What are Your Objectives?
Before taking a closer look at how often you are posting on Instagram, it’s important to understand why you are trying to build your presence on the platform. A few examples of key objectives are:
- Building brand awareness and credibility
- Fostering customer engagement
- Increasing website traffic
- Maximising conversion and sales
Ideal Frequency for Businesses
Consistency is vital when it comes to maintaining the digital presence of a business. Not only does this help foster engagement, but also helps grow credibility within your specific niche. Depending on the amount of resources you might have available to you, as well as existing audience engagement levels, you’d be looking at posting at least 3-7 times a week.
Bear in mind that quality should always trump quantity in these instances, and you should never be posting for the sake of hitting a number in an excel sheet.
OUR TOP TIP: Always take the time to review your posts, and ask yourself if the post is delivering value to your audience, and in-line with your brand identity.
By posting regularly, you are keeping your brand in the front of your customers’ minds, increasing the likelihood of converting when the time comes, and also building customer loyalty. Experiment with posting at different times of the day to help pinpoint when your audience is the most active and receptive to your content.
Ideal Frequency for Individuals
As an individual user, your posting frequency can be impacted by factors such as personal preferences, and goals when it comes to being on Instagram. We often see individuals posting multiple times a day to show their audience what they’re getting up to, and some taking a more curated, visually cohesive approach with a lower frequency.
Regardless of which style is a closer match to your personal preference, it’s key to toe the fine line between staying active, and not overwhelming your followers with too much content. We’d recommend aiming to post between 2-3 times a week in order to maintain engagement and visibility amongst your community. Again, consistency is key in helping you build a loyal following over time.
Key Factors that Impact Posting Frequency
There are a few other key factors to consider when it comes to how often you should be posting:
- Audience Engagement
Leverage on analytical data in-app to help pinpoint when your target audience is the most active on the platform. Adjust your posting schedule to complement this and increase engagement. - Algorithm Changes
Continue to stay informed on Instagram’s algorithm changes, and how they affect your engagement and reach. We recommend subscribing to newsletters from Instagram-verified companies such as Later, to continuously adapt your strategy and maintain visibility. - Content Quality
Always reward quality over quantity. You’d want to make sure that each post is able to hold its own in front of new and returning audiences, and that it is aligned with your brand messaging.
- Competitor Analysis
Keep a lookout for how often your competitors are posting as well, and other ways they are presenting their content to your audience. While you shouldn’t be copying their approach, it is important to analyse what they are doing, and why it’s working to help provide more insight into what’s trending in your industry.
No matter where you are with your social media strategy, it always pays to remember that consistency, quality and relevance are essential in being successful on Instagram. Don’t be afraid to experiment with posting frequencies and timings, and monitor your analytics to help inform improvements.
Remember to pay attention to what is resonating with your audience, and what isn’t- by striking the right balance, you too can achieve growth and conversion while building a strong, cohesive brand.
Want to learn more about social media management?
Drop us a message today.
