New research by Buffer reveals how often you should post on Instagram

A new analysis by scheduling platform Buffer on how often to post on Instagram has revealed the sweet spot for ‘frequency without burnout’ in 2025.

Instagram remains a vital platform for hair, beauty, wellness and aesthetics professionals, but knowing how often to post can make a real difference in follower growth and reach.

According to the data, the more consistently you post, the better your content performs – but there’s a strategic balance to avoid burnout and maintain quality.

Buffer’s research shows that posting 3-5 times per week is ideal for sustainable growth and maximum reach, without compromising content quality. Key findings include:

• Posting 3-5 times weekly can more than double follower growth rates, compared to posting 1-2 times per week.
• Reach per post can increase by around 12% when posting 3-5 times weekly.
• Posting 6-9 times per week can yield nearly a 3.7× increase in follower growth, while 10+ posts per week could mean about a 5.5× increase.

Does posting more often harm engagement?

Contrary to concerns, posting more frequently does not hurt reach. Buffer’s analysis found that reach per post actually rises with higher posting frequency.

“Increasing posting frequency is like buying more lottery tickets – the more you post, the greater the chances of landing on the Explore page or Reels feed,” said Buffer’s data scientist Julian Winternheimer.

Even at higher volumes, Instagram’s algorithm prevents posts from overwhelming followers, ensuring that additional posts still reach new audiences.

Posting frequency directly impacts follower growth

The study confirmed a strong positive correlation between posting frequency and growth. Each account was compared to its own baseline to account for natural growth differences:

• No posts or under 1-2 posts per week risks stagnation or follower loss.
• Posting consistently improves growth metrics for both small and large accounts.

“We need to control for differences in accounts’ natural growth rates,” noted Winternheimer. “By comparing each account to its own baseline, we see that more posts truly drive measurable growth.”

Main takeaways for industry professionals

For hair, beauty, wellness and aesthetics businesses aiming to boost their Instagram presence in 2025, it is worth remembering:

1. Consistency is key – set realistic posting goals aligned with your bandwidth.
2. The sweet spot for sustainable growth is 3-5 posts per week.
3. Higher frequency (6-9+ posts/week) can accelerate follower gains, but watch out for diminishing returns.
4. Focus on feed posts (photos, reels, carousels) for growth; Instagram Stories primarily engage existing followers.

By understanding the data behind posting frequency, industry professionals can plan content more effectively, grow their audience and improve reach without sacrificing quality.