How often should a small business post, and when?

There is no magic number. A practical way for a small business to work out how often to post on Facebook and Instagram, and when.

Why there is no single right answer

You will find plenty of confident advice about the ideal number of posts and the best time of day. Treat it with caution. Your audience, your sector and the platforms' own changing algorithms all affect what works, and a figure that suits a national brand may mean little for a local business.

Start with what you can sustain

Consistency is more useful than volume. It is better to post twice a week for a year than every day for a fortnight and then disappear. Choose a number that you could still manage in your busiest month, and increase it only when that feels easy.

When you are deciding, ask yourself:

• How much time can someone honestly give to this every week?
• Do you have enough to say that is worth reading?
• Who will write the posts when the usual person is on holiday?

Work out when your audience is around

Think about your customers' day before looking at any data. A lunch offer is best seen before lunch. Parents may be scrolling once the children are in bed. Tradespeople may check in early, before they start work.

Then check the insights that Facebook and Instagram provide for your Page and professional account. Both show information about your audience and how your posts have done. Look for patterns over several weeks rather than reacting to one post.

Test one thing at a time

If you want to learn what works, change one thing for a few weeks, such as the time you post, and compare. Keep notes. Results for small accounts can move around a lot, so avoid reading too much into a single good or bad day.

Scheduling makes it easier to keep going

Once you know your rhythm, scheduling means posts can go out while you are busy. Do check that scheduled posts still make sense closer to the time, and be ready to pause them. A cheerful promotion can look very wrong on a day when something serious has happened locally.

Frequently asked questions