How often should you post to Instagram every week?
It’s a question that elicits a lot of conflicting opinions from social media managers, creators, and solopreneurs alike.
So, as a leading social media scheduling and management platform, we took matters (AKA data!) into our own hands and analyzed over 22M Instagram feed posts (images, videos, carousels, and Reels).
Here’s what we found.
Does Posting Frequency on Instagram Really Matter?
Short answer: yes.
While “consistency” is the buzzword du jour, being consistent on Instagram is a great way to grow on the app.
“The more consistent your posts, the more your audience will get to know you — which in turn builds trust. They’ll also know what to expect from you, giving them a reason to follow and engage with your content,” says Later’s Social Media Manager, Christine Colling.
Since posting more consistently on Instagram, I’ve reached 187k views on my reels 😩 I really think there’s something to explore there y’all …
— Aasha Collins (@aashacollinsxo) September 27, 2022
But it has to be manageable.
Rather than posting just to post, be more strategic and consider what’s achievable for you (or your team).
“Consistency doesn’t have to mean posting every single day. Set your own pace and create a reasonable schedule — even if it means starting with just one or two posts a week,” adds Christine.
Plus, not every post type is created equal.
If your goal is to reach more eyes, you may want to focus on creating Reels or shareable carousel posts.
If you’d like to connect with your audience, doubling-down on Instagram Stories could encourage an influx of DMs.
The takeaway?
While posting consistently on Instagram will help you build a community, it’s important to:
Define (and frequently revisit) your social strategy and goals
Determine an achievable posting frequency
Experiment with different post types
Analyze your content performance to see what’s working
FYI: Later’s Instagram scheduling tool is trusted by over 4M creators, brands, and social media managers. Plan, preview, and publish your posts in advance — create an account, today:
How Often Should You Post on Instagram Every Week in 2023?
After analyzing over 22M Instagram feed posts from January 1, 2022 to October 12, 2022, we found that users with:
Nano accounts (0-10K followers) post an average of 3 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
How does that stack up against Instagram’s recommendations?
In June 2021, Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, suggested posting, “a couple feed posts a week, and a couple stories a day.”
Yes, that advice is a little vague, but remember: one size doesn't fit all.
As for Later’s social team?
With over 470K Instagram followers, we post an average of 10 feed posts a week (around 1-2 a day).
But how often should you post for optimal engagement and reach by post type — for example, how many Reels a week? How many carousels?
Keep reading, we’re breaking down all the data below.
How Often You Should Post on Instagram in 2023 for Reach & Engagement — According to Post Type
Depending on your specific Instagram goals, your post type could be the ticket to increased reach, engagement, or a combination of both.
Reach rate is a valuable indicator of your exposure, while engagement rate can indicate how well your content resonates with your community.
Based on our analysis, here’s how often you should post on Instagram — for optimal reach and engagement — according to post type:
How Often Nano Accounts Should Post on Instagram— According to Post Type
According to our analysis, Nano accounts (0-10K followers) see the highest average engagement rates with Reels.
1 Reel = an average engagement rate of 3.95%.
And if you’ve got even more time (and resources) on your hands, posting 14 Reels = an average engagement rate of 4.73%.
However, carousel posts get a ton of engagement too. Posting just 1 carousel a week = an average engagement rate of 3.36%:
When it comes to reach rate, posting more Reels reigns supreme:
How Often Micro Accounts Should Post on Instagram — According to Post Type
Micro accounts (10K-100K followers) tend to see high average engagement rates with Reels and videos.
If you want to go big, 20 Reels = an average engagement rate of 2.99% — the highest of all post types.
In comparison, 1 Reel = an average engagement rate of 1.05%.
But carousel posts come in strong too! Posting anywhere from 1-5 carousels a week can see an average engagement rate of 0.9% or higher:
For reach rate, on average, the more Reels and video content you post per week, the higher your overall reach:
How Often Mid Accounts Should Post on Instagram — According to Post Type
Mid accounts have between 100K-500K followers, so it comes as no surprise that their engagement rates are lower than their Nano and Micro counterparts.
However, a healthy mix of Reels and carousels — for example, 5 of each a week — can see an average engagement rate over 0.74%:
For reach, yet again, posting multiple Reels a week yields the best results:
P. S. Our team analyzed over 11M posts to discover the best time to post on Instagram. Bookmark this: When Is the Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2023?
So, How Often Should You Really Post a Week on Instagram?
If you want to reach new audiences, posting more Reels — paired with an effective hashtag and keyword strategy — is always a good idea.
However, if engagement is the name of the game, consider using a variety of post types — carousel posts and single images have decent engagement rates too.
But most importantly, try not to get caught up in the numbers — creating quality content trumps quantity.
Instead, use this data as a starting point to gather insights and experiment with your own account to find what works best.
FYI: With Later’s free social media scheduling tools, you can schedule all of your Instagram content in advance — hello, timesaver! 🎉
*Study based on analysis of 22M+ Instagram feed posts (images, videos, carousels, Reels) published via Later between January 1, 2022 - October 12, 2022. Data by Wissam Ghoudi.
