Tag Archive for: online engagement

How Often to Post on Social Media

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Here’s the #1 question I answer: “How often should I post to social media?” There’s no one right answer, but I can offer insight.

First, you need to consider your goals and audience. Post zero times to places where you audience isn’t or that don’t support your goal. Quality content always beats quantity. If you don’t have anything great to post, don’t post.

Now that we have that out of the way, here are the current guidelines for the most commonly used platforms:

  • On Instagram, post between 3-7 times per week
  • On Facebook, post between 2-5 times a week
  • On Twitter, post between 1-5 times a day
  • On LinkedIn, post between 1-5 times a week

Every social media account is unique, so looking at your metrics is absolutely key to getting the right frequency.

Frequency on Instagram

It is generally recommended to post to your Instagram feed 2-3 times per week, and no more than once per day.

Key Instagram statistics:

  • The average user spends 30 minutes a day on Instagram
  • 81% of people use Instagram to research products and services
  • 63% of American users check Instagram at least once a day

Posting on Facebook

It is generally recommended to post once a day, no more than daily. Some studies have even found less engagement if you’re posting more than that.

Key Facebook statistics:

  • Facebook is the world’s third most-visited website
  • More than half of American users check Facebook several times per day
  • The average user spends 34 minutes per day on Facebook
  • 80% of people access the platform using mobile only

Tweeting Guidelines

It is generally recommended to post no more than 3-5 times per day. People on Twitter are looking for news and events.

Twitter statistics:

  • 42% of American users check Twitter at least once a day
  • Users spend about about 15 minutes per visit

Using LinkedIn

On LinkedIn, post once a day and generally on business days.

LinkedIn facts:

  • Companies that post weekly on LinkedIn see a 2x higher engagement rate
  • 12% of American users check LinkedIn several times a day

What Action Can You Expect from Online Engagement?

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Your company is likely on social media to connect with your audience and to get them to take beneficial action. But what is realistic to expect? Nielsen Norman Group has identified 6 types of interactions that users have with companies on social media.

They identified the following core interactions, illustrated in this image in order of frequency.

User interactions with businesses on social media

Make Your Social Content Meet These Needs

Discover: Can I find something interesting?

Brands that help people to connect with interesting information tap into the interest in discovery.

Research: What is this? How does it work for me? How could I use it?

People look for content that helps them understand the people, products and services they encounter. Information that goes beyond pitches and sales language to help with understanding is the most valued.

Engage: Am I interested in the content the company posts on social media?

When someone gets excited about a brand, they want a way to feel connected. Social content helps them to feel connected in an ongoing way. This content nurtures a sense of ongoing relationship and makes it easy to share with others.

Purchase: How can I buy it?

Every brand loves when people come to buy. Businesses benefit when they make the process clear and easy. This is probably the most desired action. Not that it is not the top motivation for users.

Support: Can you help me solve a problem?

Problems have a way of cropping up outside of business hours. Brands that have an effective online presence help users get answers 24/7. Online content should help solve common user problems.

Promote: How can I share my experience with others?

Sometimes users want to create their own content related to brands. An online presence on the platform they are using lets them connect with the brand more meaningfully than a text mention.

Elements of Great B2B Headlines

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All of your business-to-business (B2B) content starts with a headline or title. Those words are the most important part of your writing. The right headline captures the reader’s interest. Without it, the rest of the content will never be seen.

Focus on Your Audience

As you review the advice below, remember that your headline and content needs to speak to your audience. Some of the advice may be more or less applicable to the audience you need to reach.

Know your audience. What do they like? Need? Get turned off by? Make sure all of your content is written with the needs and interests of your audience in mind.

The Best Headlines…

Research shows:

  • The words that come first in the headline have the most impact on reader interest
  • Headlines that introduce steps (“How to”) and lists (“x Tips/Ideas/Ways/Things”) get the most attention
  • The numbers 3, 5 and 7 create interest
  • Headlines that suggest forward-looking and predictive content provoke curiosity about industry developments
  • For B2B headlines, a focus on practicality and industry insights wins out over emotional appeals

7-12 Word Headlines Are Best

Headlines that are 7 to 12 words get the most B2B engagement. Shorter headlines work best for B2B messages.

SEO Considerations

To build in search engine optimization (SEO) know the focus keyword for your content and make sure that is part of the headline.

Do some research to understand the words that your target audience uses when looking for the content you are providing. Sometimes these are a little different than the words you would naturally use. Whenever possible, factor keyword vocabulary in your writing.

The words of the headline are a strong signal to search engines about the topic of content. Using the keyword first or nearly first in the headline is best.