How Many Instagram Posts Per Day for Success?

This is a question that gets asked a lot, but unfortunately, there's no definitive answer.

How many Instagram posts per day you should be sharing depends on a number of factors, including your engagement levels, the time of day you're posting, how many followers you have, and your overall goals for using the platform.

That said, generally speaking, most experts agree that 1-2 Instagram posts per day is a good starting point.

Of course, you may need to adjust this depending on your specific situation. For example, if you have a big brand with a large following, you may be able to get away with posting more often than someone who is just starting out.

It's all about experimenting and finding what works best for you and your audience. So don't be afraid to experiment a little bit to see what feels right.

And if you're ever in doubt, err on the side of caution and stick to posting once or twice a day. Too much content can be overwhelming for your followers and it can also lead to decreased engagement levels of individual posts.

To further address your doubts about how often to post on Instagram, I've curated this helpful guide, combining expert insights from multiple research reports on the subject.

Keep reading to learn more about:

• How to post the right amount on Instagram without annoying your followers.
• What's the ideal frequency for posting to achieve different goals on Instagram?
• Why posting too much content can actually be a bad thing (and what could happen if you do so).
• The best posting times for Instagram.
• How often should you post on Instagram for maximum engagement?

Let's get started.

How Do Follower Count and Posting Frequency Impact Feed Post Performance?

As a marketer or small business owner, one of your top priorities is probably finding ways to reach a larger audience and grow your following. And what better place to do that than on Instagram?

But before you start posting away, you need to figure out how often to post on Instagram. Because if you don't, you could turn off your potential followers or even get banned from the platform.

How often should you post on Instagram?

The answer to this question depends on a few factors, such as:

• The number of followers you have
• How often you post other content (such as blog posts and YouTube videos)
• Whether you're using Instagram for business or personal purposes
• How much quality content you can create every week (posting meaninglessly can make you lose followers)

If you're just starting out on Instagram, it's important to post regularly (at least once a day) to build up your followers. As you start to get more followers, you can be a little bit less consistent with your posting.

But if you're using Instagram for business purposes, it's important to follow a consistent posting schedule. That means posting at least once a day, and preferably multiple times a day.

So, let's see how often should you post on Instagram and what will happen if you post too much or too little.

What Happens If You Post Too Much on Instagram?

If you start posting multiple times a day, you might see a decrease in engagement on your individual posts. That's because people may start to get annoyed with how often you're posting and they may even start unfollowing you.

Additionally, if you post too much, you'll likely not be able to produce that much quality content. Your posts could look spammy and they could get your account banned from Instagram.

So, if you're just starting out, don't post more than once a day. Once you've built up a following, you can start posting multiple times a day.

What Happens If You Post Too Little on Instagram?

If you don't post enough, you won't be able to grow your following as quickly. That's because people will only see your content if they're scrolling through their feeds at the same time you happen to post.

People who do follow you may start to lose interest because they won’t see enough content from you.

Additionally, if you don't post often enough, Instagram could limit the reach of your content. That means even fewer people will see your content, making it even harder to grow your following.

The bottom line is this: You need to find a happy medium when it comes to posting on Instagram. By being consistent with your posting, you'll be more likely to grow your following and get more engagement on your posts.

How Many Posts Should You Publish on Instagram Per Day?

You get a lot of conflicting answers to this question.

Some experts will tell you that more is better and that you should be posting as often as possible to maximize your reach. Others will say that quality trumps quantity, and that you should focus on creating a smaller number of higher-quality posts.

So, which is it? How many Instagram posts per day should you be publishing?

The answer, like with most things in social media, is that it depends. It depends on your audience, the number of followers you have, your goals, and the type of content you're sharing.

However, to make it easier for you to figure out a suitable Instagram posting schedule for your business or personal account, I've compiled some general guidelines and statistics from different industry reports on how often to post on Instagram and when.

Instagram Posts Per Day: On Average

On average, businesses post 4 posts per week across all industries, which is equivalent to publishing 0.57 posts per day for good engagement.

More popular accounts can consider posting twice a day. But anything beyond that will most likely decrease the engagement levels on your individual posts.

The optimal number for how many Instagram posts per day will also vary based on the type of content formats you use. And, it’s always better to include all different formats offered by the app in your Instagram posting strategy.

Why?

Because image posts do well with hashtags, Reels have their own feed, Carousels help you drive more conversions, and Lives let you collaborate with others. Instagram Stories are great at generating engagement and are easier to create.

Every different format you use increases your chances to engage more Instagram users.

Instagram Posts Per Day: Number of Stories, Feed Posts, Reels, Lives

I researched the optimal number of Instagram Stories, feed posts, Reels, and Live videos you should post weekly and per day, based on insights from major brands and social media experts.

I’ve also tested these for myself and I’ve organized the same information in the table below for your ease.

Check it out now:

Popular Instagram Content Formats	Instagram Limits for Number of Posts Per Day	Standard Number of Instagram Posts Per Day	Ideal/Best Number of Instagram Posts Per Day
Instagram Stories	100 per day	10 Stories per day (space them out)	2-3 Stories per day A bare minimum of 1 Story per day
Feed Posts	No limit But it is safe to not post too many and have at least 5 minutes to a few hours gap between two posts so as not to look spammy and get blocked.	1-2 posts a day	No more than once a day Usually, 2-3 times per week
Reels	No limit	5-7 Reels a week	No more than once a day 1-2 per week
Live Videos	No limit	1-2 times a week Do it in collaboration with other creators.	Once a week or once every 2 weeks Do it in collaboration with other creators.

You should come up with a posting strategy for your Instagram account that lets you show up 5-7 times a week and pair it up with daily Stories.

Tough to understand?

I tried simplifying it using a pictorial representation of what your weekly Instagram posting schedule may look like. Here it is:

However, these are just general guidelines and a starting point for what may work for you. You need to figure out the best posting frequency and post types for your Instagram account by experimenting.

Another Instagram growth coach, Lucas O’Keefe shared the posting strategy that has helped him increase his account’s reach and engagement rate.

Instagram Posts Per Day: Based on Your Follower Count and Goals

How many Instagram posts you should publish also depends on the number of followers you have. Here are some findings by the team of Later, a popular social media management tool:

Number of followers	Instagram posts per day for highest reach per post	Instagram posts per day for highest engagement per post
Under 1K followers	2 feed posts per day Posting 14 times per week	2 feed posts per day Posting 14 times per week
1K-250K followers	Posting 20 times per week	Posting once per week
Over 250K followers	Posting once per week	Posting once per week

Data source

So, along with considering the number of followers you have, you also need to consider your goals. Do you want to reach more people or are you looking for a higher engagement rate?

The answer to this question will guide you to schedule content at the right frequency.

If you want to increase your brand awareness and get more people to see your content, you should publish more posts. Whereas, to generate more engagement per post, you should not share too many posts.

Why?

Posting too much content on Instagram may lead to:

• Audience fatigue: Your followers may get annoyed if they see too many posts overcrowding their feeds without providing enough value. As a result, they may start unfollowing you.
• A possible drop in your content quality: To meet your content posting frequency, you may start sharing lower quality content which would lead to a drop in engagement.
• Losing out on engagement: The Instagram algorithm tends to show the most recent posts to its users so if you post too much, some of your posts may not even make it to their feeds.

The key to Instagram success is to share posts that are high quality and add value to your followers. For the right Instagram posting frequency, I've got another pro tip for you.

Pro tip: While all of these insights come from research, testing, and implementation, I recommend that you use all of this data as a starting point and then experiment to figure out what works best for your Instagram account.

Use these tips to grow your following, become an Instagram influencer, and earn money.

The Best Times to Post on Instagram

Now that I've shared the different guidelines on how many Instagram posts per day you should be publishing, let's talk a little about when you should be sharing your content.

Based on findings from various research reports, I’ve curated this data about the best times to post on Instagram each day of the week. You may use it as your baseline and then experiment a bit to find the sweet spots for your Instagram account.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
	5 am	5 am	5 am	5 am
11 am – 5 pm	9 am – 6 pm	11 am	11 am	9 am – 4 pm	11 am
		3 pm	3 pm – 4 pm

While Thursdays are the best, Sundays turn out to be the worst days to post on Instagram.

Do you want detailed information about the best posting times based on your industry and the nature of your business?

Then, check out my detailed post on when to post on Instagram.

How Are Hashtags Related to the Optimal Number of Posts Per Day on Instagram?

Instagram allows you to add up to 30 hashtags to each of your posts. However, most experts recommend that you put relevance over quantity. That being said, the optimal number of hashtags to use on Instagram is 10.7 (or 11) per post.

Why 11?

The reasoning behind this number is that it allows you to reach the maximum number of people without coming across as spammy. Some marketers also suggest that you use only 3-7 hashtags that are highly relevant to your post and niche.

Now imagine posting any more than two times a day. How many hashtags will you use altogether if you post thrice or more?

You guessed it – a ton!

This is where things can start to look spammy real quick.

And that’s why I recommend that you stick to a maximum of two posts per day if you want to avoid looking like a spammy account.

Of course, this all depends on how often you post quality content as well.

If you only post 2-3 times a week, then 2 posts in one day won’t look as bad. But if you’re posting multiple times a day and all days of the week, then using too many hashtags will cause people to view your account as spammy.

So, to recap, it's best that you use a maximum of 11 hashtags per post and you post 1-2 times per day.

Here’s my guide on everything you need to know about using hashtags.

Instagram Posting Frequency FAQs

Are You Posting the Right Amount on Instagram?

Now that you know how often to post on Instagram, it's time to put this knowledge into practice.

If you’re still wondering how many Instagram posts per day is best, you should start by posting 1-2 times a day and see how your followers respond. If they seem engaged and are liking, commenting, and sharing your posts, then you're on the right track.

If you start to notice that your engagement is decreasing or that people are unfollowing you, then you may be posting too much. In this case, cut back on the number of posts you're sharing each day and see if that makes a difference.

It's also important to experiment with the type of content you're posting. If you find that certain types of posts perform better than others, then focus on sharing more of those.

For example, if you notice that your followers really enjoy photos of your products, then share more of those. Or, if you find that your followers are responding well to videos, then start posting more videos.

The bottom line is that you should experiment with different types of content and posting frequencies to see what works best for your account. There's no magic formula for success, so it's important to test out different things and see what gets the best results.

With that said, I hope this article has given you some useful insights into how often you should post on Instagram to grow your account. So, go out there and start experimenting!