Struggling to grow your Instagram following despite putting in hours of effort on content creation? It can be incredibly frustrating to watch others go viral while your account remains stagnant…
You surely want your Instagram buzzing with engagement, don’t you? Your follower count rising steadily and your reels getting the attention they deserve….
Well, the truth is the right number of reels to post can make all the difference.
In this post, we’ll guide you through the optimal posting frequency to maximize your reach and engagement, so your Instagram presence can thrive the way you’d like it to!
Table of Contents
How many reels should I post in a month?
The quick answer is — you should post 3-5 reels per week (totaling 12-20 reels per month) for optimal engagement. This frequency allows you to stay visible and relevant without overwhelming your audience. Always prioritize quality over quantity, and use insights from Instagram analytics to adjust your strategy based on what works best for your audience.
But the long answer is — the exact number of reels you need to post depends on a lot of factors. We’ll be discovering these factors in the next few sections.
Understand Your Audience
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for reel frequency issue. Every niche and every business has its own demands.
The key is to understand your audience and figure out what do they expect from you. This can help you determine the right amount of reels as well as the right kind of reels.
Here’s how small and medium-sized accounts can find their target audience, even if they don’t have a strong know-how of marketing funnels:
1. Analyze Your Current Followers
- Use Instagram Insights to understand the demographics of your current followers. Look at age, gender, location, and active times.
- Identify which posts have received the most engagement. This can give you an idea of what type of content resonates with your audience.
2. Create a Buyer Persona
- Based on the data of your current followers and your vision for your Instagram account, create detailed profiles of your ideal followers, i.e., what would your ideal follower be like? The profile should include their demographics as well as their interests, challenges, and behaviors.
- Use these personas to tailor your reels content to better meet the needs and preferences of your target audience.
3. Use Instagram Polls and Questions
- Utilize Instagram Stories to run polls or ask questions. This can provide direct feedback from your audience about what they like or what they want to see more of.
- Ask specific questions related to content preferences, such as “Did you like X reel that we posted lately?”. Or you can get a little creative with your questioning style. For example, you can film a reel that shows an individual being frustrated to see 3 reels in a row from the same business. And add the question “the feeling sucks, doesn’t it?” at the end. Your comments section will give you the answers you need. People will mention how many reels by the same brand are tolerable to them in their feed.
4. Study Your Competitors
- Look at accounts in your niche with similar follower counts. Analyze their content, posting frequency, and engagement rates.
- Observe which types of reels are performing well for them. This can give you insights into trends and content that might work for your audience too.
5. Utilize External Tools
- Use tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, or Later to get more detailed analytics and insights about your audience.
- Create simple surveys using tools like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey to gather more detailed feedback from your followers.
Factors to Consider for Reel Frequency
Apart from understanding your audience, here are a few factors you need to consider when determining your reel frequency:
1. Niche and Industry
Some niches, like fashion or fitness, are highly competitive with frequent content updates. If you’re operating within any such niche, posting more often may be necessary to stay visible.
Similarly, in industries like education or tech, where content might be more detailed and less frequent, it’s more effective to post fewer but high-quality reels.
2. Content Quality VS Quantity
Even if you’re working in a fast-paced industry, always prioritize quality. High-quality, engaging content always performs better. It’s always got a more lasting impact than numerous mediocre posts.
3. Engagement Metrics
Monitor the performance of your reels using Instagram Insights. Look at metrics like:
- Views
- Likes
- Comments
- Shares
- Saves
Bear in mind, we’re talking about organic metrics. If you’ve boosted your reel, you need to measure the performance rather than monitor it.
If certain posting frequencies result in higher engagement, adjust your strategy accordingly. Use data-driven decisions to optimize your posting schedule.
4. Audience Behavior
Based on your audience analysis, determine when your audience is most active. And try to post your reels and other social media content during those hours. There’s a higher chance they’ll come across the reel you’ve uploaded and react to it.
Also, pay attention to the types of content your audience engages with most and adjust your frequency based on their preferences.
5. Content Creation Resources
Assess the time and effort required to produce high-quality reels. If you have limited resources, it’s better to post less frequently but maintain quality.
If you have a team, delegate tasks to streamline content creation and increase posting frequency without compromising quality.
6. Competitor Analysis
Analyze how often your competitors post reels. While it’s important not to blindly follow their strategies, it’s a good idea to observe their frequency. It can provide insights into industry standards.
Find a balance that allows you to stand out. If competitors post daily, consider whether a slightly different approach could set you apart.
7. Algorithm and Trends
Stay updated with Instagram’s algorithm changes, as these can affect the visibility of your reels. Sometimes, posting more frequently can help combat algorithm changes.
We also recommend taking advantage of trends and viral challenges. Posting relevant content when trends are hot can increase your chances of being featured on the Explore page.
8. Goals and Objectives
With reels, you can set up three types of goals:
- Brand awareness
- Engagement
- Conversions
Your goals should influence your posting frequency. Also, aim for one objective at a time.
Regularly evaluate whether your posting frequency is helping you achieve your objectives. Be flexible and ready to adjust as needed.
9. Feedback Loop
Engage with your audience and ask for their feedback on your posting frequency. They can provide valuable insights into whether you’re posting too often or not enough. You can ask for this feedback inside a reel or
Use feedback to continually refine your strategy. What works today might need tweaking tomorrow, so stay adaptable.
Best Practices & Recommendations
To maximize the impact of your Instagram reels, here are some key strategies to consider:
- Maintain Consistency
Stick to a consistent posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and coming back for more. This helps build anticipation and trust.
Although posting more is the key to winning on Instagram, it’s best to focus on producing high-quality content consistently rather than overwhelming your audience with frequent, lower-quality posts.
- Engage with Your Audience
Encourage viewers to like, comment, share, and save your reels. Ask questions or include call-to-actions (CTAs) to boost engagement.
Take the time to respond to comments and engage with your audience. This builds community and encourages more interactions.
- Collaborate with Others
Collaborate with influencers or other accounts in your niche. This can expose your reels to a wider audience and boost your follower count.
Suggested read: How to do collaboration on YouTube – Step-by-Step Guide
Encourage your followers to create and share content related to your brand. Feature this user-generated content in your reels for increased engagement. Also, tag the creators of this UGC so they get a shoutout.
4. Focus on Storytelling
Use storytelling techniques to create compelling and relatable reels. Narratives that resonate with viewers are more likely to be shared and remembered.
Earlier, we did a post on video storytelling as well — check it out to see just how massive the power of video storytelling can be.
You should aim to create an emotional connection with your audience through your stories. Whether it’s humor, inspiration, or relatability, emotions drive engagement.
- Cross-Promote Your Reels
Promote your Instagram reels on other social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok to reach a broader audience. If you have a blog, embed your reels in relevant blog posts to drive more traffic to your Instagram account.
- Utilize Analytics Tools
Use third-party analytics tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, or Later for more in-depth insights and to streamline your content strategy.
Also, regularly review your analytics to understand what’s working and what’s not. Make data-driven decisions to optimize your reel strategy. Or you can entrust an expert to develop a reel strategy for you.
Final Words
To supercharge your Instagram growth with reels, experiment with diverse content styles and keep a close watch on what resonates most. Dive into analytics regularly and be adaptable. Moreover, stay proactive by engaging with your audience’s feedback and evolving trends.
Remember, authenticity and creativity are your best allies—use them to make your reels stand out and connect meaningfully with your followers.
