How Often to Post on Social Media

June 12, 2017

Social media is a great way to reach target audiences. It allows you to post engaging content with direct links to increase visitors to your site and grow a loyal base of brand ambassadors. There is no perfect formula to determine the best social media posting strategy. There are, however, some documented statistics that can help you create an effective social media posting schedule.

Preparing the Content

The Facebook News Feed uses a complicated algorithm that makes strategizing the timing of a post difficult. This feed favors high-quality, non-spam content providing general advice.

The Twitter feed is somewhat chronological, so this is a better outlet for immediate information. At 24 minutes, Twitter posts have a pretty short half-life, so keeping content current is key.

Considering the Audience

Think about your target audience and where they will be during the time of the post. If you are reaching out to a younger audience, consider typical school times. Young adults and college students tend to be online late in the evening, while older audiences check social media in the early morning and at lunch time when they have a break from work.

Posting Times

Studies show the most effective time to post on Facebook is between noon and 3 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and between noon and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. On Twitter, weekdays at 3 p.m. is the prime time to post. Because optimal posting times will change, keeping track of your social media analytics is the best way to determine when your audience is tuned in.

Frequency of Posts

If you have a social media following of 10,000 or more, the general rule is to post twice a day. For pages with a smaller following, posting once or twice a week will result in a higher number of clicks per post.

Creating a social media schedule can keep you on target and direct more customers to your store or website. There is no straight answer for how many times to post and at what times, so be aware of your analytics and know your target audience well.