By Fexify | Reading time: 8 minutes
If you’re a business owner in Cameroon or anywhere in the world, you’re probably wondering, “How often to post on social media?”
It’s one of the most common questions in digital marketing. And unfortunately, the answers you’ll find online are often contradictory. Post every day! No, focus on quality! Three times a week is the magic number!
At Fexify, we believe in clarity before activity. So let’s cut through the noise and look at what the actual data says about posting frequency in 2026.
The Short Answer (For Busy Business Owners)
Here’s the platform-by-platform breakdown based on recent data from Buffer, a leading social media management platform that analyzed over 100,000 accounts:
| Platform | Recommended Frequency |
|---|---|
| 1–2 posts per day | |
| 3–5 posts per week | |
| TikTok | 2–5 posts per week |
| 2–5 posts per week | |
| YouTube | 1 video per week |
| YouTube Shorts | 1–3 videos per week |
But here’s the truth that matters more than these numbers: Consistency beats perfect volume every single time. Buffer‘s analysis of more than 100,000 users found that regular posting means 5x more engagement than irregular posting.
The Data Behind Each Platform
Instagram: 3–5 Posts Per Week
Buffer analyzed over 2 million posts from 100,000+ Instagram accounts to answer this question. The findings are clear:
- Posting 3–5 times weekly can more than double your follower growth rate compared to posting 1–2 times weekly.
- This frequency can boost your reach per post by around 12% above your baseline.
- Accounts that post 3–5 times per week see a 0.26% follower growth rate, compared to just 0.12% for those posting 1–2 times.
The data also reveals a “no-post penalty.” Weeks with zero posts result in follower growth that’s significantly below the account’s typical baseline, sometimes even negative growth.
TikTok: 2–5 Posts Per Week
TikTok’s algorithm rewards consistency. Buffer’s data shows that moving from one post a week to 2–5 posts weekly delivers the biggest bang for your buck, with up to 17% more views per post.
Posting more can help, but the gains taper off:
- 6–10 posts weekly can lift views by around 29%
- 11+ posts by about 34%, but this volume is difficult to sustain for most businesses.
The real win isn’t that every post performs better; median views stay fairly flat. Instead, posting more simply gives you more chances for a breakout hit.
LinkedIn: 2–5 Posts Per Week
LinkedIn posts have a longer shelf life than other platforms, meaning your content can appear in feeds for weeks after posting. Buffer’s data shows that moving from 1 post to 2–5 posts per week is the “real turning point” where LinkedIn starts distributing your content more widely.
Facebook: 1–2 Posts Per Day
According to a HubSpot study of over 13,500 Facebook users, the ideal frequency for Facebook Pages is one to two posts a day. This applies to your page content, not engagement in groups.
The Most Important Finding: Diminishing Returns
Here’s what the data reveals that most “post every day” gurus won’t tell you: the returns diminish as you increase frequency.
Buffer’s analysis of reach per post shows:
- Moving from 1–2 to 3–5 posts/week: ~12% lift in reach
- Moving to 6–9 posts/week: ~18% lift (only +6% more)
- Moving to 10+ posts/week: ~24% lift (only +5% more)
The same pattern appears in follower growth:
- 1–2 posts/week: +0.12% follower growth
- 3–5 posts/week: +0.26% follower growth
- 6–9 posts/week: +0.44% follower growth
- 10+ posts/week: +0.66% follower growth.
The biggest jump happens when you move from 1–2 posts to 3–5 posts weekly. That’s your sweet spot for sustainable growth without burnout.
What This Means for Small Businesses
Here’s the reality check that data supports: “How often to post on social media” and “How often small businesses should post” are two different questions.
Small businesses don’t have the resources, time, or budget to match the posting frequency of large media companies. As one marketing expert put it, “If you can only manage once a week… that’s still GREAT. Consistency > comparison. Sustainability > burnout.”
The “right” number is the number you can stick to without burning out. A sustainable rhythm of quality content beats an unsustainable sprint of mediocre posts every time.
Beyond Frequency: What Actually Matters
Posting frequency is only one piece of the puzzle. According to Buffer, other factors affecting growth include:
- Being on the right channels (where your target audience actually spends time)
- Engaging with your audience (responding to comments and DMs)
- Posting content that’s relevant, helpful, and engaging
- Sharing interactive content that keeps followers hooked
- Posting when your target audience is online
The Honest Answer To “How often to post on social media?”
So how often to post on social media?
The data says:
- If you’re just starting or have limited time: 3 posts per week across your priority platforms
- If you want sustainable growth: 3–5 posts per week
- If you can maintain quality at higher volumes: 5–7 posts per week
But the truth says:
The best frequency is the one you can maintain consistently for the next 12 months. Not the next 12 days.
As Buffer wisely notes, “There’s no universal ‘right number’ for any social media platform. The optimal number depends on your industry, audience, follower size, and the admin load you can handle.”
Read on other interesting topics: What Is SEO| Search Engine Optimization?
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