3-5 Instagram Posts Per Week Is Fine: But You Could Do Better

To see how consistently businesses should post on Instagram, a Buffer study analyzed 2 million posts from over 100,000 accounts. I’ve summarized the study’s most eye-opening findings below:

• You should post three-to-five times per week, since it can more than double your follower growth count and increase your reach per post by 12%.
• Six-to-nine or 10+ posts per week leads to follower growth. That said, you should only post this often if your business has the time and resources to do so.
• Avoid posting less than one-to-two times per week, which leads to dropping followers and a stagnant account. 

So, if your business wants to maintain a consistent Instagram posting schedule without spreading itself too thin, aim to post between three-to-five times per week. It can help you multiply your followers over time and increase brand awareness by boosting how many people see your posts.

Knowing how often you should post is all well and good, but your business must have a plan in place to ensure that you’re sticking to your schedule. For best results, the following tips will help you stay consistent when planning, scheduling, and posting your Instagram content:

1. Identify a social media scheduling tool – A scheduling tool plays a key role in your social media strategy, since it’ll help you schedule what Instagram posts you’re going to publish and when. Popular platforms include Buffer, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and CoSchedule.
2. Batch your Instagram posts – Ever batch cooked your meals? The same principle applies to posting on Instagram. For example, you might spend a few hours each Monday morning creating your posts for the rest of the week, and then scheduling them accordingly.
3. Create a content bank – Having a content bank filled with ideas is a useful fallback for the odd week when you’re not sure what to post about. When in need, you can consult the bank and find a relevant topic or post type to cover.

Though creating a consistent post schedule can feel daunting at first, it’s a wise step your business should take to secure long term growth on Instagram. Has your business already tried some of the best practices listed above? Share your results in the comments!