How many times should you post on Instagram each week? It's a hot topic among social media managers, creators, and solopreneurs, sparking various opinions.

Diving into this debate, we took insights from later.com and went a step further, analyzing over 19 million Instagram feed posts and 32,000 Instagram Stories to figure out the ideal posting frequency.

Does Posting Frequency on Instagram Really Matter?

Absolutely, yes.

In the world of Instagram, consistency isn’t just a trendy word; it's the foundation for growth on the platform. "The more consistent you are, the more familiar your community becomes with your content. This familiarity breeds trust, which, in turn, encourages engagement," explains Christine Colling, Social Media Manager at Later. However, it's crucial that your posting schedule is realistic for you to maintain.

For those weighing the options between going it alone or outsourcing social media management and content creation, remember:

Our Tips: Yes, posting consistently is key, but even more critical is:

• Defining and regularly revisiting your social strategy and objectives.
• Establishing a posting rhythm that's realistic for you (and be prepared to tweak it as you go).
• Exploring various types of posts. Instagram Reels, for instance, can significantly increase your reach, while Stories can be an effective tool for driving traffic.
• Regularly reviewing how well your content performs to understand what resonates with your audience (and doing more of that).

How Often Should You Post Instagram Feed Posts in 2024?

After Later.com analyzed over 19M Instagram feed posts (images, carousels, videos, and Reels) from January 1, 2023 to October 1, 2023, we found that users with:

• Nano accounts (0-10K followers) post an average of 2 feed posts per week
• Micro accounts (10K-100K followers) post an average of 3 feed posts per week
• Mid accounts (100K-500K followers) post an average of 5 feed posts per week

Data Analysis — Key Takeaways:

• As accounts gain followers, they begin to post more — likely due to:
  • Increased interest in their content
  • More resources and the ability to outsource work
• Rather than posting multiple times a day, there's been a shift towards "quality over quantity" — likely due to conversations around social media burnout
• Take these numbers with a grain of salt — posting frequency can change depending on seasonality (aka posting more in spring), a campaign or launch, and after analyzing content performance

How Often Should You Post Instagram Stories in 2024?

After analyzing over 32K Instagram Stories from January 1, 2023 to October 1, 2023, we found that users with:

• Nano accounts (0-10K followers) post an average of 3 Instagram Stories per week
• Micro accounts (10K-100K followers) post an average of 4 Instagram Stories per week
• Mid accounts (100K-500K followers) post an average of 15 Instagram Stories per week
  

From our deep dive into Instagram's data landscape, we've unearthed some compelling insights about how different accounts navigate their posting strategies. Here's what stands out:

• Story vs. Feed Posts: There's a clear preference for posting more Stories than feed content, a trend so significant that Instagram's CEO has taken note. This observation has even influenced the platform to introduce new features like Close Friends, aiming to enhance the feed post experience.
• Nano vs. Micro Influencers: When comparing the posting frequency of nano (1K-10K followers) and micro (10K-100K followers) influencers, the differences are minimal. This suggests a "slow and steady" approach might be their strategy for building a consistent posting routine.
• The 100K Follower Turning Point: A notable shift occurs once an account surpasses 100,000 followers. We see a marked increase in the volume of Instagram Stories posted. This phenomenon likely stems from several factors:
  • A focused effort on community engagement and building deeper connections.
  • Increased utilization of the link sticker feature to drive clicks, capitalizing on Stories' direct call-to-action capability.
  • Access to more resources and bandwidth, allowing these larger accounts to produce content more frequently and with higher quality.

These findings underscore the importance of adapting your Instagram strategy as your follower count grows. For emerging accounts, focusing on consistency and finding your rhythm can pave the way for growth. For more established accounts, leveraging Stories for community engagement and driving traffic becomes increasingly beneficial.

Thinking of optimizing your Instagram strategy but not sure where to start? Consider booking a discovery call with us. Let's explore how to make Instagram work best for you, ensuring your efforts align with your business goals and audience needs.

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