How Often Should You Post on Social Media? A Guide for Small Businesses
Read Time 4 mins
One of the common questions that small business owners tend to ask is “How often should I post on social media?” It's not an easy question to answer either because the answer could really be different for every business. It depends on your goal, your audience, and the platforms you're using absolutely, but ultimately, it depends on when your audience are online.
That being said, if you're just getting started, here are some general tips you can follow to get a help improve your social engagement.
Why Posting Frequency Matters
It's a bit of a catch-22 to be honest, if you aren't posting enough then your business could become lost amongst the rest and forgettable. Start posting too much and your audience can get sick of you, and quick. So, we need to hit the sweet spot. A consistent schedule of quality content will keep you at the top of your audiences mind, without becoming too much.
Here’s why frequency matters:
- ✅ Keeps your audience engaged
- ✅ Improves visibility in platform algorithms
- ✅ Builds trust and familiarity
- ✅ Helps you stay relevant in a competitive space
👉 Related: How to create a social media strategy
Recommended Posting Frequency by Platform
Here’s a really generic guide on how often you should be posting on each platform:
| Platform | Recommended Frequency | Best Times to Post |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 times per week | Weekdays, 9am–1pm | |
| 3–7 times per week (feed), daily (Stories) | Weekdays, 11am–2pm | |
| 2–5 times per week | Tues–Thurs, 9am–12pm | |
| TikTok | 3–5 times per week | Evenings and weekends |
📌 Note: These are starting points. Your ideal frequency may vary based on your audience and content type.
How to Find the Right Frequency for Your Business
Every business is different. Here’s how to find your ideal posting rhythm:
1. Start Small and Scale Up
Begin with something that's a bit more manageable like 2 posts per week, and then increase as you become more comfortable.
2. Monitor Engagement
Look at platform analytics to identify when your audience is most active and which posts get the best results.
3. Prioritise Quality Over Quantity
It’s better to post a couple significant pieces of content per week than seven rushed ones.
4. Test and Adjust
Try different posting times and frequencies. Track your results and refine your approach to achieve optimal outcomes.
Tools to Help You Stay Consistent
Consistency is key, but it’s hard to stay on top of everything manually. These tools can help:
- Hootsuite – Schedule posts across multiple platforms
- Buffer – Simple scheduling and analytics
- Later – Great for visual planning, especially on Instagram
- Sprout Social – Advanced scheduling and reporting
Final Thoughts
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how often you should post on social media. The key is to be consistent, strategic, and responsive to your audience’s behaviour. Start with the recommended guidelines, test what works, and create a schedule that suits your business and available bandwidth.