepless nights: “How often should I post on social media?”
Of course, like everything worth knowing, there is no simple answer to this question. Social media platforms are constantly updating their algorithms, adding new features, and changing the rules of engagement. What worked last year may not work this year, and what works today may be obsolete tomorrow.
We delved into the research and polled our social media team and some outside experts to find out what the ideal number of posts per day (or week) is for each platform. Here is a summary of what we found, but read on for more details:
- Instagram: Post 3 to 5 times a week.
- Instagram Stories: post 2 times a day.
- Twitter: Post 2 to 3 times a day.
- Facebook: Post 1 to 2 times per day.
- LinkedIn: Post 1 to 2 times a day.
- TikTok: Post 3 to 5 times per week.
- Pinterest: Post at least once a week.
- Google My Business: Post at least once a week.
How often to post on Instagram
Post 3-5 times a week on Instagram.
Our experts recommend creating at least three posts per week on Instagram. Ideally, these are mixed posts (carousels, videos, static posts, etc.). Using different types of social media content is especially important if you’re posting more than three times a week.
Instagram Stories can be used more often, although Instagram’s own Adam Mosseri recommends 2 stories per day.
Posting to Instagram frequently increases your chances of appearing in your Explore feed, being tagged on another account, or appearing in the top search results for keywords you use frequently. Posting regularly is also a great way to check what resonates with your audience.
If you think that an algorithmically controlled timeline means post-timing doesn’t matter, think again. Our experiments have proven that posting time affects engagement on Instagram.
Key Instagram stats to consider when posting:
- Instagram has 1.39 billion active users worldwide.
- The most active brands publish 17 Stories per month.
- The average American user spends 30.1 minutes a day on Instagram.
- Instagram is the #1 platform for people to connect with brands.
- Instagram users spend about 11.7 hours per month on the platform.
View all the latest Instagram stats here and detailed information on Instagram demographics here.
How often to post on TikTok
Fasting 3-5 times a week. Or as much as you can.
While TikTok actually recommends posting 1-4 times a day, this may not be realistic for everyone. If you’re just starting out, 3-5 times a week is a great place to start.
According to Braden Cohen, social media manager for Hootsuite, “TikTok is a place to test content and see what works and what doesn’t.”
The TikTok algorithm is complex, but the more you post on a regular basis, the more likely you are to get in front of a wider audience and see what works well. Aim to post 3-5 times a week to keep your followers in the loop. With each post, track video views, engagement, and the amount of time a viewer spends watching your video to better understand how effective it is.
@hootsuite Angela Bassett really did the thing! #BAFTA
Using hashtags in every post can also help potential customers discover your content. Be sure to analyze the performance of each post and refine your posting strategy based on what resonates best with your audience.
Also, time matters for TikTok. Choose the best time to post on TikTok to ensure your content is shared with as many people as possible.
Key TikTok stats to consider when posting:
- TikTok was the most downloaded app of 2022 with 672 million downloads.
- TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users.
- TikTok is more popular among Gen Z users than Instagram.
- TikTok is the best app for consumer spending.
Find the latest TikTok stats here and learn more about TikTok for business here.
How often to post on Facebook
Post 1-2 times a day on Facebook.
Organic reach has fallen everywhere, but Facebook has suffered the most. Currently, the average post engagement rate on a Facebook page is around 0.07%. These numbers are not expected to pick up any time soon.
Our experts recommend posting 1-2 times a day on Facebook. This should help you stay in the minds of your audience but not go so far as to overload their feeds.
“Posting daily will gain subscribers 4 times faster than posting less than once a week. Makes sense: more visibility,” says Briden Cohen, Social Marketing Manager at Hootsuite.
For this regular content to appear, it’s a good idea to create a content calendar to stay organized. Try our free content calendar template or experiment with scheduling tools like Hootsuite.
Key Facebook stats to consider when posting:
- Facebook is the third most visited website in the world.
- 67% of monthly Facebook users are active daily.
- The average user spends 30.1 minutes per day on Facebook.
- The average Facebook page publishes 1.68 posts per day.
Get some more interesting numbers in our breakdown of the latest Facebook stats and Facebook demographics.
How often to post on Twitter
Post 2-3 times a day on Twitter.
On Twitter, things happen fast. This news-focused platform means that tweets have a short lifespan. Thus, you need to post a little more often than on other channels.
Braden says, “This is probably the only channel where quantity is more important than quality.”The more you post, the more likely you are to end up in an ever-growing feed.
There are many experienced users. Some accounts post 50 or 100 times a day. If you have time, we are certainly not going to stop you. But to keep your brand’s presence on Twitter active and engaged, you really don’t have to drop everything and dedicate yourself to tweeting full-time.
In fact, for the general @Hootsuite channel (where the audience is subscribers, customers, and prospects), the Hootsuite team posts 2-3 times a day.
Me: ⁰⁰❌ Single ❌ Taken ❤️ Writer, designer, producer, strategist, planner and project manager behind branded company accounts
— Hootsuite 🦉 (@hootsuite) February 14, 2023
Remember that no matter how often you post, it’s best to follow the rule of thirds:
- ⅓ tweets promote your business
- ⅓ share personal stories
- ⅓ Informative insights from experts or influencers.
Keep in mind that interaction with your audience or other community partners also plays an important role in posting frequency!
Learn more about Twitter marketing here.
Key Twitter stats to consider when posting:
- On average, a user spends 5.1 hours per month on Twitter.
- A fifth of Twitter users under 30 visit the site too frequently to be tracked.
- 16% of Internet users aged 16 to 64 use Twitter for brand research.
- In 2023, people will spend at least 6 minutes a day on Twitter.
Check out our full list of updated Twitter stats (and check out our guide to Twitter demographics while you’re there!)
How often to post on LinkedIn
Post 1-2 times a day on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn itself claims that companies that publish weekly posts see 2x more content engagement. They also recommend posting at least once a day, even on weekends. Oh, and they say scheduling your posts with [amazing] partners like Hootsuite is the way to go. Hey, this is not an ad, it’s literally in their documentation. You can’t argue with facts!
Keep in mind that LinkedIn content can live in user feeds for a very long time. This is because when someone interacts with your post, it starts showing up in their contacts’ newsfeeds. In addition, users can filter the feed by “best”and “latest”content, which can increase the lifespan of your posts if they go viral.
Here quality is more important than quantity, so it is important to create interesting, engaging content that is timely and relevant. LinkedIn’s channel filters are changing right now, and soon you’ll be able to filter your feeds by topics like “video-related content.”
Hootsuite’s LinkedIn account tends to be among the most shared posts. We usually post 2-3 times a day, and sometimes up to five depending on campaigns and events.
Don’t forget: Hootsuite Analytics can help you make sure your publishing strategy is aligned with your engagement goals.
Key LinkedIn statistics to consider when posting:
- LinkedIn has 875 million members.
- Over 77% of LinkedIn users are outside the US.
- Every week, 52 million people use LinkedIn to find work.
- 16.2% of US users log into LinkedIn every day.
Here’s the full list of updated LinkedIn stats (as well as LinkedIn demographics). Also, explore ideas for building your LinkedIn brand with our LinkedIn Marketing Guide.
How often to post on Pinterest
Post at least once a week on Pinterest.
According to Pinterest, “Quality and relevance matter more than frequency on Pinterest. So while you can figure out the best schedule for you, posting weekly is a good rule of thumb.”
Unlike platforms like Instagram and TikTok, virality is not the goal of Pinterest.
Content on Pinterest has a long shelf life. A single post can be viewed and shared for weeks or even months after publication. This is why creating highly engaged and relevant content is more important than spreading a virus.
To optimize your posts, be sure to follow creative guidelines such as:
- Use visuals that stand out
- Target keywords in captions
- Use hashtags where appropriate
- Create content tailored to the needs of your audience
Depending on your goals, you can post several times a week. How often you post depends on the type of content you’re sharing and the size of your audience. Your Pin stats are a great place to see the performance of your Pins and see how your audience is engaging with certain types of content.
Hootsuite Analytics and Impact can also help set boundaries between how Pinterest content impacts web traffic, or how follower growth impacts views on other platforms.
Key Pinterest stats to consider when posting:
- Pinterest has 445 million monthly active users.
- The monthly number of Pinterest users worldwide increased by 5% in 2022.
- Gen Z and men are the fastest growing audience on Pinterest
- 75% of weekly Pinterest users say they always shop
Check out the latest Pinterest business statistics and Pinterest demographics to get insights into your sticking strategy.
How often to post on Google My Business
Post at least once a week on Google My Business.
Google My Business Posts might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of social media for business. But this platform can be surprisingly effective at helping your local SEO and increasing customer engagement.
Google My Business messages expired after 7 days. But in 2021, Google changed this feature and now you will see the last 10 posted posts. Google notes that messages are archived after 6 months unless otherwise noted.
Google My Business posts need to be incredibly timely. Typically, your audience is looking for something they can do, see, or eat right now. Thus, messages should be focused on current offers or events.
The ideal posting frequency depends on the type of post, but it is generally recommended to post at least once a week. You can also split your posts into different times of day and days of the week depending on when your target audience is online.
Current offers, images of your business or place, and announcements of new products tend to work well on this platform.
Key Google My Business statistics to consider when posting:
- Google is the most visited website in the world with over 80 billion visits.
- Companies with completed Google My Business profiles are considered 2.7 times more reputable.
- Customers are 70% more likely to visit your site and 50% more likely to consider buying if your business has a completed Google My Business profile.
- 49% of GMB businesses receive over 1,000 search hits per month.
Learn how to reach more customers with Google My Business and write great posts on Google My Business today.
Learning the best way to post on social media takes trial and error. What works for some brands may not work for others.
Enterprise teams will be able to post more frequently than individual entrepreneurs. In addition, individual characteristics such as audience size, community loyalty, geographic location, and content type can greatly affect the effectiveness of your messages.
Braden Cohen says, “To understand what works best for you, try testing different posts at different times and in different numbers to see what performs best for your content and channel. Keep testing, learning and changing.”
Always remember: content quality is more important than frequency. While posting more content can help to some extent, the more relevant and useful your content is to your audience, the better your social channels will perform.
Hootsuite lets you schedule social media posts in advance so you can post at the frequency you want on each channel. With Hootsuite Planner, you can create a post calendar that clearly states when to post and what content to share. In Composer, you can also set up bulk post scheduling. This allows you to quickly and easily schedule multiple posts at the same time.
Get started with our complete guide to scheduling social media posts.