Let me take you back a hot minute to the last time you found yourself in the dating market. I know, I know, we won’t dwell on it too long. Remember when you used to agonise over sending the next message? Too soon looks too keen, not quick enough and your potential beau might be swiping right for someone else. Well, as we know, there’s no hard and fast rules to the frequency of dating comms, and there isn’t with social posting either.
I know that’s probably not what you want to hear, as one of the most common questions I get asked from clients and colleagues about social media marketing is “how often should I post on social media as a small business owner?” I’d love to give you a formula: n-(n2 x 
) where ‘n’ is Instagram posts per day and ‘’ is cat memes. But alas, there’s no “one-size fits all” answer to this question. Here’s a few factors that will inform your decision, however:
– your goals; the loftier your ambitions, the potential that you might need to increase your activity. However, to counter that I’d always favour quality over quantity.
– which platforms you are going to be using; and of course,
– your resources; don’t overcommit yourself – consistency is key, so only plan what you can keep up.
Let’s break those points down:
First off, your goals…
You’ve heard me say it before, but you need a clear goal to be able to judge whether you’re smashing it or not! Your posting frequency on social media depends on your overall marketing strategy and its goals, which can change every month or quarter. For example, if you are launching a new product or service, I recommend posting every day for a good four to six weeks in the lead-up to the launch. If your goals, on the other hand, are to simply maintain visibility and social proof, then you can post less… as long as you’re consistent. And if you want to drastically increase your followers and reach, then it goes without saying that you need to post as often as possible; more posts = more reach = more potential followers!
Next up are the platforms…
Another factor to consider is the platforms you are using. Fickle little things that they are, every platform is different, and the life span (and potential reach) of a post varies on each one. For example, Twitter requires you to post multiple times per day to maintain visibility. However, on LinkedIn, you can get away with posting 2-3 times per week. As I’ve said before, quality over quantity is essential here; this all links back to your goals! (see above!).
Lastly, Your Resources…
When I talk about resources, you might think I mean tools, perhaps money – sure, they’re a key ingredient, but the most fundamental resource is your own time. Know your worth, my loves! When thinking about how often to post on social media, you need to work out what is sustainable for you as a business, not just this week or this month, but beyond. Can I get a “consistency is essential”, from the congregation please?! If you’re a solo entrepreneur wearing all the hats, believe me, you’re absolutely rocking them, but posting daily may not be doable. However, if you’re a growing business with the funds to outsource or hire someone in-house, go ahead and commit to posting daily.
Don’t nail your strategy or frequency to the mast though. The beautiful thing about social media marketing is that you can test and analyse what works for you, then adapt your tactics when you need to. Start off small and manageable, and then see where a bit more attention would pay dividends.
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