How many of you here at your desk have ever pondered the optimal frequency of your social media updates?
Since the advent of social media, this topic has loomed large over marketers' heads. Just though you have the "most posts" doesn't mean you'll always come out on top. In reality, the frequency with which you publish might affect how much your audience finds you inspiring or bothersome. Seventy-four percent of consumers in the Sprout Social IndexTM said that marketers should limit themselves to only two or three posts each day.
The amount of time and effort you put into your social media channels is directly related to the number of posts you produce daily. Sprout Social's data science team evaluated the posting frequency of more than 30,000 customers to get the average for some of the most important platforms for you and your target audience.
How often to post on social media overall?
Industry average: 11 posts per day
Social media managers may rest easy: that figure is an average over all channels, not just one.
However, that's still a lot of content, with 11 postings per day. For this reason, it comes as no surprise that bandwidth is cited as a major difficulty for social media teams in 2018.
Knowing how often you should post on each network can help you save time by letting you focus on the channels that truly require more material.
Keep in mind—these are industry averages. Your posting sweet spot may depend on your audience and industry. Start with these averages—plus the best times to post on social media – experiment to see what works best.
How often to post on TikTok?
Industry average: 1-4 times per day
We wouldn't leave you hanging if we knew how often you should publish to TikTok, but we don't have that information just yet (stay tuned). The good news is that TikTok has offered up their own recommendation, which is anywhere from one to four videos every day.
In the #ForYou stream, new material is constantly being generated. If you post many times a day, your content will remain prominent in your audience's feeds and on their minds. Furthermore, this is a fantastic method for repeatedly determining the most effective tones, themes, subjects, and hashtags.
Having many posts go live in one day without any separation might become confusing for readers. Make use of the scheduling features of TikTok to plan out your content in advance.
Here are some more things to keep in mind while marketing on TikTok, other from the frequency of your posts:
Discover your calling: There are a plethora of trends to explore on TikTok, from #LearnOnTikTok to #BookTok. Examine competitor content, generate ideas, and put them to the test on TikTok to find out where your company may succeed with video.
More rawness and less gloss: When marketers broadcast authentic, human content on TikTok, 56% more people feel a connection with the company.
Make the most of the built-in functions of TikTok: If you modify your videos in the TikTok app, you'll have a more authentic appearance.
How often to post on Instagram?
Industry average: 1-2 posts per day
Instagram has been downloaded more than any other app in the globe, second only to TikTok. Instagram's continued success may be gauged by the fact that it has over two billion active users. Almost half of consumers choose Instagram as one of the social media sites they want to spend the most time on in 2018. Pew Research also discovered that 59% of users check Instagram at least once each day, and 38% do so numerous times per day.
In terms of frequency, the typical number of Instagram posts each day is 1-2. However, this is not always the case, especially across sectors. The Nerdist, a media organization dedicated to geek culture, often makes three to five postings every day.
If you want your daily social media postings to have more of an impact, consider the following advice.
The Instagram algorithm favors posts that keep users engaged for at least a few seconds. To pique your audience's interest, use a hook like the one above. as well as make use of well-liked forms of content. The most effective method of expansion is to utilize Instagram Reels. Furthermore, the interaction rates each session is higher on carousel posts.
Be timely: Keep up with the feed by posting at peak periods.
It's important to keep your target market in mind. Because Instagram values content popularity, comments and likes are important indicators of success. Take use of your analytics to see which of your posts are receiving the most attention.
Take advantage of influencer marketing on Instagram, where 58% of marketers say they want to invest in creator partnerships during the next several months.
Make use of Instagram's Stories feature, since 50% of viewers will check out a brand's website if they see it in a Story. Engage your audience all day long by posting to your Story and using interactive features like stickers or linking to your bio.
How often to post on Facebook?
Industry average: 4-5 posts per day
Facebook's near-monopoly on the internet is demonstrated by its over 3 billion monthly active users. Seventy-one percent of users and sixty-five percent of businesses anticipate it to be a major channel for them in 2018.
Facebook is still an important focus for efforts. Because of its advertising features, you can more easily locate and communicate with your target demographic. And 60% of customers choose this channel when they have a question or concern about a product or service. Typically, businesses will make between four and five updates every day. Use a social media calendar to plan out your Facebook updates in advance.
To help you remain on top of the Feed, here are some pointers:
Facebook attracts more than one-quarter of all digital advertising expenditure, so it's a good place to promote your business. Since organic reach is declining, paid promotion is necessary to maintain a steady stream of viewers.
Try out some different kinds of video: One of the most common uses of video on Facebook is as an in-feed video. In order to increase your chances of being seen in the Facebook Feed, you should take advantage of the fact that videos are ever more popular.
Recognize the needs of your target market: The algorithm considers the number of likes and shares your posts receive. Determine which kind of postings receive the most engagement by reviewing your analytics data.
An additional piece of advice is to find out what your audience wants to see to increase the amount of interaction with your postings.
How often to post on LinkedIn?
Industry average: No more than once a day
Employer branding and thought leadership are both bolstered by the world's biggest professional networking platform. Of course, it's not all work and no play; anybody for some “broetry”?
Posting once a day on LinkedIn is recommended, and weekdays are optimal. As a result of a recent algorithm update, LinkedIn is now better at detecting and removing content that may be spam while also highlighting content that receives substantial interaction. Be sure to add value in the one comment.
How to get the most out of your daily post:
Inspire your staff to share their opinions by instituting an employee advocacy program, as reported by 68% of businesses. Material shared by employees often receives eight times as much interaction as brand-provided content.
Put up queries, but don't expect answers via likes and comments. You will now be ranked lower due to a change in LinkedIn's algorithm.
The comments will be answered: Commenters are rewarded for their participation. In addition, they will raise your article in the relevant news feed.
How often to post on Twitter
Industry average: 3-4 Tweets per day
57% of Twitter users who obtain their news on the platform think it has improved their awareness of current events, proving that the platform that gave birth to the hashtag remains a go-to for trends and breaking news items.
On Twitter, the pace of events is lightning quick. They say a Tweet dies on the vine after only 18 minutes. If you are just post once a day, your Tweet may be buried in the stream, but if you stick to the industry standard of three to four Tweets each day, your posts will be seen. The platform's chatty, "stream of consciousness" format makes it simple to publish humorous content without watering down your voice or diluting your brand identity.
There are several opportunities to Tweet every day; here are some suggestions for making the most of your time and effort:
It's become common practice to repurpose tweets for use on other platforms, such as Instagram, where they're often used to spread humorous, thought-provoking, or viral memes. In addition, it's a great fit for content promotion and repurposing.
Take use of trending hashtags: Using a hashtag on a national holiday can allow you to become part of a broader, potentially popular conversation on the platform, expanding your potential audience. Utilize your imagination, but don't feel obligated to use every single one.
Not every Tweet you publish needs to be unique; make use of Retweets and quoting. Tweets from brand advocates should be retweeted, and vice versa.
Pay close attention to customer service; Twitter is a popular platform where consumers can ask questions, so it's a good idea to either dedicate a separate handle to it or make it a regular part of your business's social media strategy. Finding Tweets about your company and learning how your consumers actually feel (even when they don't specifically tag you) is a breeze using social listening.
How often to post on Pinterest
Industry average: Not more than once per day
The good news is that Generation Z is increasingly using Pinterest—their numbers have increased by 40% in only a year.
Most Pinterest users seek inspiration for new DIY projects. The fashion, creative, DIY, food, and decorating industries are very active on Pinterest, so connecting with your audience through how-to and inspiring postings will likely provide positive results.
However, with the standard being only one pin every day, how can you make yours stand out?
Use appropriate keywords; the majority of popular Pinterest searches do not include brand names. This means that the site is frequently used as a starting point for learning about novel topics. Make your Pins more discoverable by using relevant keywords.
Make eye-catching images: Use eye-catching images and graphics to grab the reader's attention. Canva is one such free application that can be used to make eye-catching graphics, infographics, and more.
Frequent pinning: "Fresh" pins, or new material as opposed to repined content, are given more weight by the Pinterest algorithm. To prove to the system that you are still active and relevant, you should keep up with your Pinning.
Discover what's popular and riding high on Pinterest and use that knowledge to inform your own content creation.
When would you like to see posts?
Knowing how often you should publish on social media is only one component of your overall approach. However, you should still ensure that your material is of excellent quality and is useful to your target demographic. Discovering how often you should post to achieve your goals can set you apart without coming across as spammy.
In response to the question, "how often should you publish on social media?" you have the correct answer. The next step is to play about with these medians to discover the optimal frequency range for your application.
Methodology behind our data collection
We are aware that readers of these studies may wonder about the reliability of the underlying data. So, we'll explain exactly what information we used and how we arrived at our conclusions.
To begin, we were able to collect this information from Salty Red Dog Marketing’s users. When we collect messages on behalf of clients, it’s because it "integrates with the different social media networks via their API."
It's time to put your content calendar to the test. Do you know how often your followers want to hear from you?
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Salty Red Dog Marketing, LLC is a marketing agency in Red Bank, NJ, Westport, CT, and everywhere in between. We service businesses with marketing strategies, digital marketing, social media, and consultations.
Contact: info@saltyreddogmarketing.com
Phone: NJ: (732) 802-6205 // CT: (203) 429-9671