Social networks are a very useful marketing tool for restaurants, allowing them to showcase their products, their ambience, their staff, their events, their promotions.
However, it is not enough to have a presence on social networks; you also need to know how to manage them effectively and strategically. And one of the most important issues when using them is the frequency of publication, i.e. the number of times content is shared on each social network. The frequency of publication can influence the reach, engagement, traffic and conversions achieved on social networks. Therefore, it is important to find the right balance between posting too much or too little. Posting too much can saturate followers and cause them to lose interest or unfollow the restaurant. Posting too little can cause the restaurant to lose visibility and relevance to the competition.
To help you out, we wrote this post where you can see the reasons why you should post frequently on social networks, the recommended frequency by type of social network, and some additional issues you need to consider.
What Is The Optimal Posting Frequency for a Restaurant?
The answer is neither clear nor definitive, as it depends on several factors, including the type of social network, the target audience, the restaurant’s goals, the type of content, the quality of the content, the posting schedule, etc. In addition, social networks are constantly changing and what works today may not work tomorrow.
That said, there are some studies and recommendations based on data and experience that can serve as a guide or reference for restaurants looking to optimize their social posting frequency. Below are some of those suggestions:
Facebook offers many possibilities for restaurants, such as creating a page with relevant information, uploading photos and videos of the food and the venue, interacting with customers through comments and messages, creating events and offers, live streaming, managing orders, etc.
The optimal frequency of posting on Facebook for a restaurant is one to two times a day.
Posting more times can reduce the organic reach and engagement of posts, as Facebook prioritizes quality over quantity. Posting less often may cause the restaurant to miss opportunities to connect with its audience and generate traffic to its website.
Instagram is the most visual and creative social network of the moment, with more than 1 billion monthly active users. Instagram is ideal for restaurants, as it allows them to showcase their dishes and ambiance with attractive and appealing photos and videos. In addition, Instagram has other features such as stories, reels, live, etc.
The recommended frequency of posting on Instagram for a restaurant is three to five times per week.
It is advisable to vary the type of content (carousels, reels, static posts, etc.) to make it more dynamic and interesting. Stories can be used more frequently (twice a day) to share more informal and spontaneous content.
Twitter is the fastest and most immediate social network in the world, with more than 330 million monthly active users. Twitter allows restaurants to share up-to-date and relevant information about their business, such as news, offers, events, opinions, etc. In addition, Twitter facilitates interaction with customers and other industry players through mentions, retweets, likes and direct messages.
The recommended frequency of posting on Twitter for a restaurant is two to three times a day.
Keep in mind that Twitter is a very dynamic and competitive social network, where content has a very short shelf life. Therefore, it is important to post regularly to stay visible and relevant. However, do not over-post either, as it can be annoying or spammy for followers.
TikTok
TikTok is the most viral and fun social network of the moment, with more than 689 million monthly active users. TikTok is a platform based on short videos (15 to 60 seconds) that can be edited with effects, filters, music, text, etc.
TikTok offers a great opportunity for restaurants that want to show their human and fun side, create original and entertaining content, reach a young audience and generate trends.
The optimal posting frequency on TikTok for a restaurant is three to five times per week.
Keep in mind that TikTok that, due to the characteristics of this social network, the content must be novel and attractive to capture the attention of users. Posting more times can be tiring or repetitive. Posting less often can cause the restaurant to lose pace and relevance.
Google My Business
Google My Business is not a social network per se, but a free tool from Google that allows local businesses to create a profile with relevant information, such as name, address, phone, hours, website, reviews, photos, etc.
However, Google My Business helps restaurants improve their presence and ranking in search results and Google Maps. It is of vital importance for local positioning and unfortunately many abandon the publications of this tool almost completely.
Posting regularly helps to keep the profile updated and to improve the ranking on Google. In addition, it is recommended to respond to customer reviews and questions to build trust and credibility.
How to Know The Best Frequency of Publication in Each Social Network for Your Restaurant?
The above suggestions are for guidance only and do not necessarily apply to all restaurants. Each restaurant has its own personality, its own audience and its own objectives, and should adapt its posting frequency according to these factors.
The best way to know the optimal posting frequency for each social network is to experiment, analyze and optimize. That is, test different frequencies, measure the results obtained (reach, engagement, traffic, conversions, etc.) and adjust strategies according to the data. But as a first step, the information provided above can be a good start, after a while you can make the changes you see necessary based on the data obtained.
To do this, it is essential to have social network analysis and management tools that allow you to monitor the performance of publications, compare different periods, identify trends, detect areas for improvement, etc.
Normally each social network has its own measurement tools, so you can validate the information directly within their platforms. But if you want to see a different look you can make use of some of these tools:
- Hootsuite: is a platform that allows you to schedule, publish, monitor and analyze the content of various social networks from a single place. It also offers customized reports, integration with other applications and training courses.
- Sprout Social: is a platform that offers solutions for managing, optimizing and measuring the performance of social networks. It also allows you to create and manage campaigns, interact with customers, generate reports and obtain insights.
- Buffer: is a platform that facilitates the creation, scheduling and analysis of content for social networks. It also has functions to collaborate in teams, create stories and reels, and optimize the publication schedule.
By taking the data from whatever tool you use to do this, you can come to the right conclusions about how often your restaurant needs to be on social media. It’s important to be intentional, test with varying degrees of frequency, and draw conclusions about it.
